How to Use this Workbook
The goal of this workbook is to give people in communities across Canada tools and the power to raise awareness about food security and to think about actions to influence both policies and systems to address food security issues more effectively.
The workbook can be used by anyone who is interested in learning more about food security and/or starting a discussion about food security in their community. It provides tools to help people become more aware of the issues and how to move forward on them. Our early experience with this resource has shown that it is most effective when used by a facilitator who works with community members to identify their interests. Facilitators can then select the most relevant materials in the workbook to tailor a workshop that will interest and excite the group. Facilitators will need to be familiar with the workbook’s content and layout, and feel comfortable using it. We have included facilitator’s notes at the beginning of this workbook and within most sections.
The facilitator’s notes at the beginning of this workbook will help you plan to give a workshop in your community as well as provide you with some general facilitation information. Communities will be at different stages of learning and readiness to take action. In most communities, the discussion will probably start with talking about what food security means and making sure that people agree on what it means for their community. However, some groups may be more familiar with food security issues and could move right into the sections looking at influencing policy on food security. This means that you don’t have to start at the beginning, and you don’t have to work through page by page. Just use the workbook in whatever way best suits your community’s needs.
The facilitator’s notes at the beginning of this workbook will help you plan to give a workshop in your community as well as provide you with some general facilitation information. Communities will be at different stages of learning and readiness to take action. In most communities, the discussion will probably start with talking about what food security means and making sure that people agree on what it means for their community. However, some groups may be more familiar with food security issues and could move right into the sections looking at influencing policy on food security. This means that you don’t have to start at the beginning, and you don’t have to work through page by page. Just use the workbook in whatever way best suits your community’s needs.
The first four sections of the workbook have three distinct parts. Each of the four sections has:
• an introduction to the topic and background information to help you understand the topic better
• facilitator’s notes that will give learning objectives for the section and a description of how to carry out the activities provided
• activities to achieve the learning objectives.
Sections 1-4 contain activities especially suited to a workshop format.
If your group has identified an issue and is ready to move forward, Section Five describes a process that can be taken to address the identified food security issue(s) through influencing policy. This process is not something that can be done in a workshop, and so we have not included facilitator’s notes. At this point the group who is interested in working on the issue(s) is really embarking on a journey that may take quite some time to finish. This section is designed to outline the steps that can be taken and ideas on what to do within each step. The worksheets contained in this section will help your group keep on track and continue to move forward for the best chance of being successful.
The last three sections of the workbook provide resources and tools for workshops and for taking action on policies related to food security.
We hope this workbook will help you learn more about food security and how policy influences food security in your community. We hope it will both inspire you and give you tools you need to take action. Let us know what you do with this workbook — from talking about food security, to meeting with your government representative, to forming a food policy organization!
Please direct your comments or questions to:
Dr. Patty Williams
Remember it is not a quick or easy process. Every action, however, can help to let people know about the importance of food security and lead to healthy public policies that will build food security in our communities both now and in the future.
Throughout the workbook you will also find ideas, terms and quotes that will be helpful in promoting discussion and understanding. Each of these is identified by one of the following icons:
Facilitator’s Notes - helpful hints to help you plan a workshop
Food For Thought gives real life examples of ideas presented in the sections
Key Terms defines and helps increase understanding of the terms used
Voices sharing stories of people affected by the issues Did you know - some interesting facts
Facilitators Notes