Public Health Association of BC Public Health Association of BC

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Request for Proposals – Evaluation of the Farm to School BC Program

Posted on July 24, 2018

Request for Proposals

Evaluation of the Farm to School BC program

 

Deadline for Proposal Submission: August 10, 2018

Contact Person: Richard Han, Provincial Manager

Prov.manager@farmtoschoolbc.ca

 

 

Click here to read the entire request for proposal

 

The Public Health Association of BC is seeking proposals for qualified and experienced individuals or companies to conduct an evaluation of the Farm to School BC program (F2SBC).

The Program

Established in 2007, Farm to School BC (F2SBC) is a K-12 school-based, healthy eating program administered by the Public Health Association of BC (PHABC), which brings healthy, local, culturally appropriate and sustainable food practices into classrooms. By linking schools to their communities and mobilizing stakeholders, the program empowers students, builds school capacities, strengthens community relations, fosters food literacy skills, and strengthens local food systems.

 

Three core elements of Farm to School BC are:

  1. Healthy, local food
  2. Hands-on learning
  3. School & community connectedness

 

Farm to School BC activities look different in every school, school district, community and region. From microgreens, school garden beds to beekeeping, tower gardens and aeroponic systems, the programs are driven and maintained by a Farm to School team identified at each
school and community.

 

Currently, there are five established Farm to School BC Regional Hubs across the province

  • Capital Region (School Districts 61, 62, 63, 64)
  • Kamloops Region (School District 73)
  • Nanaimo North Region (School Districts 68, 70)
  • Northwest Region (School Districts 54, 82)
  • Vancouver Region (School Districts 38, 39)

 

The regional hubs are coordinated by local Community Animators and supported by a network of stakeholders including public health dietitians and community partners. F2SBC provides grants to schools within and outside the regional hubs to help them plan and implement F2SBC activities. To date, 163 schools have received funding to implement and sustain their respective Farm to School program.

 

Program Objectives

  • To increase fruit and vegetable consumption amongst participating school aged children (K-12).
  • To increase student knowledge about the local food system, local foods, and nutritional health.
  • To enhance student skills in the areas of food procurement, processing, and cooking.
  • To strengthen local farm, school, and community partnerships.
  • To develop promising practice models that are self-financing, eco friendly and have the potential to be implemented elsewhere.

 

Research Project Details

  1. Evaluation on Students’ Health and Learning Outcomes: August 2018 to December 2019 An evaluation to be conducted in the 2018/19 school year to determine impact of F2SBC on evidence-based healthy eating indicators and assess health outcomes (including but not limited to):
  • Willingness to try fruit and vegetables of participating students
  • Students’ preference for fruits and vegetables grown at school
  • Students’ intention to eat fruits and vegetables
  • Increased daily consumption of fruit and vegetables for students aged 12+ years
  • Students in grades 3, 4, 7, 10 and 12 reporting that at school, they are learning to care for their physical health (for example, getting healthy food and exercise)
  • Better social and emotional health of participating students
  • Increased school connectedness
  • Awareness of healthy local food
  • Sustainability of the F2SBC programs funded through F2SBC since 2014

 

Methods

A mix of quantitative (e.g. surveys) and qualitative (e.g. focus groups, interviews) can be used to assess the impact of F2SBC on participating students and schools. Because the program is customized by schools to meet their unique needs, the evaluation approach and tools need to be developed to fit the F2SBC model as implemented in BC public schools. Please refer to the attached request for proposals for a full list of schools participating in the program since 2014 and for potential metrics to consider in the evaluation.

Proposed target groups

  • Students (including but not limited to Grades 3, 4, 7, 10 and 12)
  • Teachers
  • School administrators
  • Dietitians
  • Community partners

Research project term

The successful applicant must be available to start planning for this evaluation as soon as confirmed by PHABC (late August 2018) and willing to work with an Advisory Group to finalize evaluation design and tools.

 

 

Deadline for submission of final evaluation report

December 13, 2019

 

Click here to read the entire request for proposal

Grant Opportunity – Promoting a Healthy Drinking Culture in BC

Posted on July 19, 2018

Community Action Initiative

Community Dialogue Grants

Promoting a Healthy Drinking Culture in BC

 

 

Background

Drinking alcohol is a part of Canadian culture, and it is widely consumed and enjoyed by many across British Columbia (BC). However, a great deal of people are still not aware of the safe drinking limits based on Canada’s Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines and how exceeding the limits can impact their health and family. Alcohol-related harms are on the rise in BC due to increasing levels of alcohol consumption.

 

 

Overview & Rationale

Community Action Initiative (CAI) was established by the BC Alliance for Mental Health/Illness in 2008 to support community-led projects focusing on mental health and substance use issues in British Columbia. CAI is looking for community-based organizations in municipalities across BC to lead and collaborate with other partners to explore alcohol-related harms caused by moderate-risk drinking in their community, and work together towards building a healthier drinking culture.

 

This funding opportunity aims to increase the capacity of community-based organizations in the mental health and substance use sector, and their wider communities, to dedicate time and resources to focus on this issue through inclusive dialogue, bringing together key players to examine and understand the use and impact of alcohol in their communities (see CAI Guide to Organizing Community Dialogue on Moderate-Risk Drinking). The focus is not on high-risk drinking (i.e. chronic substance abuse or alcoholism). While these are indeed important community concerns, they will not be the emphasis for these community dialogues.

 

CAI will award convening grants up to the value of $15,000 to community-based organizations to fund community dialogues around moderate-risk alcohol consumption. Dialogues can take different forms including one-off community events, a series of smaller conversations, or discussions with strategic collaborators taking a deeper dive into the issue.

 

In addition to the convening funds, grantees and their communities will be supported with  alcohol-related resources and capacity-building tools, along with knowledge exchange opportunities.

 

 

Eligibility & Essential Requirements

The organization that applies will act as the lead agency and must be a non-government, not-for-profit, community-based organization or a First Nations Band, Metis or Aboriginal mandated organization. Non-government, not-for-profit, community-based organizations must supply proof of society registration or/charitable status as part of the application. Aboriginal applicants are exempt from this requirement.

 

Government agencies, for-profit businesses, research institutions, school boards, health authorities and primary care providers are not eligible to apply.

 

 

Budget & Eligible Expenses

Lead agency can apply for up to $15,000 to support community dialogues.

  • Proposed budget must include a breakdown of costs with clear rationale for each area
  • No more than 10% of budget can be allocated to administration expenses
  • Hiring of dialogue facilitator may be included under personnel expenses
  • All funds must be spent by March 31, 2019

 

 

How to Apply

Applications need to be submitted using the form (link below) provided and emailed or sent to CAI, and will start to be evaluated on July 15, 2018. Applications will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis until November 15, 2018, or before if all funding has been expended.

 

Funding Opportunity

CAI Funding Overview and Application Form

Guide to Organizing Community Dialogue on Moderate-Risk Drinking

CAI-Dialogue Guide

Dialogue Guide (Additional Resources)

CAI Additional Resources

Evaluation Guide

CAI Evaluation Guide

 

 

 

Please direct applications and any questions to:

Anna Harcourt, Project Coordinator

Community Action Initiative

1183 Melville Street

Vancouver, BC

V6E 2X5

Tel. 604.638.1172

Email:  aharcourt@communityactioninitiative.ca

Summer School 2018: Final Agenda & Think Piece released, don’t forget to register today!

Posted on June 29, 2018

The Public Health Association of British Columbia’s
Summer School 2018

PHABC - Public Health Association of BC

The Public Health Approach

Building Safe & Inclusive Communities

 

Join us for our 9th annual summer school, happening July 5th & 6th, 2018

Registration is now open at: https://phabc.org/2018-summer-school-registration/

 

 

We hope everyone is gearing up for a fantastic long weekend! Our office will be closed Monday, but before we go we wanted to share with you the final agenda for our upcoming summer school, The Public Health Approach: Building safe & inclusive communities, and a two page think piece designed to do exactly what you would expect, get you thinking about how you can create safe and inclusive communities here in BC and across the country.

 

The summer school will be happening at four university locations across BC from July 5th and 6th, 2018. Locations for the summer school include the University of Victoria, University of British Columbia, University of Northern British Columbia and the University of British Columbia: Okanagan. This year we are excited to partner with Saskatchewan Public Health Association and provide students living in Saskatchewan the opportunity to attend the summer school. A videoconferencing connection will allow all sites to actively participate in the full summer school experience while fostering interprovincial networking opportunities.

 

Registration is on now and will be open until the morning of the first day. Don’t miss your chance to learn how you can help to create safe and inclusive communities while networking with like-minded individuals across the province and beyond! For those who have already registered we will be releasing the registrant’s package today. It will provide you will all the information needed to attend the summer school, keep checking your inbox!

 

The final agenda is designed to introduce students to each subtopic then let students apply theory to practice I the form of hands on workshops and group discussions. Our speakers will include Ann Pederson, director of population health promotion at BC Women’s Hospital & Health Centre, Richard Harvey, regional director of BC, Alberta & Yukon at Frontier College, Dr. Bernie Pauly, associate professor of the School of Nursing at the University of Victoria, Indiana Best, board member of Student Wellness Initiative Towards Community Health (SWITCH), Dr. Ian Pike, director at BC Children’s Hospital’s Injury Research and Prevention Unit, Steve Woolrich, principal of Rethink Urban, Dr. Gord Miller, President of the Public Health Association of BC, Judi Fairholm, director of Respect-Education program at Red Cross Canada, Sarah Burke, Senior Manager of Community Integrated Development & Emergency Management at Red Cross Canada, Jade Yedia, Island Health’s Regional Built Environment Consultant, and Dr. Steven Jones, president of the Saskatchewan Public Health Association.

 

Following the format of last year’s summer school and fall conference; our chosen theme, integrated with the discussions held by participants at the summer school, will be used to help guide and inform the curriculum of our annual conference. Participants who attend the summer school are encouraged use what they learn to develop an abstract for consideration at the conference, happening from November 15th to 16th, 2018 at the Sutton Place Hotel in Downtown Vancouver.

 

Don’t forget to check our events page for the most up to date information, along with links to the agenda, thinkpiece and registration page. We hope to see many of you next week; together we can create fair and healthy British Columbia for all.

Summer School 2018 – Building Healthy/Safe/Inclusive Environments (Session Description)

Posted on June 23, 2018
We are pleased to share the final line-up of speakers and presentations for the Summer School session on Building Healthy/Safe/Inclusive Environments.

Safety and Risk – Finding the Right Balance – Presented by Dr. Ian Pike

Experiencing and managing risk is an essential element to healthy development, particularly among children.  This session focuses on the importance of risky play for children, and examines current parent and caregiver perceptions of risk and hazards, as well as the predominant ‘helicopter parenting’ approach.
Dr. Ian Pike is Director of the BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit in Vancouver, BC; Professor of Pediatrics at the University of British Columbia; Investigator at BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute; and Co-Executive Director for The Community Against Preventable Injuries (Preventable). His academic training is in health promotion and injury prevention, with particular emphasis on population health and the workplace. With some 30 years of experience in injury prevention and healthy lifestyle promotion, Dr. Pike has worked in the private, not-for-profit, and academic sectors.

Healthy Built Environment Linkages Toolkit 2.0 – Presented by Jade Yehia

Our neighbourhoods and how they are built influence how healthy we are and how safe we feel. The Healthy Built Environment Linkages Toolkit (2.0) describes how population health is influenced by the design of our neighbourhoods, housing, transportation systems, natural environments, and food systems.  It brings together health evidence and land-use planning. Furthermore, in this 2.0 version, research on social well-being shows us how our physical and mental health is also impacted, shaped by the communities in which we all live, work, and play.
Jade Yehia is Island Health’s Regional Built Environment Consultant. Her main objective is to promote health in land use planning, and building safe and inclusive communities is integral to this. Her background is in Geography, Public and Environmental Health.

Urban Planning (Crime Prevention & Community Engagement) – Presented by Steve Woolrich

Are we designing our streets and neighbourhoods to be truly safe and inclusive? Our built environment must support best practices and processes that achieve optimal outcomes. Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) helps cities achieve this but the methodology is often misunderstood or not utilized to its full potential. We will explore 2nd Generations concepts and a Full Spectrum Approach including such principles as social cohesion, culture and placemaking to create compelling places that help us thrive.
Steve is the principal of Rethink Urban (RU), a company based in British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan, specializing in Community Safety and Engagement. Steve is an expert in Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) promoting a Full Spectrum Approach that supports People – Place – Connection. Steve is also serving his 2nd term on the Board of Directors with the Greater Victoria Placemaking Network focusing on safe, compassionate and inclusive streets in Victoria, BC.
The sessions will wrap up with a hands-on activity that will encourage participants to venture into nearby environments to observe and discuss what they learned about risky play, healthy built environments, crime prevention and social cohesion.

Summer School 2018 – Healthy Relationships & Emergency Response (Session Description)

Posted on June 20, 2018
We are excited to welcome Judi Fairholm and Sarah Burke from the Canadian Red Cross to present their topic, ‘Helping Kids Be Safe within Their Relationships and the World of Emergencies.’

Building on Sustainable Development Goals, Convention on the Rights of the Child, Determinants of Health, International Protection Standards, and Jordan’s Principle, this session will look at how we create safe environments for children and youth within their relationships and in varying contexts. Throughout the session, participants will be tasked to incorporate both the bigger picture and the immediacy of the moment in defining safety and preventing violence. Active participation will be key to determining an action plan and next steps.

A bit about the presenters…
Judi Fairholm:

As Director, Judi Fairholm has spearheaded the growth of Canadian Red Cross Respect Education program from a grassroots initiative to a national/international award-winning program.  With a menu of programs that promote respect and prevent violence, Judi has worked nationally and internationally with numerous governments, researchers, Indigenous communities, children and youth, organizations, NGO’s and Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies. She has incorporated violence prevention and psychosocial programs into disaster response and recovery. She has received numerous awards, including the International Florence Nightingale Award and the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee and Diamond Jubilee Medals. She has worked on projects in over 20 countries as educator, program developer, writer, consultant, disaster responder and program evaluator. She sits on the Steering Committee of IFRC Psychosocial Reference Centre and is an International PS Master Trainer.

Sarah Burke:

Sarah Burke is the Senior Manager of Program Response for Northern and Indigenous for Canadian Red Cross.  Sarah has worked for the Canadian Red Cross for the past 25 years with a significant portion in Indigenous communities across Canada. She is also now leading the development of a national approach for social emergencies and indigenous emergency response for the Red Cross. One of the main areas of focus for Sarah is leading the Canadian Red Cross integrated programming response in Canada’s North – specifically a large portion of time in Nunavut. Sarah has worked in 23 of Nunavut’s 25 communities to date. Sarah has supported in some of Canada’s largest emergencies in the past few years including Fort McMurray, Saskatchewan and Manitoba Fires. Sarah brings her passion and commitment for prevention education and community engagement experience to her role. Her personal goal for the Red Cross is to ensure all children and youth in Canada within her geography grow up immersed in safety and rights-based education.