8. Collingwood Neighbourhood House

Project Description

Note: This project takes place in person and online

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

Community Lunch is a long-standing initiative of CNH and RCFJ, and has been running for around two decades. With staff direction, an intergenerational volunteer team prepares affordable lunches on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Attracting 30-50 local residents per lunch, the program is a low-barrier opportunity for neighbours of different ages and cultures to meet, connect, and enjoy a nourishing meal together. It was initially established as a program for neighbourhood seniors, and remains popular with seniors today.

At the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, Community Lunch shifted focus from in-person meals to providing frozen meals and groceries for local seniors. In-person meals returned in early winter 2022, however, program funding has become precarious and the program is in danger of cancellation. The Community Lunch team is looking for student support to document lunch participants' stories. This work will serve as a record of the program's impact, and can be used in funding applications so the program can potentially continue beyond its current funding capacity.

Main Project Activities and Deliverabls(s)

Students will work with the community partner to develop a project plan. The lunch team wishes to document the stories and impact of the lunch program on community members (including volunteers).

Potential documentation tools include:

• written surveys
• written testimonials
• interviews (video/audio/photovoice)

Findings will be summarized in an infographic that can be used in future funding applications.

At the first community partner meeting, students and partner will decide on:

• Documentation tool(s)
• Ideal number of interviewees and/or survey respondents
• Format of deliverable(s), e.g. compilation video of interviews, compilation of written statements

If time permits

• Students can research and identify potential grant opportunities that would support the program.

Student Assets and Skills (preferred or required)

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

• On-site work will be required. Ideally, students will be able to volunteer with the program at least once to get to know the volunteers and participants. Lunches are Tuesdays and Thursdays. Food prep begins at 9am, with service wrapping up around 1pm. Interviewing and surveying are most likely to take place on site and in-person.

Is a criminal record search (CRS) required?

• Yes. The student team should collect all group members' full names and submit them in one email to Yndira Arteaga at volunteering@cnh.bc.ca in order to initiate the necessary paperwork. This step should be taken as soon as possible once groups are assigned. Please request an email template from Stephanie (course coordinator) at stephanie.lim@ubc.ca

How Much Independence is Expected from Students?

At the first community partner meeting, students should clarify the partner's expectations for the following aspects of the project. Who will take the lead, or if leadership is to be shared, to what extent are students expected to lead?

• Deciding on the project deliverable(s):
• Developing the activity plan and timeline:
• Scheduling and initiating the communication plan (e.g. weekly Zoom check-in, biweekly email update, etc.):
• Implementing the activity plan (e.g. surveying stakeholder groups):
• Finalizing the deliverable(s):

Preferred Days of Week and Hours

• Tuesday/Thursday on site. Otherwise, flexible

Related Community Service Opportunities for Students

• On-site work will be required. Ideally, students will be able to volunteer with the program at least once to get to know the volunteers and participants. Lunches are Tuesdays and Thursdays. Food prep begins at 9am, with service wrapping up around 1pm.

• There are many volunteer opportunities at CNH. Please ask!

Required Reading

Project/Partner Orientation Materials

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

• Collingwood Neighbourhood House website
• Renfrew-Collingwood Social Indicators Neighbourhood Profile (2020)
• McKnight, John. Asset-Based Community Development: The Essentials
• Renfrew Collingwood Food Justice blog

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) and therefore are not listed on this website.

Additional Materials

• A massive, invisible patchwork system supports vulnerable Canadians: Canada's Invisible Food Network: Technical Report (2021).
• Kim, S. & van Enckevort, J. (2021). Community-Centered Food Support and Care for All: Transforming Dignified Food Access in Vancouver. A Convening Grant report from Kiwassa Neighbourhood House. Vancouver: British Columbia.
• Resilient Neighbourhoods Toolkit. City of Vancouver
• Take a look at the Renfrew-Collingwood Connecting Diversity storytelling video project

• Activating Inclusion Toolkit. UBC Equity & Inclusion Office
• Checklist for Accessible and Inclusive Event Planning and Respectful Dialogues Guide. UBC Equity & Inclusion Office
• What does facilitation mean to us? Reflections from POC youth (2020). hua foundation