Advocating for Systems Change
Now more than ever it is clear that Food First NL’s vision can’t become a reality without some big shifts in the systems and structures that shape food security. In 2022, we invested lots of time and thought into advocacy work and into grounding that work in both data and lived experience.
Our ongoing and reoccurring projects include: participating in the Basic Income NL coalition, co-chairing the Food Security Working Group, laying the groundwork for a Lived and Living Experience Advisory Group, and creating policy submissions with support from our partners.
Basic Income NL
In 2022, we continued our work with the Basic Income NL Coalition to promote a basic income in the province.
In September, the Coalition hosted its first event, “Basic Income: New Policies for a New World.” The online event attracted 197 attendees, including 12 speakers. We had a fantastic turnout and were inspired by everyone’s enthusiasm. In 2023 we’ll be working with the Coalition to keep the conversations going, engage with the all-party committee on basic income and to advocate for a basic income for all!
Food Security Working Group
In 2022, Food First NL continued to co-chair the Food Security Working Group alongside the Government of NL’s Department of Health and Community Services. The Working Group is a collection of food program providers and food security organizations and government departments from across the province. The Group meets bi-weekly to share updates, identify service trends, problem-solve, and share opportunities.
Our biggest shift in 2022 was moving from a focus on supporting our community during the pandemic to supporting our community during a cost-of-living crisis. Moving into 2023, we’ll be looking at the future of the Working Group and how we can best work together.
Lived/Living Experience Advisory Group
The Lived/Living Experience Advisory Group will be a team of passionate community members with experiences and knowledge of poverty and food insecurity. Food First NL and its community partners will regularly ask for the Advisory Group's expert input on policies and programs to make them more effective. Members will receive training, capacity-building opportunities, and financial compensation. This project aims to include folks in the conversations and decisions that affect them the most.
In 2022, we laid the foundations for the Advisory Group. Suzanne compiled research on best practices and imagined what the Advisory Group could look like in N.L. Laurel dove deeper into the research in the fall when she transitioned into the role. We also decided on the vision, values, and practices to guide the formation of the Advisory Group. We are now ready to begin recruiting Group Members in early 2023.
2022 Project Milestones
Completing the initial research stage in spring, 2022. This included looking at academic and community-based knowledge on Lived Experience Engagement.
Participating in a Community Sector Council NL’s Coffee’s On webinar. During the conversation, we heard from folks with Lived Experience of food insecurity and poverty that they supported the advisory group and looked forward to the next steps.
Beginning the planning stage in fall, 2022. We began diving deeper into the research on advisory groups, building out how this group would look in N.L., and solidifying the values and practices that would structure the recruitment stage to follow.
“Though we’re still in the planning stages of the Advisory Group, I can already express just how incredibly excited I am to be a part of this project. Before this position, my background comes from frontline positions in shelters, supportive housing, harm reduction spaces, and later the Community Food Helpline. I can say from personal experience just how transformative it has been for my own growth to learn from folks with lived and living experiences. As the Advisory Group comes to fruition, I can’t wait to see how the input from folks with lived experiences can transform entire policies and programs for the better.”
The Shoulders We Stand On
Suzanne Hawkins initiated this project and started the research and early planning for the advisory group. She also hosted the first consultation session during Coffee’s On, along with Sarah Crocker.
Sarah Ferber, Josh Smee, and Carla Saunders, all provided important ideas and feedback as we began solidifying the structure of the group.
We owe a lot to the activism of folks with lived experience who have prompted organizations like Food First NL to work toward their inclusion in decision-making spaces, compensation for their expertise, and capacity-building through further training and opportunities.
Policy Submissions
In 2022, Food First NL submitted two policy submissions to the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. For each submission, we worked with partners who have provincial and national expertise and perspectives. Our policy submissions provided direct, actionable, and boundary-pushing recommendations for meaningful change.
The Minimum Wage: A Powerful Tool to Reduce Food Insecurity
Our policy submission to the 2022 Newfoundland and Labrador Minimum Wage Review Committee highlighted the connections between the minimum wage and food insecurity. We provided three key recommendations on using the minimum wage to address food insecurity. The submission is available on our website.
Co-author: PROOF
Setting The Table: Recommendations For The Government Of N.L.’S Social And Economic Well-Being Plan
Our policy submission for the Provincial Social and Economic Well-Being Plan provided 61 recommendations across the six components of social and economic well-being laid out by the government. A summary of the submission is available on our website.
Co-authors: PROOF, Nourish, Coalition for Healthy School Food