CanTeam, a game-changing initiative that transforms school canteens into community hubs that provide after-school food for young people and their families, has today been announced as one of three projects to win the first Big Education Challenge run by the education charity Big Change.
Future Foundations, the organisation behind CanTeam, has been awarded £225,000 to develop and pilot at scale the idea. The £1m prize fund is the first of its kind run by education charity Big Change and was set up to identify, support and reward bold ideas with the potential to transform education and learning in the UK.
Jonathan Harper, CEO of Future Foundations said: “I am delighted that CanTeam is a winner of the Big Education Challenge. Too many young people and families are not able to access affordable and nutritious food, and with the support of Big Change, we can pilot at scale. As a father of three, I am a witness to the daily struggles families face. We have launched CanTeam to equip schools to transform school canteens into vibrant community hubs, serving food after school, creating a sustainable solution to food insecurity, encouraging healthy eating and enabling young people to learn and thrive. Our approach can revolutionise the way our young people eat and create more sustainable and equitable communities.”
During 2023, Future Foundations received expert support and funding from Big Change to help develop and test CanTeam. Future Foundations surveyed 1,322 young people, parents, carers, and educators from across the country to understand the potential demand. They partnered with Play Verto, a first-of-its-kind gamified data collection platform connecting communities to decision-makers through play-based experiences to gather actionable insights which included:
- 86% of parents/carers felt CanTeam could reduce the pressure to provide a meal around work and after-school clubs.
- 87% of respondents said they’re curious and keen to have a CanTeam launch at a school near them.
The initiative has successfully piloted events at Sunnyhill Primary School and Townley Grammar School and gained enthusiastic support from a diverse coalition of cross-sector organisations who recognise the transformative potential of CanTeam.
In 2024, an extended pilot of weekly events launched at two Ark schools in London, and with the support of the Big Education Challenge, Future Foundations will launch extended pilots across the UK.
Research completed by The Food Foundation in 2023 has found that for many people, a healthy and sustainable diet is simply out of reach financially, even for people on slightly higher incomes and that it can be less appealing because it’s the more expensive option.
- 1 in 4 places to buy food are fast-food outlets
- Healthy foods are over double the price per calorie than less healthy foods
- 56% of calories consumed by older children and adults are from ultra-processed foods
Jonathan Harper continued; “CanTeam will offer a new place for young people and their families, to access affordable and nutritious food. We have set ourselves a bold mission to establish more CanTeams than ‘McDonald’s’ across the UK by 2030 and are building a movement of cross-sector partners who share our mission to make this happen.”
Hannah Cohen, Head of Programmes, Bite Back, says: “By launching CanTeam across the country, Jonathan and his team will ensure that schools become community hubs, providing not just food but vital safe social spaces for young people who are often forced out onto high streets flooded with junk food.”
Nevita Pandya, Headteacher, at Townley Grammar School says: “The CanTeam initiative has captured the imagination of students at Townley, with our inaugural event held on the 23rd of November. CanTeam has seen students collaborate to organise a menu, discuss planning an event and create an entertainment programme for the evening. This has stretched our 25 CanTeam leaders to develop their problem-solving, negotiation and planning skills, with a vision and a passion to see this event serve our local community.”
The Big Education Challenge has recognised three winners. Alongside CanTeam, Force of Nature and Paige Connect:
- Force of Nature, led by Clover Hogan, aged 24, addresses students’ climate anxiety by providing training pathways to help young people prepare for their roles in a green economy, building their confidence, developing their skills, and helping them find climate solutions they wish to lead.
- Paige Connect, led by Sergio Gosalvez, aged 23, supports young blind and partially-sighted people to connect with learning and work independently or alongside others. By using technology to upgrade existing braille writers, Paige Connect enables better communication and collaboration with sighted teachers, family and friends.
Essie North, CEO, Big Change said: “In launching the Big Education Challenge, we called for ideas that could help transform education and the winners are doing just that. They have turned their experience into insight and action – bravely testing and bringing their new ideas to life. These leaders are challenging assumptions about what education is and its purpose, about who gets to lead change, and the nature of the solutions needed.
“Change in education is hard, and it takes brave and passionate people working together to make it happen. We are incredibly proud to support their journey, to show that change is possible, and I can’t wait to see the impact they will have on this and future generations.”
For more information and to keep up-to-date on the Big Education Challenge: big-change.org/challenge. To find out more about CanTeam visit: www.CanTeam.Org.
