Youth Food Policy Committee Action Team
Vancouver Youth Food Policy Committee & Action Team Cassandra Ly University of British Columbia
Annie Liang University of British Columbia
ABSTRACT:
Furthermore, the world has witnessed numerous international and local movements, demonstrating resilience, passion, and drive of a diverse range of people. Youth, especially, are standing up to demand and protect the health of our environment.
Local and global food systems have been altered and exploited for decades by industries. The McDonaldization of our food system, decline in biodiversity, and extreme weather conditions are impacting the livelihoods of animals, people, and the natural environment. To combat such challenges require large-scale changes, but grassroots initiatives, such as the development of a Youth Food Policy Committee, will create community awareness, social responsibility and values that is beneficial to our current education system. This project will provide a platform for students across the Vancouver School District to congregate and collaboratively develop a one-of-a-kind food policy. Currently, the traditional school system places minimal emphasis on curriculum that provides knowledge, understanding, and practical experience on subjects that impact our world in real-time. Ideas revolving around food security and health to the social implications of food will be explored and incorporated into the policy to create a more sustainable school food system. The congregation of students from across the district will provide them maximum flexibility to take charge of their education. The YFPC will empower and acknowledge young people as today and tomorrow’s resilient and passionate change-shifters, risk-takers, and policy-makers.
2) DESCRIPTION The Youth Food Policy Committee, implemented within the Vancouver School Board (VSB) system, aims at empowering and engaging students from different backgrounds, abilities, and experiences. The YFPC addresses a variety of issues related to community food security, interdisciplinary curriculum integration, and hands-on project development. Vancouver High Schools have established a Student Council to run events that promote school spirit. However, with the addition of an elected Sustainability Representative, students can challenge and transcend the boundaries of the school’s status quo on a more FOOD FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH: holistic and urgent level. ISSUES ADDRESSED BY VSB YOUTH FOOD POLICY COMMITTEE ACTION TEAM
1. Compost Program
CATEGORIES & SUBJECT DESCRIPTORS
2. Inter-school campaigns & projects
COMMUNITY FOOD SECURITY
[Education Systems]; [Youth Empowerment]
PROJECT DEVELOPMENT & iMPLMENTATION ~provide hands on learning experiences
~ access to grow, buy and prepare food
KEYWORDS
HEALTH & ACCESS TO FOOD FOR ALL
Ownership, Food Security, Urban Agriculture 1. Systems thinking
1) INTRODUCTION: AIMS & BACKGROUND
2. Make recommendations to current school system
Our world is entering an era of environmental loss and degradation and the evidence is undeniable. “Up to 25% of the world’s food production may become “lost” during this century as a result of climate change, water scarcity, invasive pests and land degradation” [1]. It is evident, for the health of the earth and its citizens, that we must reevaluate the way our infrastructure works to produce, distribute and consume food. To tackle the root of the environmental problem, we must re-imagine the education system within our society as a means for hands-on, practical, and conscious learning that emphasize “values and human beings over concepts and abstraction” [2].
3. Internships & Job placements
1. Self-exploration & Empowerment 2. Develop ownership & values 3. Build student capacity
INTERDISCINPLINARY CURRICULUM INTEGRATION ~ importance placed on inter-related knowledge of food and envirnoment will enable ability to act upon gained knowledge - learning outside the classroom
Fig 1. Issues addressed by VSB’s Youth Food Policy Committee
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Cassandra Ly & Annie Liang University of British Columbia, Canada
Youth Food Policy Committee Action Team
High school students, ages 13-18, from across the district will be the catalysts in developing an innovative and accessible food policy for all Vancouver public schools to implement. A food policy exists in the form of a decision, program, or hands-on project affecting the infrastructural processes of food [3]. Because of the diverse nature of students, establishing a YFPC will provide them an understanding on the importance of a collaborative food movement. Furthermore, students will witness the interrelation of their actions on the education system and how it in turn affects the education they receive.
In the later stages of the committee, the YFPC will organize an inter-school wide Food and Climate Summit to increase awareness on topics related to education, food, climate and health. Participants will act as “policy entrepreneurs to identify solutions to these challenges” [7]. It will also act as a basis to re-evaluate the comprehensive strategy used by each school and be an opportunity to celebrate and reflect how the community is doing on achieving their mandate. Each school year will also welcome new Sustainability Representatives; past members will act as mentors to ensure a smooth transition and turnover.
3) APPLICATION & RESULTS
The final, but on-going stage will involve the finalization of the food policy and strategizing for implementation. The longevity of the YFPC will be sustained as Student Council takes the lead to request feedback and organization of conducted projects. Gradually, the YFPC will initiate a mentorship program [8] that bring high school and elementary school students as well as inter-district connections together for personal capacity building and to contribute to VSB’s sustainable food systems. Finally, the committee will continue to meet regularly and alter the existing food policy when necessary, while exploring new ideas to further the work of the committee.
The idea revolves around the re-imagination of “contemporary culture and the education system” [4] as a link between the environmental crisis and the younger generations’ fight to create a world where access to healthy environments and food is the norm. This will be achieved by electing a Sustainability Representative from each high school during the annual Student Council elections to serve on the Youth Food Policy Committee. The representatives are a part of the Vancouver District Student Council and will meet once a month to devise a food policy and engage their school community in realizing the goals. At each stage, the YFPC will discuss and make decisions based on a model of Developmental Evaluation [5], evaluating, planning, and adapting projects in a way that support ownership and a deep sense of belonging. During the first year, the committee convenes at the beginning of the school year to be introduced to the goals of the YFPC and responsibilities as committee members. Together, they will develop a community contract that respects the values of all participants and brainstorm ideas related to issues between education, food, climate, and health. Potential components of the policy include food waste management and nutritional and local food recommendations. Finally, the YFPC will meet with the board at the VSB to communicate the committee’s activities JAN and make recommendations on methods to decrease the school’s FEB environmental footprint.
4) CONCLUDING REMARKS The YPFC allows each generation of youth to reconnect and reimagine communities by using the world as their classroom. Being a part of the change-making process prepares students to become citizens and decision-makers equipped with practical skills, a sense of place, and the drive to create a healthier and food secure world. The hands-on nature of the YFPC will act as a link between the classroom and the real world, values and theory, and as a means for students to take ownership of the food system, creating healthier environments and deep-rooting ethical values into the social TIMELINE FOR IMPLEMENATION OF YOUTH FOOD POLICY COMMITTEE consciousness of the community. TIMELINE FOR IMPLEMENATION OF YOUTH FOOD POLICY COMMITTEE
JAN
MAR
INTERNAL PROCESSES
FEB
During the second stage, the committee will continueAPR to develop the policy and involve the school community by sharing MAY knowledge on food systems. Within school-wide activities, JUN students will engage in interdisciplinary curriculum, food JUL security awareness, and hands on project development. For AUG example, students will bike to neighbouring organizations with a trailer to pick up food waste to be composted backSEPT at their school’s composting program. By analyzing food purchases OCT within the school cafeteria, students can make recommendations NOV on replacing distant suppliers with local ones including their DER own school garden. By studying a local landscape, students will understand the soil’s makeup and conduct experiments STAGE 1 YEAR 1 to find effective natural fertilizers. The landscape also acts a place to develop sketches and content for visual art courses. In addition, by physically being in environments, all “senses will be engaged, not only intellect” [6].
2
Develop Community Contract
Intro workshop to Goals INTERNAL PROCESSES
MAR
Intro workshop to Goals Take on Roles
APR
Take on Roles
Develop Community Contract Inclusive-based dialouge
Inclusive-based dialouge
MAY OUTREACH TO SCHOOL OUTREACH TOCOMMUNITY SCHOOL
JUN
Implement Mentorship Program
SUMMER VACATION
AUG SEPT
COMMUNITY
Implement Projects/ Interdisciplinary Curriculum
JUL
Projects/ Interdisciplinary Curriculum Food and Climate Summit
Mentorship Program
SUMMER VACATION
Food and Climate Summit
LOGISTICAL/ADMINISTRATION RELATED
Elections
OCT
Meeting with Board members
LOGISTICAL/ADMINISTRATION RELATED
NOV
Elections
Meeting with Board members
DER WINTER VACATION
STAGE 1
YEAR 1
STAGE 2 YEAR 2-3
STAGE 3 YEAR 4+
Fig 2. Stages of implementation for the Youth Food Policy Committee
WINTER VACATION
STAGE 2 YEAR 2-3
STAGE 3 YEAR 4+
Cassandra Ly & Annie Liang University of British Columbia, Canada
Youth Food Policy Committee Action Team
5) REFERENCES [1] Nellemann, Christian et al. The Environmental Food CrisisThe Environment’s Role in Averting Future Food Crises. United Nations Environmental Programme. Feb. 2009. [2] Gilbert, Natasha. One-third of our greenhouse gas emissions come from agriculture. Nature-International Weekly Journal of Science, 2012. Web. 31 Oct. 2012. http://www.nature.com/news/one-third-of-our-greenhousegas-emissions-come-from-agriculture-1.11708 [3] Vancouver Food Policy Council Chair. What is Food Policy? Vancouver Food Policy Council, 2012. Web. Oct. 2012. http://www.vancouverfoodpolicycouncil.ca/what-is-foodpolicy/ [4] Orr, David. What is Education For? Context Institute, 1996. Web. 1996. http://www.context.org/iclib/ic27/orr/ [5] Gamble, Jamie AA. What is Developmental Evaluation? A Developmental Evaluation Primer, 2006. Web. May 2006. http://www.mcconnellfoundation.ca/en/resources/ publication/a-developmental-evaluation-primer [6] Orr, David. Environmental Literacy: Education as if the Earth Mattered. Twelfth Annual E. F. Schumacher Lectures, 1992. Web. 1993. http://www.rainbowbody.net/Ongwhehonwhe/ Enviroeducat.htm [7] Manhanttan Borough President Scott M Stringer. FoodNYC, A Blueprint for a Sustainable Food System. Feb 2010. [8] Existing Youth Organizations [a] Environmental Youth Alliance [b] Fresh Roots Urban Farm [c] L.O.V.E BC (Leave Out Violence) [d] Citizen U (City of Vancouver) [e] Q-umminity (BC Queer Resources Centre) [f] Check Your Head
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Cassandra Ly & Annie Liang University of British Columbia, Canada
Youth Food Policy Committee Action Team
Reimagine... Reconnect.. Teamwork... Dialogue...
STEP 1
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Cassandra Ly & Annie Liang University of British Columbia, Canada
Youth Food Policy Committee Action Team
Learn...
Plant...
Experiment...
Grow...
Inspire...
STEP 2
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Cassandra Ly & Annie Liang University of British Columbia, Canada
Youth Food Policy Committee Action Team
Harvest..
Celebrate...
Systems...
Save...
Seeds...
Diversity...
STEP 3
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Cassandra Ly & Annie Liang University of British Columbia, Canada
Youth Food Policy Committee Action Team
Empower... Engage... Connect... Mentor... STEP 4...Repeat
[1] Images belong to Cassandra Ly
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Cassandra Ly & Annie Liang University of British Columbia, Canada