Supporting Local Food Councils — Online Course
Posted: January 18, 2018
Categories: Digital Media (videos, infographics, digital stories) / economic development / Events / Food in the News / GoodFoodBites / Webinars
Self-paced professional development learning:
“Supporting Local Food Councils” is a free online resource that is open to all. There are 15 modules in the course, which take about 1-2 hours per module to complete. Each module contains videos, readings and online tools. There is a certificate of completion awarded for participants that complete all modules and quizzes. Earning a certificate is optional. There is no deadline for completion and the videos/course materials can be accessed at any time – including during your food council meetings. The course was designed for professionals with less than three years of experience working with food councils at the local level.
Those working within Cooperative Extension organizations and community development professionals are often asked to engage in the development of local food councils. This online course will provide information and a basic set of skills to equip professionals with the tools they need to feel more confident leading or assisting with this work. More than 20 Cooperative Extension and community development professionals contributed to this self-paced, no-cost course, which contains videos and resources that can be used during food council meetings.
This course was supported by the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development. Course facilitators are Jodee Ellett, Local Foods Coordinator with Purdue University and Kendra Wills, Community Food Systems Educator with Michigan State University Extension.
Course Topics
Topics covered in this course include:
- What are food councils?
- Extension’s role with local food councils
- Community food system basics
- Facilitation and leadership
- Learn more about the breadth of roles that Extension and community development professionals can have in food council work
- Conducting a community food assessment
- Organizing and developing a food council
- Funding for food councils
- Evaluating your local food council work
- Public policy and land use planning related to local food systems
- Organizational structures for food councils
- Creating sustainable food councils, regional and/or statewide food council networks
Estimated Time for Completion
10 – 15 hours
A webinar about the course was offered on Monday, January 15. Don’t worry that you’ve missed it, it has been recorded. You can sign up for the course and take a look by visiting the course web page at https://www.canr.msu.edu/supporting-local-food-councils