The I Can & I Am Bus
The I Can & I Am team visit schools around the South West on board the buses working with pupils and staff, providing valuable tools to help improve self-esteem and maintain good mental health.
The buses have a fully fitted kitchen downstairs and casual seating upstairs which provides a novel, fun setting which is engaging for all pupils. They are designed to provide a mix of practicality with a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere.
Sessions on board begin with a session cooking pizza which stimulates a sense of togetherness and creativity with a simplicity ensuring that everyone has a sense of achievement. We then run small group workshops on the top deck where we discuss how each individual can maintain their own sense of self-belief.
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 vists to work with charities, universities and businesses around the South West for one or more days.
What happens on the bus?
The key to I Can & I Am’s approach is its simplicity. The messages are simple but effective and are 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.
The message is based on the idea that we all have a metaphorical ‘balloon’ within us. When this is full of air, we feel good about ourselves, we have self-confidence, and we are resilient. Everyone has experienced the feeling of a deflated balloon and most have experienced the power of balloon inflation after adopting the I Can & I Am tools. This enables the methodology to be easily embedded in to a school community since it has relevance not only to the pupils but also to the parents and staff.
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.
- Read our 2024 IMPACT REPORT here
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.
That was the best school day that I’ve had throughout the six years that I’ve been here!
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!
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.
A short video outlining what happens on board the bus