Project Title
4-H BC Opportunities for Virtual Agriculture and Food Learning
BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food in partnership with 4-H BC
Organization Information
Organization Name
BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food in partnership with 4-H BC
Mission and Vision of Organization
Mission
4-H British Columbia builds awareness of agriculture, inspiring, educating and supporting youth to reach their full potential.
Vision
Empowered and skilled young people committed to making positive change in their communities.
Guiding Principles + Values
4-H is an organization dedicated to young people. The purpose of the 4-H program is to prepare youth for their future as adult citizens. 4-H stands for head, heart, hands and health.
The 4-H pledge describes the significance of the four H's: I pledge:
- My HEAD to clearer thinking,
- My HEART to greater loyalty,
- My HANDS to larger service,
- My HEALTH to better living,
- For my Club, my Community and my Country, and my World.
4-H Motto: "Learn to do by Doing"
Contact Information
- Primary Contact Person(s): Sarah van Heeswijk, she/her
- Email: sarah.vanheeswijk@gov.bc.ca
- Phone: 778-666-0545
- Address: 1767 Angus Campbell Rd, Abbotsford, BC, V3G 5M8
- Website: https://www.4hbc.ca/
Preferred Method of Contact
- Best method(s) to contact: Email
- Best day(s) to contact: Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays
- Best time(s) to contact: Mornings, Afternoons
Preferred Platform(s) for Remote Collaboration
- Email, Skype, Zoom, Teams
Project Description
Note: This project will take place online
Context: What challenge or issue does the project aim to address?
4-H is an international youth development organization with its roots in agriculture and food education. In BC, 4-H programs are operated by approximately 500 volunteers in communities around the province. Prior to the pandemic 4-H activities and events were hosted almost exclusively in-person, most commonly at the grassroots community level.
During the pandemic, 4-H BC was forced to experiment with new and different models for program delivery including virtual programming. While in-person programming seems to be much preferred by most youth participants, some virtual programs (such as the new urban online cooking program) have created ways for new youth to get involved with 4-H, even if there is a not a physical 4-H club in their neighborhood.
The aim of this project is to consider possible agriculture and food topics that could be explored with youth through online learning programs. Like the existing urban online cooking program, it is important that any potential programs honor the 4-H motto "Learn to do by Doing" by engaging youth in hands-on at home project.
Main Project Activities and Deliverables
- Literature review/case studies of similar projects
- Potential draft workshop design
Student Assets and Skills (preferred or required)
- Interest or experience in youth programming or education would be an asset
- Interest in virtual learning (planning and design)
Are there any mandatory attendance dates (e.g. special event)?
- No, but possible opportunity to observe an existing urban online cooking session on a Thursday at 4pm
Is a criminal record search (CRS) required?
- No
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 students, with some community partner input
- Scheduling and initiating the communication plan (e.g. weekly Zoom check-in, biweekly email update, etc.): Led by students
- Implementing the activity plan (e.g. surveying stakeholder groups): Mostly led by students, with some community partner input
- Finalizing the deliverable(s): Mostly led by students, with some community partner input
Related Community Service Opportunities for Students
- NA
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.
Additional Materials
- Kids just wanna have fun in the kitchen and garden: How to start an after-school program (manual). Community Food Centres Canada
- ProjectCHEF recipes, activities, and videos
- UBC NutriKids - a UBC student initiative that provides nutrition education workshops in elementary schools across the Lower Mainland
- UBC 250 food literacy workshop videos
Expected Outcomes
Intended Short-term Project Outcome
4-H BC has a list of recommended ideas to pull from when considering new virtual learning opportunities to be able to engage a broader demographic of BC youth
Learning Outcomes
Through this project, I think students will learn about...
- The 4-H program
- Agriculture and food education for youth
By working on this project, I think students will develop skills and/or awareness of...
- Educational design for the virtual learning environment
By the end of the project, I believe students will come to appreciate...
- A variety of agriculture and food topics
- The importance of youth engagement in online learning