COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

This was a community oriented project that involved members of the community in its inception, development and if successful, its operation. The Novalea Farmer’s Market endeavored to tackle social isolation of vulnerable youth in the north end of Halifax. I led surveys, focus groups and small group discussions in order to determine how the Farmers market, its partners and resources could best serve the community and increase social inclusion and wellbeing of children and youth in the community. I chose to include this project as a sample of my writing as I drafted the entire proposal; this included emails to potential partners, surveys, updates for the community and internal communications for the Novalea Farmer’s Market board.

Novalea Market Food School After School Program and Food Vendor Incubation Program: To train, empower and teach food preparation, safety and skills to support, and increase social

inclusion and wellbeing of children and youth in Halifax.

Start: We expected the projects to start in fall of 2021

End: The project must end by March 31st 2026

The Novalea Market is a community hub of local vendors and community members who meet once a week to share their passion, culture and hard work through food and other artisanal

crafts. This community hub is a staple for discourse, shopping, networking and all things related to the community. The objective of the Novalea Food School is to strengthen the bonds within

the community by leveraging the existing network, location and facilities to bring more people together. Specifically socially isolated, marginalized children and youth. The proposed project

will train, empower and teach food preparation, safety and skills to allow these members of the community to learn of the Novalea Market, attend and participate in the market. The program

will support, and increase social inclusion and wellbeing of youths in the vulnerable sector and marginalized members of the community. In partnership with Mulgrave Park Caring and

Learning Centre, the project will coordinate, connect and consult with community members to ensure they are involved in the development and delivery of the project. Target group: Socially isolated and marginalized children and youth who face language, cultural and financial barriers. The group of children targeted are those who are interested in learning about how food connects, bonds and encourages open mindedness. The group of youths targeted are those without the opportunities, interest, desire or capacity to attend post secondary education in a traditional post secondary institution. They are those who are seeking entrepreneurial endeavours via food. The project as a whole will target low income, members of black and racialized communities, newcomers and Indigenous communities.Throughout the development and execution of the project, the various groups will have full creative rights to their food projects, the project is designed to empower and elevate their ideas, dreams and aspirations. The Food Vending Incubation project will first build solid food foundation skills in a commercial kitchen setting, we will then offer incubation of their food vending business and we will utilise the existing network, facility and community hub of the Novalea Market as a vending opportunity. After they have successfully participated in the Novalea Market or other affiliated markets, these vendors will then participate in the After School Program, to share their food, culture and allow socially isolated children to connect, discover and experience their passion.

We are officially partnering at least one other non profit which specializes in strengthening families and building stronger bonds and have reached out to other organizations with whom

we expect to also partner with. To engage and collaborate with Mulgrave Care and Learning Centre, we have relied on past partnerships. Additionally, members of the team reached out to their respective networks and we are determining the details of how to work with the Nova Scotia Community College, School of Business and Creative Industries; at this time we are determining how to best employ our strengths and best benefit the community. Similarly, we are determining parameters to leverage the participation of indigenous Nova Scotians in our programs through collaboration with Ulnooweg, a for profit entity which operates as an extension of the Mi’kmaq communities, uniquely stewarding to their needs and supporting their business leaders and entrepreneurs; with whom we have engaged via email and subsequent telephone conversation. To engage and collaborate with Black Business Initiative, a for profit entity which is committed to growing a stronger Black presence in Nova Scotia’s business community. We initially emailed detailing our project which led to a phone call and a pending partnership (conditional on funding). The latter two partnerships are desirable for the project as they would specifically allow us to target participants, the former is a desirable partner in terms of financial, infrastructural and

administration support. All of which would complement our official partnership with Mulgrave Park Care and Learning Centre, by filling gaps and providing support where necessary. Our primary partner would benefit from this partnership as it would allow them to further deliver on their mandate. Our potential partnerships, which are pending the funding of this program, would benefit from our program as a means to continue to elevate marginalized community members, promote their existence and fulfill their mandates.

• Beneficiaries of the After School program report greater awareness of food as a community gatherer as a result of participating in the project.

• Beneficiaries of the After School program and the Food Vending Incubation Program report an increased sense of belonging in their communities as a result of participating in the project.

• Beneficiaries of the Food Vending Incubation program report increased sense of purpose and desire to contribute to the community as a result of participating in the project.

• Beneficiaries of the Food Vending Incubation Program have increased opportunities to share their food culture, and food enterprises with the community.

1. 20% of board of directors represented by project participants and beneficiaries by June 2023

2. 30% of board of directors represented by project participants and beneficiaries by June 2024

3. 40% of board of directors represented by project participants and beneficiaries by June 2025

4. 75% of beneficiaries expected to achieve completion of the Food Vending Incubation program.

5. 100% of beneficiaries who complete the Food Vending Incubation program participate in 50% of vending opportunities offered by Novalea Market.

6. 3000 individuals or 50% of the target community reached yearly; benefiting from the project by March 2026 by participating in the after school program, the food incubation program or attending the market to visit the vendors.

7. 50% increased vendors at Novalea Market directly resulting from the Food Incubation Vending Program.

8. 300 children participants in after school food school program by June 2023

9. 500 children participants in after school food school program by June 2024

10. 700 children participants in after school food school program by June 2025

11. 800 children participants in after school food school program by March 2026

• Beneficiaries of the After School program report greater awareness of food as a community gatherer as a result of participating in the project.

Indicator: Repeat participation of same children in project year to year

1. Gather: Track attendance

2. Measure: Compare year to year enrollment

3. Monitor: Mid year/term enrolment vs attendance verification

4. Report: Tabulate participants information, create database, compare year to year enrollment

• Beneficiaries of the After School program and the Food Vending Incubation Program report an increased sense of belonging in their communities as a result of participating in the project.

Indicator: Increased participation from new participants year to year from past participants

1. Gather: survey participants on how they learned of project

2. Measure: Compare reasons for enrolment

3. Monitor: Verify survey is accurately representing increased sense of belonging by encouraging new participation

4. Report: Tabulate survey results and publish positive reviews for positive reinforcement and additional reach

• Beneficiaries of the Food Vending Incubation Program report increased sense of purpose and desire to contribute to the community as a result of participating in the project.

Indicator: Food Vending Incubation program participants participate in delivery of After School the program for children.

1. Gather: Include Vendors in After School Program after they have successfully completed Food Incubation program

2. Measure: Survey vendors after they have delivered after school program

3. Monitor: Verify programming for after school programming

4. Report: Collate all programs offered by vendors in after school programming and compare to surveys answered by vendors.

• Beneficiaries of the Food Vending Incubation program have increased support and connections in their communities as a result of participating in the project.

Indicator: Successful participation in vending at Novalea Market and affiliated markets

1. Gather: Survey vendors, verbal feedback

2. Measure: Increased revenue from sales, lowered overall cost

3. Monitor: weekly dialog and ongoing communications via email

4. Report: end of season survey, to report on participation rates at various vending opportunities.

• Beneficiaries of the Food Vending Incubation Program have increased opportunities to share their food culture, and food enterprises with the community.

Indicator: Delivery of After School program and vending at Novalea Market and/or affiliated markets.

1. Gather: attendance tracking and key informant interviews

2. Measure: track the attendance of vendors at Novalea Market and affiliated markets and interview vendors after their participation in after school the program.

3. Monitor: Track attendance during market season and maintain record of after school participation

4. Report: Provide exact participation numbers at markets, After School program participation in final report.