Neighbourhood-based community gardens and food security
The 'Neighbourhoods' sub-theme examines various aspects of immigrant integration and settlement in different neighbourhood contexts in Canada, addressing their unique challenges, needs, and opportunities for improvement.
Objective
Recent studies in Canada reveal a lack of culturally appropriate services for mental health and food security. There are virtually no studies focusing on high-risk immigrants such as youth and seniors. This project aims to address these knowledge gaps by investigating the experiences of these high-risk groups related to mental health, food insecurity and the services that address these social determinants. Additionally, the project will explore how community gardens can be utilized as places to support land-based and intergenerational mental health and food security support services.
Research question(s)
- What are the experiences of the high-risk immigrant groups regarding mental health and food insecurity?
- What is the relationship between community gardens, culturally familiar foods, intergenerational knowledge exchange, and land-based mental health healing?
- What are the barriers and facilitators to immigrant engagement in community gardens/urban farming in Canadian cities?
- How are neighbourhoods changing to accommodate community gardening and the cultural food needs of immigrants in Canadian cities?
Methodology
Informed by the principles of community-based participatory research, land-based practices, and the eco-social model, this project will adopt a mixed methods research approach. The mixed methods research approach will employ existing epidemiological and primary qualitative data collection.
Status
The project is in progress, Phase 1: Population level data analysis, is currently ongoing.
Expected completion date: September 2026
Key words
Community gardens; food security; high-risk immigrants; mental health; neighbourhoods
