The I Can & I Am Bus
The I Can & I Am team visit schools around the South West on the bus working with pupils and staff, providing valuable tools to help improve self-esteem and maintain good mental health. Workshops on the top deck of the bus are combined with pizza making in the converted kitchen on the ground floor. We work with whole year groups or select pupils from both primary and secondary schools as well as with staff.
Our mission at I Can & I Am is to provide young people and staff with the tools they need to maintain good mental health and a strong sense of who they are and what they CAN do.
What happens on the bus?
The bus visits schools, charities, universities and businesses around the south west for one or more days. With a fully fitted kitchen downstairs and casual seating upstairs we provide a combination of cooking pizza which stimulates a sense of togetherness and creativity. We then run small group workshops on the top deck of the bus where we discuss how each individual can maintain their own sense of self-belief.
Above all, everything is underpinned by fun, positivity, empathy, and passion for what we do. We are experienced and empathetic professionals who understand young people and how life can sometimes be difficult. Therefore, the emphasis is always on finding ways to move forward positively.
The Stats
- The average ‘Tripadvisor’ score from young people who spend time on the bus is 4.8 out of 5.
- 70% cite either ‘talking’ or ‘learning’ as the most useful thing about their time on board the bus (more useful than eating pizza!)
- 74% report having higher self-belief when they leave the bus than when they arrive.
This one minute film demonstrates the impact a visit by the I Can & I Am bus can make.
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.
Headmaster, Port Regis School
That was the best school day that I’ve had throughout the six years that I’ve been here!
Year 6 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 8 pupil
Thank you for working with Charlie on your bus today. Incredibly, he came off the bus and went to the first lesson that he’s attended all term.
Year 9 Teacher
A short video outlining what happens on board the bus