State and Territory Hubs

FREE short courses by our Maggie Beer Foundation Chef Trainers, bringing together Aged Care Cooks and Chefs for inspired learning and ongoing peer support.

Course topics include: Tips for Maximising Flavour, Plating Texture Modified Meals and Enhancing the Dining Experience. There is also content designed to help you identify and overcome challenges in your kitchen, discussing culture and collaboration.

COST   Free

DURATION   3 weeks

FORMAT   Online + Coursework – Online sessions are 2.5hrs each week.

COURSEWORK  Designed to support your learning, can be completed in your workplace and will take approx’ 2hrs each week.

CLASS SIZE   Maximum of 20 people per hub

ELIGIBILITY   You must be a cook or chef working in an Aged Care kitchen to participate.

 

Upcoming Hubs (more hubs added regularly)…

Upcoming Hubs (more hubs added regularly)…

 

Are you an aged care provider? Did you know you can sign up for a Hub exclusively for your staff?

Find out more HERE!

Extra, optional activities…

MENU APPRAISAL:  Who are your heroes? How can you improve your menu and training?

• Submit 3 weeks of standard and texture modified menus plus snacks, with photos across 24hrs.
• An Accredited Practising Dietitian measures variety, nutritional needs and special requirements.
• Schedule a virtual meeting between Food Service Manager and Accredited Practising Dietitian.
• Survey data provided in a report including recommendations for positive change.
• Available to Care Homes who haven’t performed Menu Assessment or Review in the last 6 months.
• Contact details forwarded to Nutrition Professionals Australia for Menu Appraisal.

STATE & TERRITORY HUBS – Frequently Asked Questions

Who can attend a State and Territory Hub?

State and Territory Hubs are for chefs and cooks who work in a residential aged care home kitchen. We designed the training to help cooking staff see and overcome challenges in kitchens to enhance the dining experience for residents. If you can’t attend, you can still access our online learning modules on our website.

What are the benefits of taking part?

The Maggie Beer Foundation delivers education and training to improve the dining, food, and nutritional outcomes for Australian elders in Aged Care. Our free programs can:

• build the capability of your chefs and cooks to source, prepare and serve delicious, nutritious food
• give support and advice on how to meet the draft dedicated food and nutrition Aged Care Quality Standard (mandatory from 1 July 2024)
• help reduce unplanned resident weight loss, falls, major injuries, pressure injuries
• improve Quality Indicator data, which contributes towards your Home’s Star Rating and is published publicly on My Aged Care
• increase positive responses to the Residents’ Experience Survey question “Do you like the food here?”. This can contribute towards your Home’s Star Rating published publicly on My Aged Care website.

What do I as an individual get from participating?

• Maggie Beer Foundation Certificate of attendance on completion.
• Access to the Foundation Professional Community; Your content-moderated industry forum site for ongoing education resources.
• A detailed report from the Accredited Dietitian Menu Appraisal and Food Satisfaction Questionnaires (if selected).
• A new support network of industry colleagues and the confidence to apply these skills in your own kitchen.

How does the Hub work?

Hubs deliver training online for 3 weeks. Each week you will attend a 2.5-hour online training session using Microsoft Teams. Before the course starts, we will give you practical coursework for each week. The coursework is designed to be completed before the online session. This way you can discuss it with the trainer and your peers and get feedback from the chef trainer. If you can’t complete the coursework before the online session, you will still benefit from completing it afterwards. We encourage you to speak to your manager about whether you can complete the coursework on work time.

Is a practical class being offered?

Yes – Participants who complete the course will be invited to register for their place in a practical cooking class as an additional voluntary component.

What if I can’t complete or haven’t received the coursework?

The coursework component is not assessed – It is designed to help you get the most benefit from the course. If you haven’t received the coursework before the session, you can contact us at  training@maggiebeerfoundation.org.au  If you can’t complete the coursework before the online session, you will still benefit from completing it afterwards. We encourage you to speak to your manager about whether you can complete the coursework on work time.

How many sessions do I need to attend to receive a certificate of attendance?

You must attend at least 2 sessions to receive a certificate of attendance. If you are not sure you can attend every session, contact us at training@maggiebeerfoundation.org.au or call (08) 8128 4464 to see how we can help.

What if I can’t attend one or more of the Hub sessions?

If you can’t attend one or more sessions, you can attend a catch-up session. Contact us at training@maggiebeerfoundation.org.au or call (08) 8128 4464 to arrange a catch-up session.

How do I use Microsoft Teams?

A few days before the hub, you’ll receive a link to the online sessions. You do not need to download the Microsoft Teams app to join the sessions.  You can access them using a web browser such as Internet Explorer or Google Chrome by clicking the link provided. The Microsoft website has information about how to join a Teams meeting from a web browser.

What if I have trouble joining the online meeting?

If you are having trouble joining the online meeting, restart your computer and try again. If you need help joining a meeting, you can contact us using the details on the meeting invitation or by calling (08) 8128 4464 but first, you also may just need to clear your browser’s cache – Here’s how:

• How to clear the cache in Google Chrome
• How to clear the cache in Internet Explorer
• How to clear the cache in Microsoft Edge
• How to clear the cache in Mozilla Firefox

I didn’t register for a menu appraisal, can I still get one?

Yes. You can register for your aged care for a menu appraisal at any time from when you register for your State and Territory Hub until one week after your course finishes.

What equipment do I need for the Hubs?

For every online session, you will need a computer or laptop with a camera, speakers and a microphone. Most laptops have these features built in. We recommend every person join on their own computer rather than sharing. This makes it easier to see the computer screen and join in the conversation.

What happens to the menu appraisal report?

You will be sent a copy of the Menu Appraisal report. A copy of the report will also be sent to the Maggie Beer Foundation. The Foundation will use this information to tailor training to your needs and inform the development of future training programs.

What other programs do the Maggie Beer Foundation offer?

The State and Territory Training Hubs are part of the Improving Food in Aged Care through Education Training program. All components of the program are free. The program also includes:

• 6 new online learning modules for chefs and cooks.
• the Trainer Mentor Program, a 12‑month in-person mentorship program with an expert chef trainer.
• the Foundation’s online professional community. All chefs and cooks who have completed any of the program activities will have access to this.

You can find out information about all these programs including how to take part on our website.