Britebound and World-Renowned Chef Jamie Oliver Partner to Increase Access to Food and Food-Adjacent Career Readiness Opportunities for Youth in the United States

BOSTON, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Britebound^™, formerly American Student Assistance^® (ASA), a national nonprofit changing the way young people learn about careers and navigate to post-high school success, today announced a partnership with Jamie Oliver, British chef, restaurateur, and child health campaigner. Through the partnership, which includes a $650,000 grant awarded by Britebound, middle and high schoolers, including those neither enrolled in education nor employed and those not served by traditional education pathways, will take part in Oliver's 10 Skills program. This will give them hands-on learning experiences that help them explore food and related careers, build confidence, develop real-world skills, and access new pathways to career and economic success. The program will be integrated within Britebound digital career readiness platforms.

"At Britebound, we believe there is no single path to success for a young person. Career success is an individual pursuit, but we need to do more to help youth find the right path for them based on their needs and aspirations. Unfortunately, too few young people are given the opportunity to uncover their passions and purpose in a high-quality, hands-on manner or build skills for career success. We are excited to collaborate with Jamie Oliver to help young people, who may find their purpose and passion in working with food, to gain valuable knowledge and build portable, in-demand skills that will put them on a path to brighter futures and successful careers," said Julie Lammers, President and CEO, Britebound.

Jamie Oliver said: "Britebound is an amazing organization, and their vision is one I totally agree with: helping young people follow their own winding, wonderfully non-linear paths toward something extraordinary. Because that is me, too. Cooking 'saved' me in many ways—it gave me a place to thrive when the traditional classroom didn't quite fit. It gave me confidence. And once you give someone that first spark… well, you never quite know how brightly it will burn. So, we're teaming up to get more children cooking—helping them build real, foundational skills and giving them that vital spark that can open the door to countless opportunities and careers in food. Because once they step into a kitchen, the possibilities are as wide and exciting as their imaginations."

About Jamie Oliver 10 Skills

Jamie Oliver 10 Skills is a free, flexible, evidence-backed food education program designed to help young people gain the essential knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to cook real food. Developed by Jamie Oliver and his team of nutritionists and food educators, 10 Skills blends practical, hands-on learning with a foundational understanding of nutrition, food sourcing, sustainability, and the cultural and social dimensions of food. 

The program is adaptable for schools, afterschool programs, community kitchens, and home-based learning. Lessons are simple, engaging, and designed to build real competencies: from using a knife safely, to cooking from scratch, to kitchen hygiene, to understanding where food comes from and how to nourish oneself and others. Tens of thousands of young people across the UK, Australia, and now the U.S. have already participated, consistently reporting increased confidence, healthier food behaviors, and expanded awareness of food and food-adjacent careers. 

Find out more about 10 Skills here.

About Britebound

Britebound, formerly American Student Assistance (ASA), is a national nonprofit at the forefront of changing the way young people learn about careers and navigate to postsecondary education and career success through access to career readiness information, resources, and experiences for all. Britebound helps middle and high school students to know themselves—their strengths and their interests—and understand their education and career options so that they can make informed decisions. Britebound fulfills its mission by providing free, digital experiences including Futurescape^® and Future Network directly to millions of students, and through advocacy, impact investing, research, thought leadership, and philanthropic support for educators, intermediaries, and others. Britebound fosters a generation of confident, crisis-proof young people who are ready for whatever path comes next after high school. To learn more about Britebound, visit www.britebound.org.

SOURCE Britebound