2. Renfrew Collingwood Food Justice: Community Outreach Campaign

Project Description

Note: This project will take place in person

Context: What challenge or issue does the project aim to address?

Renfrew Collingwood Food Justice at Collingwood Neighbourhood House has been running for over 20 years in one of the most diverse neighbourhoods in Vancouver. Our work is focused on building community connections through the medium of food including actions such as food policy development, urban gardening, promotion of Indigenous Food Sovereignty, community kitchens, and direct food distribution.

We are hoping to grow our presence on the ground and build our base of supporters this fall. Through grassroots organizing strategies such as phone banking, door knocking, and flyering, we aim to build up our community presence and increase engagement at our events and communications strategy. Through this project, students will learn the basics of community base building, an essential community organizing skill, while also learning about the unique approach to Food Justice RCFJ takes in our work.

Main Project Activities and Deliverables

Students will participate in RCFJ's Fall 2022 community outreach campaign. Specific activities include:

• Creating and distributing flyers
• Door knocking
• Phone banking

Student Assets and Skills (preferred or required)

• Language skills in any of the following: Cantonese, Hindi, Mandarin, Punjabi, Tagalog, Vietnamese
• Some connection to Renfrew-Collingwood an asset (e.g. live or work in the neighbourhood)
• Comfortable connecting with new people (in-person and over the phone)
• Some (if not all) group members will participate in our door-knocking campaign. Students should be aware that our built environment (e.g. sidewalks, porch steps) poses accessibility challenges

Are there any mandatory attendance dates (e.g. special event)?

• Key dates to be discussed with community partner

Is a criminal record search (CRS) required?

• Yes

If a criminal record search is required, when should the process be initiated?

• Before the first community partner meeting (ask your TA if you are not familiar with this process)

How much self-direction is expected from the students?

• Deciding on the project deliverable(s): Mostly led by community partner, with some student input
• 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.): 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): Led by students

Related Community Service Opportunities for Students

• Please ask about our many volunteering opportunities!

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.

• Review programs on our website rcfood.wordpress.com
• Renfrew Collingwood Social Indicators Profile (2020). City of Vancouver, Department of Social Policy
• Where Strangers Become Neighbours (2007), film trailer
• McKnight, John. Asset-Based Community Development: The Essentials

Additional Materials

• Where Strangers Become Neighbours: The Story of the Collingwood Neighborhood House and the Integration of Immigrants in Vancouver (2007). Online streaming access via UBC Library
• ABCD Canada website and resources
• The Asset-Based Community Development Institute (ABCD) website and resources
• https://equity.ubc.ca/resources/inclusive-language-resources/
• Resilient Neighbourhoods Toolkit. City of Vancouver
• Connecting Diversity: CNH Storytelling Project (video series)

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), including Collingwood Neighbourhood House. Independent houses are not listed on the ANH website.