Ontario Edible Education Network – Network Activities

Check out the new Ontario Edible Education Network website at sustainontario.com/work/edible-education!

Network Action Plan

Since January 2012, the Network has been taking steps to better understand and identify actions to support all of you who are working with children, youth, and healthy food systems.

Summary of priority actions:

The following summarizes our current priorities for action (more info is available under the summary).

** Section numbers refer to those in the comprehensive Action Plan

Advocacy:

• Campaign for Universal Student Nutrition Program with a strong food literacy focus (build on Healthy Kids Strategy recommendations 2.8 and 2.9) (C.1.1)
• Advocate for the Government of Ontario to recognize school gardens as important places for food literacy (C.1.3)
• Advocate for cooking and food skills programs to be made accessible to all Ontario children (C.1.4)

Information Sharing and Coordinated Action:

• Share organizations’ stories, successes, challenges, and contacts using the Network website and newsletter (see A.2.1, B.1.2, B.1.5, B.1.7, B.1.9, B.1.11, B.2.1, A.1.4, A.1.2)
• Develop and promote a searchable directory of organizations that includes types of programs offered, skills and resources to share, opportunities for mentorship, and other directory information (see B.1.3)
• Coordinate the development of local food action hubs among community organizations that have delivered local food in schools projects (A.1.9)

Resource Development:

• Develop a comprehensive snap shot of the state of student nutrition programs in Ontario with metrics and success stories (see B.1.13)
• Create and share resources for schools, parents, community members and organizations to use to advocate for food literacy programming and increased resources for SNPs (presentations, hand-outs, fact sheets, case studies, toolkits, videos, social media campaign, etc.) (B.4.1)
• Develop and implement (a) age-appropriate benchmarks and (b) a common evaluation tool for food literacy and food skills (see A.1.8, A.2.3, B.3.6, B.4.4)
• Compile scans on community and school gardens (in progress) (B.3.2)
• Compile updated scan on regional food hubs (in progress) (B.3.3)
• Prepare a tip sheet for community organizations to approach school boards (B.4.2)
• Develop a directory of outside-the-classroom food education programs that can be used by teachers (B.1.8)
• Prepare a factsheet of ‘how gardens impact the community’ to use in educating funders and in other communications efforts (A.2.2, B.4.3)
• Develop a list / point to existing lists of possible relevant grantors (B.1.6)

How we arrived at these priorities, and additional documents

In Phase 1 of our action planning process, we conducted an environmental scan and needs assessment (see a summary of responses to our preliminary survey from January 2012 – February 2013). In Phase 2 of our action planning process teams were selected to explore specific needs and opportunities relating to 6 priority areas of the network and to develop a network action plan (see our call for applicants for more information about the process). For the results of this process and what we heard see:

• Summary of Action Plan
• Full Action Plan (consolidating 6 themes below)

• Food in the Curriculum Action Plan (Full)   |   Summary
• Food Education Outside of the Classroom Action Plan (Full)   |   Summary
• School and Community Food Gardens Engaging Children Action Plan (Full)   |   Summary
• Food Skills  and Cooking Programs Action Plan (Full)   |   Summary
• Local / Sustainable Food In Schools Action Plan (Full)  |   Summary
• Student Nutrition Programs Action Plan

All of these are living documents – they will change and evolve as the Network moves forward. Contact: We would love to hear your feedback, answer or your questions, or get you involved in helping us move this plan forward.  To get in touch, please contact Carolyn Webb, Ontario Edible Education Network Coordinator: cwebb@sustainontario.ca.