ALSphere Foundation
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” –Benjamin Franklin
Life skills are an integral part of the curriculum, especially for People of Determination community. These aim to reinforce existing knowledge, positive attitudes and values. Life skills, the basic abilities acquired through direct life experience or learning, move this special community closer to being independent and enhance their acceptance and inclusion in social networks. One such learning session was hosted by The Taj Downtown Hotel, Business Bay, Dubai on 22nd June 2024 in collaboration with BYTe – Inclusive Affairs. A masterclass on Food & Beverage Dining Etiquettes was organized by professionals from Taj, for a gathering of persons of determination, i.e. people with special abilities.
The session was aimed at developing an understanding among the targeted community on:
- Hygiene requirements before and during dining.
- Table set up – placement of basic cutlery such as spoon, knife, fork and chopsticks etc.,
- Handling and usage of each cutlery item.
- General Do’s and Don’ts during the dining session.
These are more than mere rules, they reflect respect, courtesy & social skills and by doing this, the intention was to essentially equip them with tools that will instil social confidence in them. This Masterclass on dining and table etiquettes was a step forward for the BYTe community where they learnt etiquettes and skills which could be helpful in various social settings.
Effective, focused skill development was carried out for 15 People of determination of age 14 and above. PODs were accompanied by one parent each to supervise, but it was heartening to see all PODs being deeply engaged throughout the session and performing all activities independently.
Team at Taj Dubai, planned the session well. All the aspects, right from the napkin, cutlery, glassware, food in general to the right table setting was explained in details where the participants actively participated and followed the master while getting hands on experience which helped them retain their learnings. The perfectly executed session ended with participants and the Taj team capturing precious moments in pictures.
The unmatched Taj Hospitality of World’s Best hotel brand was visible throughout the session. The Tajness was evident in every interaction we had with people from the hotel.
Nisha Tandon
