Skill Level
Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
Learner Outcomes
- Tie together food system concepts to visualize local food system.
- Reflect upon how the local food system works.
- Evaluate strengths and areas of growth for local food system.
- Develop confidence in ability to influence the local food system.
Life Skills
Decision-making, problem solving, critical thinking, service learning, planning/organizing, communications, social skills, concern for others, empathy, sharing, contribution to group, leadership, marketable skills
Time
20 minutes
Materials
- Community Food Map handout or blank sheet of paper
- Pencils, pens, or markers to create map
Space
Area for group to separate and have space for individual reflection.
Introduction
Throughout this curriculum, youth have explored our food system as a whole and how it impacts us and our spaces. In this activity, we will connect these bigger picture concepts to our local food systems. Youth will think how their local food system works and what pieces have room to grow. Systems are fluid. Using imagination empowers young people to challenge notions of what is and what can be.
In the first part of this activity, youth map their community with a focus on the food system. Youth first decide what this community is, it may be their school, neighborhood, town, etc. The prompts for this exercise are intentionally open-ended to encourage creativity. Encourage youth to think about how different pieces of the food system (i.e. growing, processing, distributing, accessing, eating, disposing) occur and interact in their community.
Once they have made their map, have youth to ponder what changes they would like to see. Encourage youth to list all ideas and not limit themselves. An important piece of positive youth development is encouraging people to dream and explore. Use these maps as a launching point to find out what young people are interested and passionate about. Topics can be explored further in an action project.
Maps can be created using the community food map handout, on a blank sheet of paper, posterboard, computer program, etc. We encourage the facilitator to choose a medium that would work best for the group.
Before the Activity
The facilitator should take some time to reflect on their local community and food system. It can be helpful for the facilitator to create their own community food map and ponder the questions: Where is your food grown and how does it get to you? Where can you get food? What type of food can you access there? Is the available food fresh, affordable, and culturally appropriate? What happens to scraps and packaging after food is eaten?
Activity
Opening questions
- What does community mean to you?
- How do you interact with the food system?
Experience
- Provide copies of the Community Food Map handout or blank sheet of paper. Share that they will have the opportunity to draw a map or picture of their local community. As a group have the youth define the community in which they wish to explore the food system —their school, community center, neighborhood, town, etc.
- Once the community has been defined, have the youth work alone or in small groups to think about the food system within this community and begin drawing it out. Guiding questions could be:
•Where is the food grown and how does it get to the people in this community?
•Where can people get food? What type of food do people have access to in this community? Is it fresh, affordable, and culturally appropriate?
•What happens to leftover food and packaging after food is eaten?
•If the community includes any farms, what happens to food that the farmer is unable to sell? What about food that the farm is unable to harvest due to time labor constraints?
•If the community includes and places that food is sold, what happens to food that is expired? What happens to produce that goes bad?
•If the community includes a food pantry or food bank, do people get to pick the food that they get or is the food pre-bundled? What happens to food that no one wants? - Once youth are done with their maps, have them reflect upon them. Draw in what changes they would like to see. Add in the changes to make their map as they would like it to be for themselves and for others.
- Ask youth to share their drawings if they feel comfortable.
- Have youth share a word to describe the experience.
Reflection questions
- How did it feel to map out your local community? What changes do you want to see?
Variations
The group can make a collective community food map together.
Learn More
- Community Food Mapping Sustainable Food Places
- Food mapping Sustain
- Healthy Food Access 101 Healthy Food Access
- WTF… Where’s the food project National 4-H Geographic Information System/Global Positioning Systems (GIS/GPS) Leadership Team