[getsmart-l] Two Upcoming CUHI Seminars

[foodfortalk at utoronto.ca]

PLEASE CIRCULATE WIDELY
------------------------

Food For Talk presents the last seminar of the semester:
Designing for Food and Agriculture: Recent Explorations at Ryerson
University

Friday April 20, 2007, 2:00 - 4:00 PM
Ryerson University, Architecture Building, 325 Church Street, ARC203.

Speakers include:
June Komisar, Ryerson University, Department of Architectural Science
Joe Nasr, Ryerson University, Centre for Studies in Food Security
Students from Ryerson?s Department of Architectural Science



Spotlight on Urban Health Seminar Series

Filling their Bellies:

Community Initiatives to Feed the Homeless


Valerie Tarasuk, (PhD)

Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of
Toronto



SUMMARY



While the origins of homelessness in Canada arguably lie in macro-level
changes in social and economic conditions, the problem itself resides in
communities, and it has become their job to figure out how to respond.  We
undertook a broad-based study of community responses to the food needs of
homeless people in Toronto to describe local efforts and elucidate the
assumptions and constraints that shape this work.  Our research included an
inventory of programs providing meals or snacks to homeless people,
structured telephone interviews with program staff, in-depth study of a
purposive sample of 18 programs, and key informant interviews with program
funders and suppliers.  Our results draw into question the appropriateness
and effectiveness of local food provisioning efforts. The mobilization of
community resources that underpins these programs is consistent with federal
policy directions on homelessness, but our data suggest that structural
limitations make it impossible for such initiatives to meet the food and
nutrition needs of homeless people.



BIO



Valerie Tarasuk is a Professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at
the University of Toronto.  Much of her research has focused on problems of
domestic food insecurity, considering their origins and nutrition
implications and examining current policy and program responses. Current
research initiatives include a study of the relationship between housing,
neighbourhood characteristics and food access among low-income families and
an analysis of national survey data to examine nutrition disparities in
Canada.



University of Toronto, University College (15 King's College Circle) Rm 256
- 2nd Flr, East Wing

May 2, 2007

1:10- 2:10 PM

Free, all are welcome, please RSVP to cuhi.admin at utoronto.ca



Upcoming Seminars/ Workshops:



May 10th: "The Role of Neighbourhoods in the Development of Social and
Health Policy" Workshop

Panel: Jim Dunn (Centre for Research on Inner City Health); Russell Mawby
(Housing, City of Ottawa);

Maureen Fair (St. Christopher's House) & Armine Yalnizyan (Toronto Social
Planning Council)

UHI & the Wellesley Institute are Proud to Co-Sponsor

a Policy Forum on Neighbourhoods and Policymaking



The Role of Neighbourhoods in

the Development of Social and Health Policy



SUMMARY

Neighbourhoods play an important role in the development of healthy, vibrant
and inclusive cities. But policies that impact neighbourhoods are often
formulated at city-wide, provincial or even federal scales. Instead of
making social and health policies fit neighbourhoods, how can the unique
conditions of neighbourhoods influence policy? What is it about the
neighbourhood scale that may result in more responsive and effective social
and health policies? Which policy issues are best tackled at the
neighbourhood scale, and why? How have planners and policymakers begun to
think differently about the role of neighbourhoods in policy development?
What is the role of neighbourhood residents in the policy process?

A panel of four speakers will discuss the challenges and successes of
focusing on neighbourhoods in the development of social and health policy.

Jim Dunn

Centre for Urban Health Initiatives and the Centre for Research on Inner
City Health

Presenting research on the link between neighbourhoods and healthy
populations



Russell Mawby

Director of Housing, City of Ottawa

Presenting views from a City Planning and Policy perspective with a focus on
housing



Maureen Fair

Executive Director, St. Christopher's House

Discussing how neighbourhood engagement can influence a research and
advocacy agenda



Armine Yalnizyan

  (Toronto Social Planning Council)

Discussing the influence of neighbourhoods on the Social Planning Council's
policies and programs



Questions and discussion will follow.



Bob
<http://www.wellesleyinstitute.ca/gotoPage.jsp?pid=83&sid=8777&uid=435916&mi
d=966085&lid=3651&cc=0417F85F>  Gardner, the Wellesley Institute's Director
of Public Policy, will chair the forum.



This is an opportunity to share our experiences and examples of our work and
the work of our partners.



St. Christopher House - Community Hall

248 Ossington (at Dundas)

May 10th, 2007

2:30 to 4:30 PM

FREE, All are welcome, please RSVP to: cuhi.admin at utoronto.ca



Please see our website for upcoming seminar summaries and other events:
www.cuhi.utoronto.ca