Riley Park Community Garden: Children’s Garden Curriculum Development

 

 

 

 

 

Project Summary

The Riley Park Community Garden, a project of the Little Mountain Riley Park Neighbourhood Food Network, has funding in 2018 to develop and provide a curriculum and place based education for children using the garden. The students would be working with our volunteers on our Education Working Group.

Organization Information

Name

Little Mountain Riley Park Neighbourhood Food Network (LM-RP NFN)

Mission

LM-RP NFN is sponsored by Little Mountain Neighbourhood House. Visit www.lmnhs.bc.ca for more information on the role and mission of NH’s.
The Little Mountain Riley Park (LM-RP) Neighbourhood Food Network works with community members, businesses, and organizations to ensure that all our residents have access to healthy, affordable, culturally appropriate and nutritious food. Together, we are growing the community – one connection at a time. Growing food, eating together, sharing around the table connects us to each other and to our community.

LM-RP NFN 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.

We have three priorities:

  1. RP-LM Community Garden Project
  2. Food Asset Map
  3. Increasing community awareness around our work and food security issues.

Primary Contact

Project Description

The Riley Park Community Garden, a project of the Little Mountain Riley Park Neighbourhood Food Network, has funds and community partners identified to develop and implement a curriculum based education in the garden program for children (under 12). The students would be working with our volunteers on our Education Working Group. This project builds on past UBC student projects. See the Fall 2017 report on the Produce Literacy Box and an Education Plan http://lfs350.landfood.ubc.ca/community-projects/2017-winter-projects/riley-park-potting-studio-education-plan/

Deliverables

  • Support materials and activities put together to teach children in the garden.
  • Implement survey to Garden Bed Members and at a Donation Station about the Produce Library (see Fall 2017 LFS 350)
  • A contact list for groups, organizations, partners and people to offer education workshops in the garden.

Skills Preferred

  • Knowledge of community groups or individuals who can offer educational programs.
  • Outgoing and capacity to make phone calls, setup meetings and gather information from community members and existing fieldhouse activation projects
  • Capacity for research to learn and apply best practices education programs.


Skills to Be Developed

  • Research of models, processes, systems, best practices as it relates to the project
  • Community capacity building
  • Community engagement, dialogues and outreach

Project Location

Project will take place in Little Mountain Riley Park with great public access and bike paths (NH is at 24th and Main St). Some work is done on the phone and email.

Preferred Days of Week and Hours

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

Experiential Learning Opportunities

  • Coordinate a Donation Station at the Nat Bailey Farmers Market with distribution to designated agency partners.
  • Participate in a Garden Work Party
  • Assist in organizing events including the Wild Salmon Caravan, Apple Festival and Christmas Tree Chipping

Expected Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

  • Knowledge of community organizations offering food, garden and education programs
  • Community engagement that includes a broad based gathering, working with stakeholders and partners
  • The steps and process to get a community garden up and running.

Organizational Outcomes

  • Directory of workshops, education and food skills to be taught throughout the year.
  • Strengthening relationships in the community around our food security issues and strategies.
source: https://wiki.ubc.ca/Course:LFS350/Projects/W2018/RileyPark