Work in teams to facilitate workshops to present to garden educators in the spring semester, to prepare them to lead effective garden-based programs. Gardens are a powerful catalyst for learning and are important to community development. Examine the garden’s role in community food security/justice. Learn about programs which address food security through gardening, such as Seed to Supper, based on an Oregon Food Bank model. Consider the capabilities and skills needed by facilitators who prepare novice gardeners to connect with others in their communities, grow in confidence, and successfully raise a portion of their own food on a limited budget. Students are expected to take PLHRT 4271 in the spring semester and use their facilitation skills with community audiences. Some gardening included, but the focus is on facilitation.

Outcome 1
Articulate factors which contribute to hunger and food insecurity, and investigate the role of garden-based activities which may foster community food security.

Outcome 2
Use tools (including but not limited to reflection, gardening, supported facilitation/teaching practice) to help you connect and extend your academic knowledge in this arena to the community activities in which we engage.

Outcome 3
Observe and participate in effective programs, models and approaches which prepare diverse facilitators to engage in and lead garden-based learning approaches in communities based on those community members’ needs.

Outcome 4
Reflect on and examine your attitudes and beliefs through engaged actions with key community voices who lead and are involved with these programs. Explore your own identity and recognize the assumptions which inform your worldview.

Outcome 5
Use skills gained to practice effective facilitation in teaching sessions with your peers.

Outcome 6
Demonstrate the capability to work both independently and in cooperation with others and use strategies to deal with dissonance and difficulty as it arises.