CASE STUDY: Sally’s Journey to Confidence Through Cooking
Wales
North Pembrokeshire faces significant, but often hidden deprivation. Despite its coastal reputation, the decline of traditional industries has resulted in high unemployment, poor transport links, and financial hardship for many families.
Fishguard sits within the 20–30% most deprived areas in Wales for education, and over a third of children in Preseli Pembrokeshire are living in poverty.
In response to these challenges, POINT provides a trusted, open-access hub for young people aged 10–25. Alongside safe spaces and positive activities, POINT delivers free hot meals and opportunities to build essential life skills, particularly supporting those facing disadvantage, trauma, isolation, and barriers to education, employment, and wellbeing. Wooden Spoon Wales has funded the upgrade to their kitchen.


Sally’s journey began with curiosity and a willingness to try something new through the cooking project. At the outset, she expressed uncertainty, having never prepared a full meal on her own before. Despite this, she was eager to learn and step out of her comfort zone. With the support of the facilitators and peers, Sally gradually gained confidence in her ability to follow a recipe, handle ingredients, and manage her time in the kitchen.
As the sessions progressed, Sally became noticeably more confident and engaged. She developed practical skills such as chopping, seasoning, and coordinating different parts of a meal simultaneously. More importantly, she began to take ownership of the cooking process, making small decisions independently and showing pride in the food she created. Her enjoyment and enthusiasm grew, especially when she received positive feedback from others who tasted her dishes.
By the end of the program, Sally reflected on how much she had grown, not just in skill but in self-belief. She highlighted feeling proud of herself, particularly for completing tasks she once thought were too difficult. The experience left her feeling more independent and motivated to try new things in the future.
Sally’s journey through the cooking project illustrates how a supportive, hands-on environment can empower a young person to discover new capabilities and develop lasting confidence.

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All names have been changed to protect the identity of the young people and all photos aren’t related to the case study but show the kitchen facilities.
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