Course:LFS350/Projects/Fall2016/HS FoodCircle

From UBC Wiki

Project Summary

Purpose

This project is an exciting opportunity to experience the process of grassroots community development around increasing access to healthy food and addressing issues of food security

Areas of Focus

  • Increasing community access to healthy food
  • Community and network development

Skills

  • Professional facilitation training
  • Experience in collaborative community development processes
  • Network development in a non-profit setting

Location

Project will take place in Hastings Sunrise at Agency locations – neighbourhood houses or community centres with public access and bike paths. Some work is done on the phone and email.

Special Considerations

  • Some evening a weekend dates
  • Opportunity to participate in professional facilitation training sessions

Organization Information

Name

Hastings Sunrise Community Food Network

Mission

Mission: Hastings Sunrise Community Food Network is sponsored by Hastings Community Association. Visit www.hscfn.com for more information on the role and mission of NFN’s (Neighbourhood Food Networks).

Hastings Sunrise Community Food Network was formed in 2012, to help connect and support the Hastings Sunrise community, towards the access of healthy, affordable food. We have a rich, long history of food programs and activities at our community centres and neighbourhood houses, and HSCFN connects them with other community food and garden initiatives, to help strengthen capacity for a viable and resilient food system for Hastings Sunrise.

HSCFN is a member of the VNFN (Vancouver Neighbourhoood Food Network). NFN’s are part of the Greenest City action plan as a strategy to increase access to local food.

The role of HSCFN is to:

  • Build individual and community capacity
  • Learn about the needs of the community and to identify gaps in programs, services and information
  • Provide insight, share best practices and bring service providers together to build a just, sustainable and resilient food system in Hastings Sunrise.

Primary Contact

  • Joanne MacKinnon, Coordinator Hastings Sunrise Community Food Network
  • Email: info@hscfn.com
  • Ph: 778.998.3471

Project Description

The 3 year Strategic Plan developed by the Steering Committee to guide the work of the Coordinator was completed in March, 2016. The Steering Committee identified Community Food Circles as our current 3 - year project to increase our community capacity in food security to understand the barriers for residents to access healthy food. Up to 12 community members will be trained as facilitators to conduct 6-8 focus group sessions. A report will be compiled from each session plus an amalgamated report for all sessions. The results will help identify gaps and strategies to address the barriers.

UBC Students may be able to participate in the Facilitator Training Sessions to understand the project. Their main role will be to assist the facilitators to organize the focus group sessions, note taking and report writing. Working with the other focus groups will amalgamate the results to create a meaningful outcome framework for the Steering Committee. Asset mapping based on focus group work may be needed to identify food assets and resources.

Skills Preferred

  • Outgoing and capacity to make phone calls, setup meetings and gather information from community members;
  • Observational skills, note taking, report writing, data analysis to cross-tabulate with other focus group results.

Skills to Be Developed

  • Research of models, processes, systems, best practices as it relates to the project and strategies to address the barriers identified to accessing healthy food
  • Community capacity building through network processes
  • Community engagement, dialogues and outreach in a non-profit setting

Preferred Days of Week and Hours

  • Some evening meetings and weekend. The project scope should fit the hours for the course.

Experiential Learning Opportunities

  • Work on the Templeton High School garden; assist in education sessions at the feeder elementary schools including after school snack prep/ cooking with kids.
  • Assist / menu planning in food programs at the community centres
  • Offer a food workshop at a neighbourhood house or community centre
  • Assist with a community kitchen
  • Work to update the food assets, the businesses in our area, and faith based contact lists.
  • Work on social media strategies and updating the website

Expected Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

  • Community engagement that includes developing broad-based information gathering strategies, working with stakeholders and partners
  • The steps and process of community capacity building with facilitator training and focus groups with community members.

Organizational Outcomes

  • Increased community capacity in food security
  • Trained community facilitators and leaders to conduct outreach and focus groups.
  • A better understanding of barriers to our residents access to healthy food based on the reports and focus groups
  • Recommendations on strategies to address identified barriers
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