Using food as an entry point into deeper cultural conversation
The Real School Food Conversation turned an everyday topic into a youth-led discussion about culture and inclusion.
The Context
Food is connected to culture, identity, wellbeing and belonging, but young people are rarely asked how school food environments reflect their lives. Culture Spring partnered with the Victorian Department of Education to create a youth-led space for young people to explore food as a practical and personal entry point into broader conversations about culture and inclusion.
The challenge
Conversations about culture and inclusion can feel abstract to young participants if they start too big. The task was finding an entry point concrete enough to open up honest discussion without it feeling like a lecture.
Our approach
Culture Spring delivered Let’s Talk: The Real School Food Conversation as a roundtable focused on food, culture and student experience. The session used an accessible everyday topic to support deeper discussion, helping young people connect through shared stories while identifying what makes school spaces more inclusive.
The impact
100% of respondents rated satisfaction 4 or 5 out of 5, and 5 of 6 (83%) rated their leadership confidence 4 or 5 — with every respondent asking to stay connected to future opportunities. The session showed an everyday, personal topic can open meaningful cross- cultural conversation more reliably than an abstract one.
“Connecting with other young person and learning about their story, using food as an intersectional
medium that everyone can resonate with. Using food as the core motif for discussion made it really
engaging.”
