The Buses
The I Can & I Am Buses
The I Can & I Am team board our buses and visit schools in the South West of England. Working with pupils and staff, workshops are carried out on board providing valuable tools to help improve self-esteem and maintain good mental health.
The buses are designed to provide a mix of practicality with a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere. They have a fully fitted kitchen downstairs and casual seating upstairs which provides a novel, fun setting which is engaging for all.
Within schools we work with whole year groups or select pupils from both primary, secondary and SEN schools as well as with staff. We also extend our bus visits to work with charities, universities and businesses.
What Happens on the Bus?
Time on board begins with a session cooking pizza which stimulates a sense of togetherness and creativity and is simple enough that everyone has a sense of achievement. Visitors then attend small group workshops on the top deck where we discuss how each individual can maintain their own sense of self-belief.
The key to I Can & I Am’s approach is its simplicity. Our core message is that we all have a metaphorical ‘balloon’ within us and that when it is full of air, we feel good about ourselves. However a deflated balloon can reduce our resilience and self confidence. While this may be a simple message, it is relevant to a huge cross section of the population regardless of age and background. The engaging way in which the messaging is incorporated in to the workshop / pizza making combination on board the buses ensure that the messages are memorable as well as relevant.
Above all, the bus sessions are underpinned by fun, positivity and a passion for what we do. The I Can & I Am team who work on board are experienced and empathetic professionals who understand how life can sometimes be difficult. They are experts at seeing each individual for who they are and ensuring that they get the most out of their time on board.
what people think about the bus
Headmaster, Port Regis School
“The ‘I Can and I Am’ team leave an indelible mark on a school community. They are inspirational. Pizzas hook the children in, but what follows is profound, life-enhancing and not often found in a school curriculum. This is real learning. This is real education.”
Bath Spa University
“At Bath Spa University, we’re proud to support the I Can I Am Bus, a long-standing partner. For many years, this incredible initiative has helped students settle in, learn skills to look after themselves away from home like how to make pizza from scratch, and find a safe space to talk.”
Year 8 pupil
“Thank you for bringing the I Can & I Am magic to our school! Your charity is so brilliant and the bus was super cool! I loved meeting the dog, hearing the presentation and I definitely feel more confident. Thank you!”
Year 11 Teacher
“The I can I am bus is an amazing opportunity for young people to talk about themselves and their future. Students who spent time on board were so positive and we didn’t need to reminded them of their session times! The mixture of pizza making and talking is a brilliant concept and so well set up. We absolutely love this initiative and it’s now a regular part of our school calendar!”
Visitor Feedback
4.8
The average ‘Tripadvisor’ score from those that attend workshops on the bus is 4.8 out of 5.
74%
74% of visitors report having higher self-belief when they leave the bus than when they arrive.
94%
Following a visit by the bus to a school 94% of staff report they'd like a return visit to work with additional pupils.
Read our 2024 IMPACT REPORT here
Read our 2024 Impact Report to see the transformative power of self-belief in action.
Download the reportThe Impact of a visit by the Bus
This short one minute film outlines the impact a visit by the I Can & I Am bus can make.
Boxed case study
Sir William Romney School, Tetbury
“We have been lucky enough to have received many visits from the I Can & i Am bus and each visit has been amazing. The bus, the workshop model and more importantly the staff deliver a product that is exceptional. The positive impact it has on all its visitors – both children and adults - should never be underestimated. Every child that has visited has raved about their experience.
As a result of students visiting the bus, we have seen such a boost to their confidence, friendships emerge for those who have historically felt isolated and some of our more vulnerable students really open up about the challenges that they face in their day to day lives. This is a safe space where they are wholeheartedly accepted for who they are.
The staff are always so welcoming and engaging - they even manage to reach some of our more challenging students ... It is not unusual to see such children arrive, disengaged, unwilling to make eye contact and slumped at the back. However, this is where the amazing skills of the staff and the model of the pizza making works superbly. Being able to chat with staff who are interested in them as a person, whilst making pizza and not having the threat of making eye contact, breaks down so many barriers, just in time for the staff to capitalise on this barrier removal by discussing their personal attributes with their peers upstairs. These students return to class feeling positive about themselves, willing to contribute more and certainly more inflated.
Every child should have the opportunity to have a magical hour on board the bus with the I Can and I Am team.”
Resources for Schools
We have a large range of resources available to download from this site. These include lesson plans, video clips, podcasts, posters and mentoring guides.
