Help us raise $6,000 to create real-world learning opportunities for neurodivergent young adults in Parramatta.
Families spend years helping their children navigate education
and support systems.
What happens when school ends?
…for many young adults, leaving school is the beginning of independence, but for young people who think, learn and experience the world differently, the next step isn’t always clear.
So, what happens next?
Where can they practise making decisions? Learn to manage everyday challenges? Take responsibility, make mistakes and try again?
And where can they do these things without constantly being measured against someone else’s idea of success?
The problem isn’t that these young adults have nothing to offer. It’s that we need more places where they have meaningful opportunities to participate, learn and contribute.
That’s what we’re building.
Introducing: I CAN MY WAY
I CAN MY WAY is an inclusive, real-world learning initiative starting in Parramatta, designed for young adults who learn and experience life differently.
We’re starting with food.
Not because everyone needs to become a chef.
But because a kitchen is a place where everyday life happens.
You make choices. Follow instructions. Work with others. Solve problems. Make mistakes. Adapt.
Sometimes the recipe works. Sometimes it doesn’t.
Either way, you’ve learned something.
Through sensory, hands-on food experiences, we want young adults to practise skills that matter beyond the kitchen:
I CAN DO.
Build practical skills through real experiences.
I CAN CHOOSE.
Make decisions, explore preferences and develop confidence in their own judgement.
I CAN PARTICIPATE.
Contribute, communicate and take part in activities that have meaning and purpose.
There is no single definition of success here.
For one person, it might be preparing a meal independently. For another, communicating a choice, working alongside someone new or finding the confidence to try something unfamiliar.
Different people. Different starting points. Different ways forward.
What your $6,000 will make possible
We’re raising $6,000 to launch I CAN MY WAY’s food-based real-world learning experiences in Parramatta. Through structured, sensory-informed food experiences, young adults will have opportunities to practise these skills in ways that recognise their individual strengths, preferences and support needs.
Our longer-term vision is to create an ongoing enterprise offering real-world learning experiences that extend beyond the kitchen into everyday independence and community participation... Starting with food & building skills for life.
Your contribution will help cover:
● Accessible learning spaces: Suitable facilities where young adults can participate safely and comfortably.
● Ingredients, equipment and sensory resources: The practical materials needed for hands-on learning.
● Facilitation, l earning design and coordination: Developing meaningful activities that connect kitchen experiences with everyday life.
● Operational costs: Insurance, administration and fundraising transaction fees.
This is more than paying for ingredients and cooking lessons.
We’re building the foundations of an ongoing learning enterprise that creates opportunities for young adults to develop practical skills, confidence and greater independence.
The $6,000 will go towards establishing and delivering our initial food-based, real-world learning experiences in Parramatta, with breakdown as below
- $1200 — Professional facilitation & support
- $1000 — Accessible kitchen venue and facilities
- $1000 — Ingredients, equipment and sensory learning resources
- $1000 — Learning design and coordination
- $1200 — Community Table Gathering ( basic catering, event organization &!preparation)
- $600 — Insurance, administration & misc
The $6,000 gets us started.
Our longer-term goal is to build a financially sustainable model that can continue offering real-world learning experiences, develop partnerships and eventually expand beyond food into other areas of everyday life.
Why I’m building this
I’m Lorna Lee, founder of Kitchen by Lorna Lee.
I'm passionate about this project for three reasons: my work, my community and my family.
20+ years in hospitality
My background in large-scale hospitality gives me the operational experience to organise and deliver food-based activities.
For over 20 years, I’ve worked in hospitality, high-volume catering and major event operations. I’ve coordinated culinary teams of more than 150 chefs, managed high-profile operations across multiple outlets in single venue and worked in environments where planning, teamwork, problem-solving and delivering operations under pressure are part of everyday life.
I’ve spent years training staff that span from airlines to hospitality, mentoring junior team members, apprentices and working with TAFE NSW to connect vocational learning with real workplace experiences.
Over time, I’ve taken that approach beyond commercial kitchens.
Through Cooking Without Barriers, I worked with an NDIS provider in the Penrith area, delivering cooking experiences that incorporated sensory exploration and practical life skills for people with different abilities and support needs.
With Pantry to Plate, I collaborated with Western Sydney University’s food security team, starting with a simple question: “What can I do with…?” It was about using available ingredients to encourage curiosity, decision-making, resourcefulness, teamwork and practical problem-solving.
Most recent, I delivered The Sandwich Lab a food literacy STEM school holiday workshops, where food became a hands-on way to explore sensory experiences and learn through experimentation.
I am a migrant and mother of three boys, including a neurodivergent son. I’ve spent years training people in real world learning and watching what happens when someone is given the opportunity to learn by doing. I’ve lived experienced the uncertainty of raising a child who doesn’t always fit the expectations of the world around him.
As a parent, one question stays with me:
Who will give our children opportunities when we’re no longer there to create them?
I don’t believe every young person needs to follow the same path. But I do believe everyone deserves the chance to find theirs.
I’ve seen people surprise themselves and their families when given responsibility, encouragement and room to work things out.
Not everyone learns by sitting in a classroom. Some people need to touch, taste, move, experiment and experience things before they make sense. That is where my experience as a chef and educator comes in.
I know food. I know kitchens. And I know how powerful practical learning can be. I’m bringing those experiences together to build something I wish more families had access to.
Join our Community Picnic
Supporters who contribute $50 or more will receive an invitation to our first Community Table Gathering, in early-mid 2027.
Why your contribution matters
$6,000 won’t solve every challenge facing neurodivergent young adults, b ut it can help us do something practical about one of them. It can help turn an idea into a real place to learn, participate and grow.
A place where young adults aren’t simply told what they can’t do, t hey’re given opportunities to discover what they can.
We aren’t asking you to fund a feel-good story - w e’re asking you to help build something useful.
Something that young neurodivergent adults and their families can become part of and something that has the potential to grow. And something that starts right here, in Parramatta.
Be part of I CAN MY WAY
Give $50, $100 or whatever feels right for you.
If you’re in a position to contribute more, your support will help us reach our $6,000 goal sooner.
And if you can’t donate, sharing this campaign with someone who believes in creating equal opportunities matters too.
Help us build I CAN MY WAY.
Different People. Different Pathways. Equal Opportunities.
Perks
Your Reward: A Seat at Our Community Table/Picnic
No merchandise. No unnecessary giveaways.
As a founding supporter of I CAN MY WAY, you’ll be invited to our first community gathering, where we share food, stories and the beginnings of what we’re building.
Your contribution helps create real-world learning opportunities for young adults who deserve the freedom to find their own way.
Come to the table. Help us build it.
Your Reward: A Seat at Our Community Table/Picnic
No merchandise. No unnecessary giveaways.
As a founding supporter of I CAN MY WAY, you’ll be invited to our first community gathering, where we share food, stories and the beginnings of what we’re building.
Your contribution helps create real-world learning opportunities for young adults who deserve the freedom to find their own way.
Come to the table. Help us build it.
