Cooking Up Confidence
How KO-NEKT Wrote Their Own 5-Senses Cookbook
Karen Kerr
Who is KO-NEKT?
KO NEKT is a social enterprise supporting children and young people aged 5 to 25 with Additional Support Needs (ASN). The organisation provides a unique “stepped platform” of support that encourages each young person to thrive through person-centred support – beginning with Kids Kave, progressing through Pre Teens and Teens groups, and culminating in KREW. As an ASDAN Approved Centre, KO-NEKT delivers accredited qualifications that build confidence, independence and essential life skills, helping young people move towards the transition to adulthood with pride and purpose. KO-NEKT also offers a 360-degree approach to family support, delivering a Nurture Programme for parents, a Stay & Play Club and Introduction to Care training for individuals interested in a career in social care. Having visited the Learning Directorate at the Scottish Government in Edinburgh, KO-NEKT was approved to work alongside Education to roll out its newly developed Pathways Programme, an inclusive, developmental journey designed to support children and young adults who require extra support.
The 5 Senses Cookbook – A Project That Shows What’s Possible
This year, KO-NEKT embarked on one of its most creative and empowering projects yet: the 5 Senses Cookbook, a colourful, tactile, multi sensory cookbook created entirely by the children and young people who attend KO-NEKT’s groups. The idea for the cookbook grew from a simple observation: many of KO-NEKT’s young people love to cook. Whether it’s stirring pancake batter, chopping vegetables or proudly plating up a dish, cooking gives them a sense of achievement that is both immediate and deeply meaningful. Staff noticed how cooking sessions helped young people regulate their senses, build confidence and develop practical skills that support independence at home and in the community.
The project was made possible with funding from North Ayrshire Council’s Community Benefit Fund, awarded through the Three Towns and Arran Locality Planning Partnerships. That support meant KO-NEKT could turn a series of fun kitchen sessions into a properly designed, professionally printed cookbook — and, fittingly, proceeds from sales are now reinvested straight back into future KO-NEKT cooking sessions.
Building Confidence One Dish at a Time
The children and young people chose every recipe themselves, from Double Chocolate Pancakes to Teens Tattie Soup to Chicken Gyros! Each recipe reflects their personalities, preferences and creativity, making the finished collection proudly their own.
Independence was encouraged at every step, from planning meals and shopping for ingredients to following instructions, using kitchen equipment safely and working together as a team. The project also gave the young people their first experience of seeing their own recipes published in print.
The sensory element was especially important. The participants explored textures, smells, sounds and tastes, describing their experiences in their own words. These sensory reflections appear throughout the cookbook, adding authenticity to every page. Comments like “The soup is legendary,” “The carrots smell orange,” and “The cinnamon rolls are puffy and sweet” capture the delight and pride felt by the young chefs.
A Celebration of Community
Each young chef will receive a personalised KO-NEKT apron and chef hat, symbolising their contribution to the project and their pride in what they’ve achieved.
The cookbook itself is a beautiful, sensory rich publication filled with recipes, photos and QR codes. It is designed not only as a cooking guide but as a celebration of inclusion, creativity and community.
It is more than a collection of recipes, it is a testament to what young people can achieve when they are supported, encouraged and given space to shine. It reflects KO-NEKT’s core belief that every child and young person deserves opportunities to grow, learn and feel proud of who they are.
Through cooking, they have discovered independence, confidence, creativity and joy. And through this cookbook, they are sharing that joy with the whole community.
Beyond the Kitchen – KREW Enterprise
For the young adults in KREW (ages 16–25), the cookbook will become
their first enterprise opportunity. As part of their life skills and independence programme, KREW members will take full ownership of the selling, packaging and distribution of the cookbook. They will manage stock, prepare orders and handle customer enquiries.
Most importantly, KREW will be in charge of deciding how the proceeds are spent. This means they will meet as a group to discuss priorities, agree on purchases and choose what equipment, ingredients or sensory resources they want to buy for KO-NEKT’s centres. Whether it’s new cooking tools, sensory materials or ingredients for future sessions, the decisions will be theirs.
This hands on responsibility gives KREW participants a meaningful opportunity to practise financial literacy, budgeting, teamwork, leadership and decision making — all essential skills for adulthood. It also reinforces KO-NEKT’s stepped platform approach, where young people gradually take on more independence and ownership as they move through the programmes.
By treating the cookbook as their own enterprise, KREW members gain real world experience in running a small business, managing money and making choices that benefit their community. It’s a powerful example of how KO-NEKT prepares young adults not just to cook, but to lead, plan and contribute.
Where to Buy the 5 Senses Cookbook
The KO-NEKT 5 Senses Cookbook is available now. Please call 07891 988 512, visit www.ko-nekt.org, or find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/KONEKTcentre/
All proceeds will help fund future cooking sessions and sensory based learning activities for children and young people.
KO-NEKT is a registered social
enterprise in Scotland
(Company No. SC619380).
Head Office: KO-NEKT Business Hub,
2 Vernon Street, Saltcoats, KA21 5HN
