Research

This week I read “Campus Food Movements and Community Service-Learning: Mobilizing Partnerships through the Good Food Challenge in Canada” by Charles Z. Levkoe, Simon Erlich, and Sarah Archibald.

This paper highlighted Community Service Learning (CSL) as a strategy on food systems change starting in the college classroom using three contexts in which to observe, the classroom, the community, and spaces of engagement. Specifically, this paper is discussing a graduate level course at the University of Toronto entitled “Planning for Change:Community Development in Action”.

The paper provides some context on the sustainability of many campuses food systems, even referencing Evergreens food provider, Aramark, when discussing the rise in outsourcing college foo services.

“In Ontario post-secondary institutions, over 75% of all food sales are subcontracted to large food service corporations, such as Aramark, Sodexo, and Compass Group” (Peters, 2015; Mohawk College Sustainability Office, 2017).

As in much writing on this topic, the authors stress the responsibility colleges and higher learning institutions have when it comes to education and research surrounding climate and sustainability, and I really enjoyed this 2015 Pothukuchi and Molnar quote;

“Universities serve functions besides training young people for future employment, helping them develop their potential, and replicating society and culture; they also have roles in transforming society and creating more just arrangements”

CSL focuses on the interweaving of the classroom and the community, allowing students to see the why and the how of their learning as opposed to just the what. This takes the work from theory to practice, not only allowing the theory to further cement but adds a personal level to a students learning, as well as an overall more effective learning experience. In the 8 month graduate from “Planning for Change:Community Development in Action”, students went through multiple project phases within their classroom community, and the community beyond, to further their knowledge and understanding of food systems and hunger, as well as civic engagement.

After initial class lecture, students would engage in classroom group discussion around their project ideas or points of interest, and then reflect using their peers thoughts. Each student was then assigned a community mentore based on their interests. The faculty for this program spent much time prior to the program developing these relationships for the success of the program. Each student worked with their community mentors and the meal exchange program to assist in community work and create position papers based on their experiences. These papers went on to create the good food guide and the good food calculator for college campuses.

Greenhouse

All of my work this week was continued work on the greenhouse guide, I will have a draft version week 8!