Food Security and Community Engagement Research Project Q&A

Transcription

1 What is the Food Security Community Engagement and Research Project? The Food Security Community Engagement and Research Project is a partnership between North Island College and the Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA). The project has three key aims: 1.) To explore the current assets and gaps in community efforts to improve food security within the Strathcona Region; 2.) To determine the feasibility and relevance of providing support for region-wide networking and capacity building through a Food Security Hub for the region 3.) To develop a region-wide action plan to build on assets, address gaps and ultimately, improve food security across the region. Community engagement and participation are integral to the success of the project. A parallel project is happening concurrently in the Strathcona Region. What is Food Security? Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food which meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. (FAO 1996) A community is food secure when everyone obtains a safe, personally acceptable, nutritious diet through a sustainable food system that maximizes self-reliance and social justice (Hamm & Bellows, 2003). Food security in our communities is dependent upon these four elements: -Availability of food, (i.e. the quantity of food available to the population); -Stability of supply, (i.e. the reliability of our food sources over time); -Accessibility of food, (i.e. the ease with which food may be obtained); and -Utilization of food, (i.e. the ability and desire to make use of the food (capability, skill & acceptability) (Ostry 2010) Further to this, food security implies that food is produced; processed and distributed in a manner that does not compromise the land air or water for future generations (Food Security Standing Committee 2004)

2 What is a Food Security Hub? Food Security Hubs are a key component of VIHAs Community Food Action Initiative. Since 2006, several community agencies across the Island have emerged as leaders in food security planning within their jurisdictions. In 2008 VIHA began to provide a small amount of ongoing funding to these lead agencies to bolster their role as networking Hubs in their regions. Agencies receiving this type of funding are referred to as Food Security Hubs. Food Security Hubs act as connectors and leaders within a region identifying opportunities for collaboration and alignment between the many stakeholders who are working to improve food security in the region. The coordination and animation provided by Food Security Hubs supports collective action toward a common set of goals and priorities for a region and improves the capacity of stakeholders to address their own aims related to food security. VIHA provides funding to these agencies to develop networks of local food security stakeholders, to facilitate dialogue across the region and to collaborate with other Hubs across the island. Established Hubs exist in the Capital Region, the Cowichan Valley, the Nanaimo region and the Comox Valley. Currently, VIHA is collaborating with several communities to explore how it can support this networking Hub role in regions which do not currently have funded Food Security Hubs. A Food Security Hub Agency is guided by a Food Action Committee, which is open to membership from a diverse range of stakeholders including; Regional and Municipal Governments Housing and Homeless School Districts, Schools and Youth Farming/Food Industry Economic Development/Chamber of Commerce Isolated & Rural Communities Recreation and Parks Mental Health and Addictions Universities and Colleges Non-Profit Sector Aboriginal and First Nations Healthcare Facilities

3 VIHA Food Security Hub Program Logic Model Activities What will be the main activities of the program? Short-Term Outcomes What would you like to see your participants gain from this project? Long-Term Outcomes* What will the long-term effect be? REGIONAL COMMUNICATION & OUTREACH Use communication tools to educate, inform and mobilize community members Participate in and encourage regional events, workshops and forums within region - information on food security is more readily available in the community - the general public is well informed about food security - food security related events occur regularly in the community - food security events are reaching diverse audiences in community - INCREASED AWARENESS ABOUT FOOD SECURITY - INCREASED ACCESS TO LOCAL HEALTHY FOOD COLLABORATION WITH REGIONAL PARTNERS COLLABORATION WITH VIHA & ISLAND WIDE HUBS Provide leadership and support to other agencies and partners in the region Maintain and share knowledge of food security activities with other agencies and partners in the region Develop strong collaborative partnerships with multiple groups and sectors, identify priorities and move towards actions Participate in VIHAs Community Advisory Group (Hub Meetings) Participate in collaborative planning and coordination of VIHA supported events/projects Support promotion of VIHA supported events/ projects Share information and provide support to other Food Security Hubs - more interagency awareness of food security activities - increased cooperation and reduced duplication of effort between organizations (resources and information being shared) - development of local/regional policy supporting food security - increased funding for food security activities within the region - community needs are reflected in VIHA Food Security Hub funding and advisory structure - community needs are reflected in events/projects - increased community interest and participation in events/projects - increased cooperation and reduced duplication of effort island-wide - additional funds leveraged island wide - INCREASED FOOD KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS - INCREASED COMMUNITY CAPACITY TO ADDRESS FOOD SECURITY - INCREASED DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF POLICY THAT SUPPORTS COMMUNITY FOOD SECURITY

4 How does a Food Security Hub Develop? The development of a new hub is a process that may unfold over a period of 1-2 years: Stage 1: A process of stakeholder engagement to identify assets and to assess need, interest and commitment across the region to collaborate on food security action planning. Stage 2: Collaborative, multi-stakeholder development of a regional Community Food Action Plan to determine common goals and priorities for food security work across the region. Stage 3: Formal establishment of a Food Action Committee to move the Action Plan forward. Stage 4: Identification of an existing organization in the region that could function as a Food Security Hub Agency. With support of a modest amount CFAI funding this Hub Agency would dedicate staff time to carry out the leadership, networking and communication activities outlined in the VIHA Food Security Hub logic model. Financially, The Hub Agency would operate independently of this CFAI Hub funding; the funding would be supplementary to the Agency s existing resources in order to support the efforts required to play an enhanced role in food security leadership for the region. Does a Food Security Hub distribute project funding for programs such as community gardens, kitchens or meal programs in the region? A Food Security Hub is not intended to be a mechanism for the distribution of funding for projects such as gardens, kitchens or meal programs. A Food Security Hub may help to identify new funding opportunities and share those opportunities with other agencies in the region however it would not directly fund projects. The primary purpose of the Food Security Hub funding is to increase capacity of the Hub Agency to identify and support opportunities for collaboration and alignment between the many stakeholders who are working to improve food security in the region. Food Security Hub funding can also be used to support communications strategies and outreach activities that raise broad community awareness and knowledge about food security issues. Why is VIHA Involved in Food Security? VIHA supports Food Security as a mode of health promotion and disease prevention. Eating well is essential to good health and food security is foundational to an individual s ability to eat well. Why is VIHA looking at supporting Food Security Hubs in the North Island? Currently there are no VIHA-funded Food Security Hubs north of the Comox Valley and community members in the region have expressed interest in the program. A Food Security Hub in the area could help to identify opportunities for resource sharing and collaboration between the many organizations working on food security in North Island communities. A Food Security Hub would help reduce duplication of effort and would support organizations to achieve collective impact on a set of common priorities. The consultation process will identify if the timing and context is right for the Food Security Hub model to be introduced in the North Island.

5 Why is VIHA partnering with North Island College on this project? Given the importance of community engagement in this process, VIHA aims to work in partnership with regional organizations that have ties to a broad range of stakeholders and communities to ensure the outcomes are relevant to the regional context. These partnerships will help establish commitment and capacity in the partner organizations to support the actions set out in the Community Food Action Plans. What is the role of the coordinator in this project? The project coordinator is responsible for conducting all project planning, research, community engagement, documentation and reporting required to meet the aims of the project. The coordinator will be producing documents to convey the results of the assessment of needs and assets the Food Security Hub feasibility study, and the Community Food Action Planning process. The coordinator may also be involved in the initial stages of implementation of the action plan and potentially in the initial development of the food security hub, pending the results of the feasibility study. If the study shows that a Food Security Hub is a good fit for this region, how will it be supported? Within its Community Food Action Initiative Budget, VIHA has earmarked an equal proportion of funding for food security work in each Regional District on Vancouver Island on an ongoing basis. Typically, this funding has been between $10,000 and $15,000 annually. The availability of this funding is subject to ongoing funding of the CFAI program within VIHA. The amount may be variable from year to year. We have already done a lot of food security planning in this community, how is this different? We will make our best effort to gather documentation of previous food security planning processes in the region and to use that information as a foundation to build upon. Please feel free to contact the coordinator if you have any past food security planning information to share. We hope that this planning process results in a concrete plan for action. With the presence of a Food Security Hub, the plan will have an animator to support the community in making that action happen. What is a Community Food Action Plan? A community food action plan is a document outlining a set of priority actions and goals to advance food security in a community or region. The Action Plan is preceded and informed by the assessment of assets and needs in the community and draws on community participation to set common priorities and identify opportunities for collaborative action. What is a Community Food Security Needs Assessment and Asset Map? A community Food Security Needs Assessment and Asset Map are core elements of a Community Food Assessment. This is a collaborative process that involves engaging stakeholders in taking stock of the community s existing capacity to address food security and identifying where there are gaps in activity. The purpose of a community food assessment is to provide tools for making decision about future action to support food security in a given geographic area.

6 Through the asset mapping process, the community explores who has an interest in food security, what they are doing to support food security and where they are working. In the needs assessment process the community looks critically at what is being done and identifies what gaps may exist in the current activity.