Project Title
Exploring Neighbourhood Food Assets & What a Food Secure Neighbourhood Looks Like Through Community Engagement
Organization Information
Organization Name
Mission and Vision of Organization
Our Vision
A dynamic, diverse neighbourhood where everyone is empowered to play a role in their community.
Our Mission
Moving together to build connection and opportunity in our neighbourhood – for today and tomorrow.
Guiding Principles + Values
Our Values
- Diversity and Inclusion: We are children, youth, adults and seniors of all ethnicities, beliefs, cultures, abilities and economic levels. We speak many languages and we are people of all sexual orientations. We seek to foster diverse, multilingual and vibrant environments that welcome and embrace all aspects of who we are. ·
- Respect: We are committed to honouring the dignity of each person. We act with integrity and compassion in our relationships, and we are committed to our own self-reflection and growth. We believe everyone has something to contribute and we celebrate the contributions of one another. ·
- Social Justice: We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to participate in social, economic and cultural life, and we are committed to advancing this vision. We seek to embed principles of social justice by applying an equity lens to our work; by fostering participation in decision-making processes and by honouring the rights of others. We are committed to learning about injustices and correcting our role within them. ·
- Respecting First Nations & Indigenous Peoples: We recognize that our work is conducted on Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh and Musqueam Land. We are committed to acting with respect for the history, land and laws of these Nations. We recognize the ongoing injustice toward Indigenous peoples in this country, and we are committed to meaningfully addressing the harms perpetuated against Indigenous peoples in all work we do. · Sustainability: We are committed to fostering just and sustainable relationships with the natural world. ·
- Innovation and Creativity: We nurture joyful environments that encourage new ideas, initiatives, and the use of everyone’s talents and strengths. We focus on the process, rather than the product. We take risks and think outside the box. We celebrate the growth and efforts of each other. ·
- Organizational Excellence: We are committed to loyalty to one another and our shared vision; to upholding and supporting our roles, responsibilities, decisions and processes; to maintaining and nurturing unity and a united front; to acting with integrity, reliability and accountability in fulfilling our commitments; and to solutions-oriented, active participation. ·
- Partnerships: We are stronger together. We are committed to working in collaboration with a wide range of partners in pursuit of our vision, including charitable organizations, foundations, businesses, business improvement associations and government.
Our Food Philosophy
1. An understanding that food brings us together and can act as vehicle for community-building.
2. A recognition that all members of our community have a Right to Food based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, while also acknowledging that we as a community enjoy various levels of access to food.
3. A commitment to sharing fresh, non-expired, healthy, and locally-sourced food whenever possible.
4. A commitment to sharing food that is nutrient-dense, low in refined sugar and sodium, and not overly-processed.
5. A commitment to working toward increased access to food for those who are nutritionally vulnerable.
6. A commitment to providing opportunities for increased food literacy and community capacity-building for our neighbours.
7. A commitment to sharing foods that reflect the diversity of our community, city, country and world.
8. An awareness of the impact that our food choices have on the environment.
9. A commitment to the reduction of our organizational ecological footprint by minimizing packaging and ongoing composting.
10. Support for the development of urban farms and healthy food cooperatives.
Contact Information
- Primary Contact Person(s): Jordan Bultitude, they/them
- Email: jordan@gordonhouse.org
- Phone: 604-683-2554
- Address: 1019 Broughton Street, Vancouver BC
- Website: https://gordonhouse.org/
Note: Jordan will be away for two weeks in September. To schedule the first meeting, please email Jim Balakshin (jim@gordonhouse.org) and copy Jordan as well.
Preferred Method of Contact
- Best method(s) to contact: Email, Phone
- Best day(s) to contact: Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays
- Best time(s) to contact: Mornings, Afternoons
Preferred Platform(s) for Remote Collaboration
- In person, Email, Phone, Zoom
Project Description
Note: This project will take place online and in person
Context: What challenge or issue does the project aim to address?
Gordon Neighbourhood House is located in the West End neighbourhood of downtown Vancouver. The West End is home to a growing population of seniors, with a very significant proportion of older persons living alone. It is also home to many lower-income residents and households, where existing rental housing stock is facing development pressure, and affordability is an ongoing concern. Within this context, GNH takes a strengths-based approach community engagement and development.
The Fall 2022 LFS 350 project is a component of Gordon Neighbourhood House’s (GNH) ongoing research project, which aims to
- a) identify how social, economic, geographic, and political root causes of poverty and food insecurity manifest in the day-to-day lives of West End community members and
- b) develop a set of community-led recommendations for food justice and poverty reduction program delivery, outreach, initiatives and policy change that suit the needs and strengths of diverse communities in the West End
One intended outcome of our research will be a comprehensive, publicly-available research guide based on the findings. GNH will prioritize recommendations & solutions that are anti-poverty, intersectional, participant-centred, trauma informed, and community-based. The guide can be used by food justice organizers, policymakers, researchers, community members, and more to support them in improving upon, advocating for, and measuring the impact of food security & anti-poverty solutions.
LFS 350 students will support two community engagement events to gather community members' perspectives on neighbourhood food assets and access. This component of GNH’s research project is essential in understanding different perspectives on food access in the West End and will play a pivotal role in informing the initiatives we pilot.
Main Project Activities and Deliverables
- Students will support one World Café-style community engagement events:
- Event that aims to better understand which neighbourhood food assets play a significant role in West End community food security
- Students will
- Coordinate event logistics (e.g. catering arrangements, room configuration)
- Create promotional materials such as posters, flyers, emails
- Work closely with GNH staff and consultants to develop a list of questions for facilitated small group conversations
- Facilitate or co-facilitate inclusive small group conversations with community members (3-5 rounds of 10-minute conversation)*
- Collaborate with a volunteer notetaker to support a safe and welcoming conversation setting
- Assist with compilation of event notes, including identification of common themes and patterns
Note: Students will be provided with facilitation training but should review the World Cafe facilitation method and other facilitation resources (see Required Reading tab). GNH staff will be present at the event to provide support as needed
Student Assets and Skills (preferred or required)
- Interest in food justice, security, and/or sovereignty (required)
- Interest in community engagement and fostering an inclusive environment (required)
- Operates from a trauma-informed, intersectional, and anti-poverty perspective (required)
- Experience in event planning and facilitation/community engagement (preferred)
- Experience with Canva, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Google Sheets (preferred)
- Experience working with vulnerable/targeted populations (preferred)
- Fluent in a language other than English (preferred)
Are there any mandatory attendance dates (e.g. special event)?
- To be coordinated with the students during the first meeting
Is a criminal record search (CRS) required?
- Yes
If a criminal record search is required, when should the process be initiated?
- At the first community partner meeting
How much self-direction is expected from the students?
| Deciding on the project deliverable(s) | Led by community partner |
| Developing the activity plan and timeline | Mostly led by community partner, with some student input |
| Scheduling and initiating the communication plan (e.g. weekly Zoom check-in, biweekly email update, etc.) | Mostly led by students, with some community partner input |
| Implementing the activity plan (e.g. surveying stakeholder groups) | Mostly led by students, with some community partner input |
| Finalizing the deliverable(s) | Equal leadership between students and community partner |
Related Community Service Opportunities for Students
- GNH has many opportunities for students to get involved!
- As us about: Assisting with, designing, or leading workshops for seniors, children, and/or the general public on gardening, urban farming, cooking, food literacy, and more food-related topics
- Additional volunteer opportunities may arise based on our research findings (e.g. volunteering in program administration, biking food around the city, etc.)
Required Reading
Project/Partner Orientation Materials
Students should review the following materials prior to the first partner meeting. Additional orientation materials may be provided at the first partner meeting.
- Tarasuk V, Li T, Fafard St-Germain AA. (2022) Household food insecurity in Canada, 2021.
- Toronto: Research to identify policy options to reduce food insecurity (PROOF). Retrieved from https://proof.utoronto.ca/
- Kim, S. & van Enckevort, J. (2021). Community-Centered Food Support and Care for All: Transforming Dignified Food Access in Vancouver. A Convening Grant report from Kiwassa Neighbourhood House. Vancouver: British Columbia.
- Bowen, F., Newenham-Kahindi, A., & Herremans, I. (2010). When suits meet roots: The antecedents and consequences of community engagement strategy. Journal of Business Ethics, 95(2), 297-318.
Additional Materials
- West End Neighbourhood Social Indicators Profile (2020). City of Vancouver, Department of Social Policy and Planning.
- World Café facilitation method
- Activating Inclusion Toolkit. UBC Equity & Inclusion Office
- Checklist for Accessible and Inclusive Event Planning and Respectful Dialogues Guide. UBC Equity & Inclusion Office
- Resilient Neighbourhoods Toolkit. City of Vancouver
- What does facilitation mean to us? Reflections from POC youth (2020). hua foundation
- In Their Own Words: Why Community-Based Facilitators Are Crucial to the Success of Youth Programs (2022)
Click here to learn about the global settlement and neighbourhood house movement. For information on neighbourhood houses in our region, visit the Association of Neighbourhood Houses (ANH) website. Note that some local neighbourhood houses are independent (not overseen by ANH) and therefore are not listed on this website.
Expected Outcomes
Intended Short-term Project Outcome
- Neighbourhood house staff have increased knowledge of food assets that are are significant to West End neighbours, and what a food secure neighbourhood looks like to our community, informing recommendations for related program delivery, outreach, and policy change
Learning Outcomes
Through this project, I think students will learn about...
- Diverse perspectives and experiences on food insecurity in Vancouver
- Community visions for a food secure neighbourhood
- Food assets and their importance to community
- Food security policy and program recommendations proposed by community members
- Food as a vessel for community building
By working on this project, I think students will develop skills and/or awareness of...
- Community engagement, event planning, and outreach
- Data collection, processing, analysis, and visualization
- Working with vulnerable/targeted populations
- General community-based research processes
By the end of the project, I believe students will come to appreciate...
- The diversity in experiences with food security & sovereignty
- The relationship between food insecurity and other social & policy issues, such as poverty, affordability, colonialism, geography, oppression, and more
- The role community members play in shaping food justice & poverty reduction solutions
- The role of community-based research in the food justice & poverty reduction landscape