3. Eastside Boxing

Project Description

Note: This project will take place in person

Context/Background

Eastside Boxing Club is a community gym located in the Downtown Eastside neighbourhood. We work with many groups in the neighbourhood who face intersecting, systemic barriers to food security. The present project focuses on our afterschool program participants.

Our afterschool youth program offers accessible boxing instruction and peer support to youth in the community. Some youth participants go on to become peer coaches for younger children in the Buddy Boxing program. Within our children- and youth-focused programming, we also have a food program that is continually evolving. The shape of our food program is shaped by food and resource availability, including staff and volunteer capacity. Currently, food is donated on an inconsistent basis and we would like to establish a consistent and stable donation and distribution system.

Food Systems Issue(s) Addressed in this Project

The Downtown Eastside is a low income neighbourhood with many public health and social challenges, including high rates of food insecurity. Most of our child and youth participants live in the neighbourhood, and we want them to be able to access healthy food that supports an active lifestyle. Eastside Boxing has two large fridges to help us store and distribute fresh foods, but we would like LFS student support to identify potential food donors and/or affordable sources so our food pantry aligns with our broader values of wellness through active living and healthy eating.

Main Project Activities

• Research potential donors/sources of healthy meals and snacks to provide to our youth and buddy (younger children) participants. These could include local businesses or partnerships with community organizations
• Work with community partner to understand budget and infrastructure constraints to ensure the recommendations are realistic for the setting
• Facilitate a workshop for the students to try foods/snacks to broaden their nutritional awareness in an informative and conversational way. Topics could include potential for swaps on current eating preferences

Main Project Deliverable(s)

• 1 x Create a list of resources and connections/partnerships where Eastside Boxing club can source healthy food/pantry items for the programs
  • Eastside Boxing has no budget to purchase fresh foods at this time, but the LFS students' research will help inform ESB about a realistic program budget for future planning
• 1 x workshop with available healthy alternatives to current eating habits and broadening horizons on nutrition
  • A small workshop budget is available; please discuss with the community partner

Student Assets and Skills (preferred or required)

• Comfortable compiling information and connecting with youth/teenagers
• Interest in learning about the Downtown Eastside and connecting with neighbourhood residents
• Enthusiasm and interest in sports/sports nutrition

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

• No special events in the diary but our most attended kids classes are Monday & Wednesday 4-5pm (Monday, 13-17yrs; Wednesday, 6-12yrs. We laso have a Friday, 4-5pm class for 13-19yrs

Is a criminal record search (CRS) required?

• Yes
• The CRS process will be initiated at the first community partner meeting

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: Equal leadership between students and community partner
• 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): Mostly led by students, with some community partner input

Related Volunteering/Community Service Opportunities for Students

• Volunteering with buddy and youth boxing to get to know the afterschool program participants
• The LFS student group is welcome to participate in our classes -- let us know when coming in and get a feel for the community
• Always happy to receive help with recepetion/front of house -- another great way to immerse yourself and meet the people coming through our doors

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.

• Eastside Boxing website: https://www.eastsideboxingclub.com/
• Previous UBC projects on DTES & Eastside Boxing Club
  • Food Program Nutritional Development and Community Pantry (FNH 473, Winter 2022)
  • Virtual Nutrition Education (LFS 350, Fall 2020)
  • Developing Career Opportunities in Food Program for Vulnerable Youth in East Vancouver (LFS 350, Winter 2018)
  • Marketing the Careers in Food Program for Vulnerable Youth in East Vancouver (LFS 350, Fall 2018)
• Video of youth program

Additional Materials

• Shifting the Story neighbourhood orientation video series for students working in the Downtown Eastside
• Liu, R., Urquia, M.L. & Tarasuk, V. (2023). The prevalence and predictors of household food insecurity among adolescents in Canada. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 114. https://doi.org/10.17269/s41997-022-00737-2
• Downtown Eastside Social Indicators Profile (2020)
• In-person community orientation and discussion (details TBD)

Food Curriculum Resources

• Kids just wanna have fun in the kitchen and garden: How to start an after-school program (manual) (Community Food Centres Canada)
• Vancouver School Board Food Framework
• Canadian Food and Nutrition Education Resources for Teachers (Interior Health)
• Free Food & Nutrition Resources for Educators (Island Health)
• Teach Food First: An Educator’s Toolkit for Exploring Canada’s Food
• TeachNutrition (materials and resources) (Dairy Farmers of Canada)