24. South Vancouver Neighbourhood House

Project Description

Note: This project will take place online and in person

Context/Background

South Vancouver Neighbourhood House (SVNH) is a community-based organization that has been strengthening neighbourhoods in South Vancouver since 1977. We serve three distinct neighbourhoods: Sunset, Victoria-Fraserview and Killarney which encompasses the areas between Main Street and Boundary, from 41st to the Fraser River.

South Vancouver residents are largely racialized (80%) and have one of the highest percentage of newcomers (56%) in Vancouver. As a region that has been experiencing underinvestment for decades, SVNH is working hard to make sure residents have equitable access to support and services reflecting their cultural, economic, and social needs and interests.

We work with hundreds of volunteers and dozens of partner agencies to deliver programs to over 7,000 people each year. Our programs and services are designed and delivered with, and for Black, Indigenous, 2SLGTBIQ+ and POC community members. Examples include the Community Food Hub, Intergenerational cooking classes/meals, South Asian Women Seniors Wellness (led in Punjabi), Aboriginal Family Gathering and much more.

Food Systems Issue(s) Addressed in this Project

We aim to address the lack of a thriving active South Vancouver Food Network by completing a Community scan because food insecurity, social isolation, and inequitable access to support and community are issues that face South Vancouver residents and no organization has the capacity to tackle this issue in isolation. Food assets and programs are fewer and far between in South Vancouver, which comprises the Sunset, Victoria-Fraserview, and Killarney neighborhoods and is home to over 100,000 people (the majority is racialized and newcomer households).

Main Project Activities

• Research current organizations that can be classified as South Vancouver food assets (including free and low-cost meal resources, community gardens)
• Design and populate an asset map of non-profits and grassroots organizations (see this South Vancouver map as an example)

Main Project Deliverable(s)

• 1 spreadsheet including each asset's vision and mission, person of contact if available, as well as other relevant information
• 1 layered asset map

Student Assets and Skills (preferred or required)

We can provide training and mentorship for all students.

• Cross-cultural communication and understanding of equity issues in racialized communities.
• Interest in asset-based community development
• Interest/experience in sustainability and food networks
• Interest in asset mapping
• Strong writing skills
• Interest in project evaluation design

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

• 2 in-person meetings

Is a criminal record search (CRS) required?

• No

How much self-direction is expected from the students?

• Deciding on the project deliverable(s): Equal leadership between students and 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): Led by students
• Finalizing the deliverable(s): Led by students

Related Volunteering/Community Service Opportunities for Students

• We welcome our project students to volunteer in person at our Food Hub to get a deeper understanding of our program and the South Vancouver community.
• We have a variety of volunteer shifts on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays for grocery box packing/sorting and direct community distribution and outreach.
• For students who would like to volunteer for these opportunities, we require a Criminal Record Check that we will initiate for the student.

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 our website for program information: www.southvan.org
• Existing map of South Vancouver grocery stores
• Vancouver Food Asset Map (Vancouver Coastal Health)
• Community Food Assessment and Mapping Tools (City of Halifax)

Additional Materials

• Community-Centered Food Support and Care for All Transforming Dignified Food Access in Vancouver (2021)
• Sunset Community Social Indicators Profile (2020)
• Victoria-Fraserview Social Indicators Profile (2020)
• Killarney Community Social Indicators Profile (2020)

Asset Mapping

• Soma, T., Shulman, T., Li, B., Bulkan, J.& Curtis, M. (2022) Food assets for whom? Community perspectives on food asset mapping in Canada, Journal of Urbanism: International Research on Placemaking and Urban Sustainability, 15:3, 322-339, DOI: 10.1080/17549175.2021.1918750
• Soma, T., Li, B., & Shulman, T. (2022). A Citizen Science and Photovoice Approach to Food Asset Mapping and Food System Planning. Journal of Planning Education and Research, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/0739456X221088985
• "Assessing Community Needs and Resources," Community Tool Box (University of Kansas)

Network Building

• Thinking Like a Network - Useful Resources (SPARC BC)
• The Partnership Toolkit: Tools for Building and Sustaining Partnerships (SPARC BC)
• Fazal, Z., Featherstone, D., Gerbrandt, L., McLester, K. & Yu, B. (2022). Thriving community food hubs: Promising practices and innovative organizational models UBC SEEDS Report
• Gardner, C. (2022). Pathways to a Hub and Spoke food hub model in the City of Vancouver. City of Vancouver