Community partnership provides opportunities for refugee students to connect with the land.
"During the pandemic, community gardens and urban farms served as one of the few places people could safely gather and socialize, yet access to green space is not equally distributed. A unique partnership between the Werklund School of Education and community partners is challenging this inequity through land-based learning opportunities.
This summer, 65 children and youth ranging in age from five to 15 participated in a land-based Soil Camp designed by an interdisciplinary team led by Werklund School associate professor Dr. Miwa Takeuchi, PhD. All attendees were refugees from Syria, Northern Iraq, Kurdistan, New Guinea, Pakistan, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Eritrea who had resettled in Canada within the last five years.
The program explored sustainable agricultural practices, environmental and food justice, and actions for communal well-being. Focusing specifically on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) knowledge around soil and land stewardship, participants came away with a different perspective of the complexity of the ecosystem. "
