O0YQ5

Insights on Innovation
16
Innovation in our organisation means adapting our programme in changing
situations without losing sight of our core purpose - to train the next
generation of top chefs through our apprenticeship programme or one of our
targeted short courses.
We innovate to stay relevant and to adapt to changes in youth unemployment and
vocational training. Each aspect of the programme has helped us grow our reach
and impact through an outreach team, supporting our graduates through regular
contact and ensuring that every part of the core training is enriched. That is why
we successfully train 18 young people each year, reach upwards of 1,000 other
participants in our short courses, and deliver £9.50 of social value for every £1
invested.
The ‘Life in the Present Tense’ report highlighted some of the challenges. One
participant described cooking in a busy kitchen, “No time to think, instant action
required, move on to the next order, the next course, the next shift, the next menu.
It’s all about the now.”
" Pearls don't lie
on the seashore.
If you want one,
you must dive
for it."
Chinese proverb
And that was part of the issue. By our own admission, we were under-resourced,
erratic and reliant on a crest of publicity and Jamie’s popularity. Support for the
apprentices was genuine but lacked structure and consistency. We needed to
provide technical skills and pastoral support in a supportive learning environment.
The publication of the social report demonstrated we were bold enough to go
public about the lessons we needed to learn. Jamie said, “…we haven’t got it right,
but without taking risks we won’t make progress”.
We have an incredible track record - upwards of 80% of apprentices graduating.
But each year we do lose people due to the rigours of the programme. We do not
see this as failure but as an opportunity to reflect and review how to improve our
reach and scale. We won’t lower our standards or criteria for success. That would
be a failure.
For innovation to flourish you need collaboration, ideas sharing, an open and
honest culture. You need to stick to your original objectives, bend according to
need, work with like-minded organisations and share skill sets.
We need to learn by mistakes and ensure they are not repeated. Being open and
honest and sharing that experience with others just starting out has added value.
Innovation isn’t enough on its own and donors want to know that charities have
stress tested their work. You need to show that you have worked through a
problem, regardless of the outcome. Learning from your experiences and the
decisions you make is critical in any organisation.
Tromie Dodd, Head of Fifteen Programmes, Jamie Oliver Food Foundation