Building with Community: Professional Development Training in Sustainable Food Systems

Building with Community: Professional Development Training in Sustainable Food Systems

Summary

Educators received rigourous training in community food security and food systems in relation to sustainable agriculture by attending one of a series two (2)-day participatory trainings at Growing Power’s Community Food Center. The multi-disciplinary trainings were held with diverse agriculture and related field professionals working together to increase their capacity to deliver effective hands-on training and to find relevance in connecting with diverse service populations including: minorities, women, young people and new immigrant farmers.

Professionals who did not formerly present sustainable agriculture education in a hands on participatory manner were provided rigorous hands-on training and learned new-active approaches to compost, vermi-compost, aquaponics, alternative marketing vehicles and closed-loop sustainable systems that are transferable practices in both rural and urban settings.

Objectives/Performance Targets

Specific Outputs:
 40 educators/professionals will attend training in Winter/Spring 2004 and will participate in 1 workgroups: 40 additional educators/professionals will attend training in Winter/Spring of 2005 and will participate in 1 work groups within their respective training year.
Short Term Outcomes:
• Increase knowledge of community food security and food systems in relation to sustainable agriculture systems through participatory hands on training
• Apply training skills by immediately integrating at least one (1) new sustainable strategy into teaching or practice post-training
• Participate in activities with diverse professionals that will address learning styles, cultural/gender equity and listening skills through experiential workshops
• Establish work groups comprised of diverse professionals
Intermediate Outcomes:
• Diverse participation in work groups to develop sustainable community food systems curriculum and other collaborative projects
• Focus on a sustainable strategy or technology (i.e. Vermicompost) and integrate this training within their research or program delivery,
o Emphasis on hands-on training to related constituents
o Improved program delivery to small farms, inner-city urban agriculture producers, new immigrant farmers and minority and women producers.
Long Term Outcomes Systemic Changes:
• Apply sustainable community food system strategies in their research and education of diverse populations and audiences through hands on- participatory training as a result of this professional development series
• Educators that are knowledgeable and motivated to work in partnership with farmers, ranchers, the general public, and each other to develop programs and activities that enhance the sustain-ability of our food and agriculture.

Evaluation Tools: Pre and post training surveys/focus groups, reporting of use in professional settings, via training partnerships that result from workshops and follow-up use of community food center by professionals.

Accomplishments/Milestones

Short Term Outcomes:
1. Increase knowledge of community food security and food systems in relation to sustainable agriculture systems through participatory hands on training
Work to date: 40 professionals who attended PDG at Growing Power participated in areas including: bio-phyto remediation and soil health, aquaculture closed-loop systems, vermiculture, hydroponics, small and large scale composting, urban agriculture, perma-culture, food distribution, marketing, value added product development, community engagement and participatory leadership development and project planning
Work to be completed: 40 professionals to attend January 15-16, February 12-13, March 12-13, April 16-17, May 7-8 2005 training workshops

2. Participate in activities with diverse professionals that will address learning styles, cultural/gender equity and listening skills through experiential workshops
Work to date: 40 PROFESSIONALS ATTEND TRAINING AT GROWING POWER’S COMMUNITY FOOD CENTER WITH MULTI-DISCIPLINARY EDUATORS, five 2(two) day trainings have been held to date.
Assisted professionals in the provision of sustainable agriculture technology to be integrated in the development of curriculums that provide digestible and appropriate information on food systems for education audiences, with accommodation for diverse learning styles.
Work to be completed: 40 professionals to attend January 15-16, February 12-13, March 12-13, April 16-17, May 7-8 2005 training workshops

3. Apply training skills by immediately integrating at least one (1) new sustainable strategy into teaching or practice post-training
Work to date: 40 PROFESSIONALS ATTEND TRAINING AT GROWING POWER’S COMMUNITY FOOD CENTER WITH MULTI-DISCIPLINARY EDUATORS
Work to be completed: Measurement survey, May 2005

Intermediate Outcomes:
1.Diverse participation in work groups to develop sustainable community food systems curriculum and other collaborative projects
Work to date: Workshop attendees were encouraged to form cross disciplinary partnerships through discussion between professionals, chef and extension educator working together for the sustainability of the small farm
Work to be completed: Work Group follow up meeting May 2005

3.Focus on a sustainable strategy or technology (i.e. Vermicompost) and integrate this training within their research or program delivery,
Work to date: Emphasis on hands-on training to related constituents to improved program delivery to small farms, inner-city urban agriculture producers, new immigrant farmers and minority and women producers. By assisting professionals in the development of curriculums that provide digestible and appropriate information on food systems for education audiences, with accommodation for diverse learning styles.

Work to be completed: Survey and monitoring of project development (begin May 2005)

Long Term Outcomes Systemic Changes:
1. Apply sustainable community food system strategies in their research and education of diverse populations and audiences through hands on- participatory training as a result of this professional development series
Completed to date: - 40 Educators/professionals able to apply sustainable agriculture education and research through hands on- participatory training as a result of this professional development workshop series form partnerships across disciplines and agencies as a result of participating in this professional development series knowledge and understanding of community food systems.

Work to be completed: Survey and monitoring of project development (begin May 2005)

2. Educators that are knowledgeable and motivated to work in partnership with farmers, ranchers, the general public, and each other to develop programs and activities that enhance the sustain-ability of our food and agriculture.
Completed to date: Result of attending training and work group

Work to be completed: Evaluation of effectiveness of PDG training and ability to connect with others cross-disciplines to enhance sustainable food systems and relevant education, training and project development (May – September 2005)

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

1. Diverse Professionals increased awareness and knowledge regarding hands-on participatory sustainable agriculture training at Growing Power’s Community Food Center Training Center.
2. Professionals placed in a setting that emphasizes the value of interacting with community members and encouraged to partner on multiples levels of engagement
3. Educators/Professionals received overall sustainable food systems education in relation to diverse community (rural/urban/ethnicity/culture)
4. Educators/Professionals participated in hands-on training in sustainable food systems and return to work place/audience with applicable skills.

This project provided an opportunity for professionals finding value in expanding their understanding of community food systems and sustainable agriculture. Growing Power serves as training hub that brings diverse groups together to learn and achieve the goal of sustainable agriculture. By training side-by-side with other professionals from parallel and seemingly unconnected fields, we learn new things-simply stated. New discoveries and avenues of inquiry are formed that literally lead to the innovations that sustainable agriculture thrives on, building on the knowledge that ecologically balanced systems and multi-farious approaches can expand our collective work. The Building Community program provided the setting these partnerships and inquiry to begin, new projects have resulted from professionals attending the program, educators were able to examine practices that they could replicate in their professional settings. By connecting rural and urban producers/consumers with those who educate, new partnerships were formed that benefit the understanding of how sustainable agriculture is defined in the changing agriculture landscape in the North Central region.