1. Spring Gardening at the MOV Backyard Garden

Organization Information

Organization Name

Museum of Vancouver

Mission and Vision of Organization

VISION: To inspire a socially connected, civically engaged city.

MISSION: To achieve a deeper understanding of Vancouver through stories, objects and shared experiences.

Guiding Principles + Values

As a civic organization we are committed to deepening our collective understanding of the City through our common stories, objects and experiences. MOV conceptualizes this through our engagement priorities, which have been focused into 4 broad areas that we have deemed our pillars. These include: Redress and Decolonization Immigration and Diversity Environment and Sustainability Urban and Contemporary Issues

Contact Information

• Primary Contact Person(s): Vivienne Gosselin
• Email: [[1]]
• Phone: N/A
• Address: 1100 Chestnut St, Vancouver, BC
• Website: https://museumofvancouver.ca/

Preferred Method of Contact

• Best method(s) to contact: Email
• Best day(s) to contact: To be determined with community partner
• Best time(s) to contact: Mornings, Afternoons

Preferred Platform(s) for Remote Collaboration

• Email
• Zoom

Project Description

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

Situated on the unceded homelands of the Coast Salish peoples–Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations, the MOV Backyard Garden Project celebrates the multicultural and diverse backyard gardens kept by local residents in Metro Vancouver. A notable example is the Chinese “kitchen garden”—a backyard garden kept by early Chinese immigrants when traditional Chinese crops were not readily available at the markets. As part of a multi-year project, students will devise a spring garden plan and have the opportunity to grow food that resembles the multicultural backyard gardens that are often assumed to be "exotic" due to their lack of representation in corporate grocers. Students are encouraged to include a public engagement feature that will allow visitors at the museum to interact with the garden space to better understand the stories behind the plants grown.

Main Project Activities and Deliverables

• Propose a spring gardening plan and grow foods according to the seasons - Engage with museum visitors at the physical space

Student Assets and Skills (preferred or required)

• Interest and knowledge in gardening and sustainable agriculture
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Organisational skills
• Experience engaging with public in an educational setting

Is on-site work required?

• No

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

• NA

Is a criminal record search (CRS) required?

• No

Related Community Service Opportunities for Students

• Depending on individual / group performances throughout the course, students might be offered a paid internship position to work with UBC INSTRCC on community engagement programs, including possible internships with various local organizations.

Required Reading

Project/Partner Orientation Materials

Students should review these materials prior to the first partner meeting:

• MOV Backyard Garden
• Past garden projects
• Garden Harvest Event
• Back to the Roots Garden Workshop
• Cooking Workshop

The following will be provided at the first community partner meeting:

• N/A