Cooking Matters volunteer positions

Volunteer culinary instructors and University of Minnesota Extension Nutrition Educators share their time and expertise to lead hands-on courses that teach adults, teens and kids how to purchase and prepare nutritious foods in healthful, safe and tasty ways. This can mean the difference between feeding families for just one night and making sure they have the knowledge, skills and resources to prepare healthy meals for a lifetime.

Culinary instructors teach key skills and inspire participants to cook more healthy, inexpensive meals at home.

Responsibilities

• Teach participants basic food and kitchen safety, food preparation, food budgeting and making healthy choices when cooking, according to the highlighted objectives of each lesson.
• Facilitate class discussions on each cooking or food safety message. Allow participants to brainstorm how they might put new behaviors into action, discuss barriers to adopting new behaviors and share ideas with their peers for overcoming barriers.
• Assign participants kitchen tasks that allow each individual to gain hands-on practice and improve their cooking skills.
• Supervise participants in the kitchen, encouraging proper techniques and gently correcting as needed.

Skills preferred

• Professional culinary training or experience working in the food industry is preferred. We welcome qualified chefs from restaurants and hotels, instructors and students from culinary schools, personal chefs, caterers, home economics teachers, restaurant owners and managers, retired foodservice professionals, etc.
• Interest and comfort in working with low-income individuals from diverse backgrounds.
• Comfortable speaking in front of groups (average class size is 12 participants).
• Ability to travel to class location.
• Willingness to be trained on Cooking Matters® curricula, to work as a team with University of Minnesota Extension Nutrition Educator and classroom volunteers, and to adhere to program policies and team decisions.

Time commitment

• About three hours per week for lesson preparation, travel time, class time, set-up and clean-up.
• Must commit to all six weeks of the course.

The class manager facilitates each course by communicating with team to ensure that each class runs smoothly so that participants receive the highest quality learning experience.

Responsibilities

• Arrive 60 minutes before class begins.
• Prepare materials and space for class including food, take-home groceries, cooking equipment and arrangement of space.
• Facilitate course management including introductions, welcome and background regarding Cooking Matters and time management.
• Administer documents including participant evaluations, liability waivers and attendance.
• Manage volunteers including Culinary Instructor, Nutrition Educator and Class Assistants.
• Assist chef and nutrition educator with activities, visual aids and cooking, including assistance supervising participants in the kitchen to ensure safety.
• Clean up and break down the classroom before leaving.
• Communicate necessary information to Cooking Matters staff as needed and act as liaison between host agency and Cooking Matters staff.

Skills/Experience Preferred

• Excellent communication skills and ability to facilitate small to medium sized group discussion (average class is 12-15 participants).
• Interest and comfort in working with low-income individuals from diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to work well with a team.
• Ability to travel to class location.
• Willingness to be trained on Cooking Matters® curricula, to work as a team with University of Minnesota Extension staff and volunteers, and to adhere to program policies and team decisions.

Time Commitment

• At least one hour for training and orientation with Cooking Matters®.
• Approximately three hours per week for lesson preparation, travel time, class time, set-up and clean-up.
• Must commit to all six weeks of the course.

The class shopper ensures that each class is stocked with the healthy, inexpensive foods needed to give participants hands-on practice preparing meals they can then make for themselves at home.

Responsibilities

• Confirm the number of participants expected prior to shopping each week.
• Shop for class supplies and weekly groceries using specified shopping lists.
• Deliver supplies and groceries to class site no later than 60 minutes prior to the start of class.
• Keep accurate, organized records of money and receipts and submit to the Cooking Matters® Coordinator upon completion of course.
• Provide classroom assistance as needed.

Skills preferred

• Knowledge of general grocery shopping strategies and food budgeting techniques.
• Strong organizational and money management skills.
• Ability to work well with a team.
• Willingness to adhere to program policies and team decisions.

Time Commitment

• At least one hour for training and orientation with Cooking Matters®.
• At least 1.5 hours per week for shopping, including travel to class location.
• Must commit to shopping for all six weeks of the course.

The class assistant ensures that each class runs smoothly so that participants receive the highest quality learning experience.

Responsibilities

• Arrive 60 minutes before class begins.
• Help unload and arrange groceries and supplies.
• Assemble take-home grocery bags for participants.
• Set up classroom and kitchen space.
• Assist chef and nutrition educator as needed with activities, visual aids and cooking.
• Clean up and break down the classroom before leaving.

Skills preferred

• Interest and comfort in working with low-income individuals from diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to work well with a team.
• Ability to travel to class location.
• Willingness to adhere to program policies and team decisions.

Time commitment

• At least one hour for training and orientation with Cooking Matters®.
• Approximately three hours per week for lesson preparation, travel time, class time, set-up and clean-up.
• Must commit to all six weeks of the course.