Lakehead University
EN-9: Community Partnerships

The Food Security Research Network (FSRN) of Lakehead, since 2006 continues to work with many local community partners such as the Metis woman association, Brain Injury association of Thunder Bay and area (BIATBA), Lakehead University student Union (LUSU), LU food bank, Dilico, St. Joes Heritage on improving food security and access to local food. Their initiatives aim to provide the leadership and facilitation required to expand and strengthen local food production as well as consumer demand for locally-produced foods.They are a part of many research programs within the community through the Nourishing Community Network. This research is of local, provincial and international scope. Lakehead also partners with CFICE Community First: Impacts of Community Engagement. This is part of the Community Food Security Hub of foodsecuritycanada.org. CFICE research is supported by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

Since 2011, Lakehead University has a collaborative partnership with Willow Springs Creative Centre. The partnership has been ongoing with the most recent collaboration taking place in the Lakehead University Agora: weekly distribution of 2L of soup and a loaf of artisan bread from October 30/31 to December 4/5. University staff and students have collaborated to develop and implement Willow Spring's Horticultural Therapy Certificate Program. Willow Springs works with the University to grow and produce herbs in the University's garden and greenhouse for their soup and bread programs. Willow Springs runs workshops programming at the University garden and greenhouse for campus and community members. These programs have also translated into creating many culinary and preparatory jobs within the city of Thunder Bay.

In 2012, Lakehead University through the internal leadership of the Food Security Network have developed the 180institute (180institute.com). They have developed the following courses:
Social Innovation and Leadership in Complexity
This is a non-degree credit course offered through Lakehead University open to community leaders.
Social Innovation Lab
This is a degree credit course offered through Lakehead University open to graduate and senior undergraduate students in various disciplines.

Through Lakehead Univeristy's 180Institute, which offers community leaders and board members specific training for their initiatives of economic prospertity, social equity and wellbeing. Current examples include the Human Resources Strategy Working Group of the North Superior Workforce Planning Board, the Belonging Collaborative emerging from and transcending from its Developmental Services sector and food innovation projects. 180institute further trains and works with Community Living of Thunder Bay, the City of Thunder Bay employees, The District of Thunder Bay Social Services Administration Board, Nishnawbe Aski Development Fund. The complete perspective of the 180institute initiatives have been published in several peer-reviewed journal articles. Planning for a similar process in the other communities of Northwestern Ontario is in the planning stages. These initiatives have changed how we look at community engagement on a national level, and how we look at the process of community engagement.

1. North Superior Workforce Planning (http://www.nswpb.ca/community_partnerships_2012-2013/agriculture_multiplier_effect )

They wanted training/workforce issues and asked FSRN to get involved.

2. *Northwest Training Adjustment Board (serves all of kenora and rainy river) got involved in agricultural issues with the FSRN (did a workshop for NW Training Adjustment Board)
*funded by ministry of colleges/university/training

3. Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation
FSRN did a gardening program with them. Brought 6 people down from KI to learn culvitating garden food and boreal food sources (mushrooms).

Based on a survey by the Centre for Place and Sustainability Studies, faculty, staff, and students responded with the following examples of community partnerships:

- developing a DNA database for forensic use targeting DNA profiles from individuals located in the "North".
- involved with the Thunder Bay Stewardship Council (includes members from EcoSuperior, OMNR, MTO, LU, Thunder Bay Remedial Action Plan, others...), particularly with local stream rehabilititation efforts. An example is the George Creek restoration project in Centennial Park, planning for which started in 2011, construction in summer 2013. Contributions included a pre-restoration water quality assessment (completed as undergraduate thesis research), a vegetation and canopy closure assessment, and in-kind expertise. They are also planning a post-restoration water quality assessment. Now those who have been involved in that and other stream rehab efforts are forming a new partnership, to be named "Superior Streams". A new project, still in the early stages, is being developed to improve a portion of the McIntyre River on the Thunder Bay Country Club property adjacent to the Central Street bridge. Amongst the interesting aspects of that project is its proximity to the Thunder Bay campus and thus an ability to easily expose students to a real-world project with common sustaiability objectives.
-Thunder Bay Vermicomposting Network along with EcoSuperior and ~7 other volunteers.
- Involvement with Superior Renewable Energy Co-op promoting alternate energies.
- Involvement with LU's Aboriginal Initiatives and ACSS, Nishnawbe Aski Nation--Health and Youth, Dennis Franklin Cormarty High School, Boreal Adventures, Lakehead Public School Board, Thunder Bay Catholic School Board, Thunder Bay Art Gallery.
- Local community gardens, local agriculture in the sense that the FoReST lab participates in Soil and Crop Improvement Association meetings and provide soils analyses for farmers, gardeners and the cities of Thunder Bay and SSM.
- Partnership with Neebing Municipality(Socioeconomic).
- Partnership with Nunavut Government (Polar Bears, Caribou EIS).
- Partnership with Yukon Government (Grilzzly Bears).
- Collaboratation with other professors on community development, for example one project is looking at biomass energy and heating systems for first nations reserves that are off grid and currently on diesel generators.
- Founding member of the Centre for Sustainable Communities.
- Identifying and mapping campus landscape values of importance to students.
- Developing a proposed land stewardship plan for the thunder bay campus.
- Developing numerous heritage interpretation media that communicates heritage values of the campus with the aim of sustaining those values through increased awareness and appreciation.
- Presenting detailed landscape analysis with regard to proposed locations for an outdoor learning classroom on the Thunder Bay campus.
- Presenting a children's interpretation program in connection with a Climate Change Symposium help at Confederation College.
- Assisting the Thunder Bay Field Naturalists with stewardship of a private nature reserve within the Williams Bog--Provincially Significant Wetland.
- Assisting Parks Canada and the village of Rossport with heritage interpretation plans.
- In partnership with the Thunder Bay Regional Health Center, work on setting goals and improving communication in the boards on issues that support sustainability partnerships, Green team planning, our role in healthy living to support clean living.
- Member of OPHEA provincial advisory council to develop projects such as community gardens.
- Summer course Public Art Site Specific Project help our department and faculty to build a strong relationship with City of Thunder Bay Recreation and Cultural Devision, and Park Management Devision. Through the same course and discussion about finding other locations in our city to work in, it also builds close working relationship with our community based organizations such as Roots to Harvest, Community Arts & Heritage Education Project, Thunder Bay Art Gallery, Eco Superior, Community Outreach, and Thunder Bay Youth Club.
- Ongoing partnerships with orgranizations providing placement opportunities for social work students e.g. Willow Springs Creative Centre, FSRN, North Western Ontario Women's Centre.
- Organizing and Delivering the Summer of Sustainability Series (SOS). A series open to the general public to raise awareness on environmental issues.