Training the Trainers in Community-based Food Systems: a project-oriented case study team approach

Training the Trainers in Community-based Food Systems: a project-oriented case study team approach

Summary

This two year project is focused on training extension-led, county-based teams in community-based food systems including project development and implementation. Year two is focused on year 1 teams selecting, training and mentoring year 2 county-based teams in an adjacent county with a “passing on the gift” approach, ultimately developing a total of 12 counties trained and networked through Extension. Each of the six (6) Phase 1 county-based teams selected a Phase 2 team to train at the end of November 2010. They are currently training the Phase 2 teams using their own methods, including both formal workshops and informal meetings. Our Project Team, and others as needed, is serving as consultants providing ongoing support as each new team develops and implements their project. In year 2, our Project Team is also facilitating a series of three webinars to support the Phase 1 training on the following topics: Communication and Community Team Building for Local Food Systems Projects, Lessons Learned from Phase 1 of the Project, and A Cross-State Dialog on Building Local Food Systems.

Objectives/Performance Targets

Objective 1. Food Systems Education: for and with extension

• Host a Project Team meeting, review farmer needs (based on 1.5 year-long statewide initiative with six regional meetings and statewide summit), develop RFP to select extension-led teams, develop agenda and resources for training: Completed January 2010
  Conduct a two-day intensive and comprehensive training about food systems: Completed February 25 and 26, 2010.
  Develop website for project, provide tools and resources, highlight case studies, and link project teams and collaborators: Base Camp was used for many of these functions in year 1. We began expansion of a public web page for the project on the CEFS website in December 2010, providing case studies, project plans, and tools and resources. http://www.cefs.ncsu.edu/whatwedo/foodsystems/sarepdp.html
  Release a template RFP for use by Phase 1 teams in selection of year 2 county-based teams: Template RFP provided to Phase 1 teams for year 2 selection in October 2010.
  Facilitate three training webinars on the following topics: Communication and Community Team Building for Local Food Systems Projects, Lessons Learned from Phase 1 of the Project, and A Cross-State Dialog on Building Local Food Systems: To be completed in late winter/spring 2011.

Objective 2. Food Systems Project Development: hands-on learning

• Phase 1 teams will successfully design, implement and evaluate a community-based food systems project in their county: Each Phase 1 team reported on their projects during a conference call in October 2010. Most teams had completed reporting through development of a project profile and logic model by December 2010.

  The county-based teams will learn community building techniques and evaluation strategies to help them assess and continually improve their projects: Additional training on community building techniques was facilitated by our Project Team and a facilitation/community participation consultant through a recorded webinar in March 2011.
  Phase 2 teams will successfully design, implement and evaluate a community-based food systems project in their county: Phase 2 projects will be designed and implemented in 2011.

Objective 3, Collaborative Training System: Passing on the Gift

• Seek support from the Alces Foundation to fund the implementation of year 2 projects: $9000 grant awarded in April 2010.

  Phase 1 teams will begin ‘passing on the gift’ through a panel discussion on the successes and challenges of building local food systems projects at the annual Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group conference: Planning for the panel discussion was taking place in December 2010 and early January 2011 for presentation in late January 2011.
  Phase 1 teams will mentor Phase 2 teams on their local food systems projects: Monthly conference calls provide opportunity for project and training reporting. Conference calls or other means of reporting will continue in 2011.

Accomplishments/Milestones

• Phase 1 teams selected 6 new Phase 2 teams
  Project Team conference calls to establish requirements for year 2 RFP and for project reporting
  Monthly Project Team conference calls to facilitate sharing among teams about training methods and Phase 2 project reporting and input from CEFS Project Team and other county teams
  Expansion of project website to include project case studies, logic models and county project contacts began
  Providing support to county-based teams as they develop their projects. Consultants to be assigned as needed as project designs are finalized.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

Most to be determined through current evaluation efforts.

• 6 new NC project profiles and replicable project designs (http://www.cefs.ncsu.edu/whatwedo/foodsystems/sarepdp.html)
  6 extension leaders and their county partners (43 or more partners in total) trained in local food systems project development
  6 team reports of local food access increase including dollars/pounds of produce to low income, two new gardens; new farmers market (in summary profiles)

Collaborators: