About Canadian Foodgrains Bank

About Canadian Foodgrains Bank

Canadian Foodgrains Bank is inviting leaders and educators of youth (i.e. teachers, 4-H leaders, youth group leaders) from across Canada to join us in Nepal to learn more about Canada’s support for initiatives to end hunger internationally and about Canadian Foodgrains Bank. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age. Applicants must also be committed to participate in advocacy initiatives and community awareness activities upon their return to Canada, as outlined in the application form.

About Canadian Foodgrains Bank

Canadian Foodgrains Bank is a partnership of Canadian churches and church-based agencies working together to end global hunger by:

  • increasing and deepening the involvement of Canadians in efforts to end hunger;
  • supporting partnerships and activities to reduce hunger on an immediate and sustainable basis; and
  • influencing changes in public policies necessary to end hunger.

Canadian Foodgrains Bank receives financial support for its projects from the Government of Canada, church communities, rural communities and the general public. Our organization was founded in collaboration with Canadian farmers, and rural communities continue to be one of our largest support bases.

About this Tour

The tour is scheduled to take place over a two-week period from approximately January 28 – February 10, 2018. The delegation will learn about food security issues in Nepal, visit projects supported by Canadian Foodgrains Bank, learn about the importance of Canada’s role in ending global hunger and explore ways to inspire Canadian youth to learn about and take action on international hunger issues. Participants will be expected to write a letter to their local Member of Parliament to share stories about their experience, as well as participate in at least two other advocacy initiatives and share stories with their communities and networks at least twice. Two staff of Canadian Foodgrains Bank will lead the group.

Tour Costs

Canadian Foodgrains Bank, with funding from our Good Soil Campaign, will cover the majority of the costs of the tour. Each participant is asked to contribute $500.

Objectives

  1. To facilitate learning about global food security, the importance of Canada’s support for small-scale farmers in developing countries, and to mobilize participants to share this with their communities and elected officials;
  2. To build the capacity of leaders of youth to educate youth about global food security and ‘taking action’, including advocacy;
  3. To forge relationships between youth leaders and educators and Canadian Foodgrains Bank.

Please apply by December 1, 2017. Applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis. As such, those interested in participating are encouraged to apply as early as possible. The information in this application will remain confidential, only the selection committee will review the application for consideration. Please submit the following form by email to : .

Questions for Applicants

Full name
Current Occupation
Date of Birth
Mailing Address
Home Phone/Cell Number
E-mail Address
Your Nationality (for visa application)

1- Why do you wish to be a part of the International Food Security Learning Tour with Canadian Foodgrains Bank?

2- Please describe your past and current role(s) as a leader or educator of youth.

3- How do you foresee introducing and incorporating your learnings from the trip back to your work with youth in Canada?

4- Please describe any other involvement you have in your community.

5- Do you have any previous involvement with Canadian Foodgrains Bank (i.e. Growing Project) or one of our 15 church members? If so, please describe your involvement.

6-How did you learn of this tour?

7- What do you think are the challenges and opportunities of travelling with a group?

8- Have you ever traveled internationally? If so, in what context? What are your experiences interacting with people of other cultures and backgrounds?

Upon their return, learning tour participants are expected to participate in advocacy initiatives and community awareness activities to share stories about their experiences in Nepal and the importance of supporting initiatives to end global hunger. Training and support will be provided by Canadian Foodgrains Bank.

9- All participants are expected to write a letter to their Member of Parliament, as well as take at least 2 other advocacy actions. Please indicate below which actions you are willing to take:

  • Connect with Members of Parliaments through social media Yes ___ No ___
  • Write a letter to government ministers Yes ___ No ___
  • Host a letter writing event in your community about global hungerYes ___ No ___
  • Meet with your Member of ParliamentYes ___ No ___
  • Other: ______

10- Learning participants are also expected to share stories from the trip to members of their communities and networks, at least twice. Please indicate below which actions you are willing to take:

  • Media Interview(s)Yes ___ No ___
  • Share stories on social media Yes ___ No ___
  • Make presentations to members of your community (i.e. church, local service club) Yes ___ No ___
  • Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper Yes ___ No ___
  • Present to a school or youth group Yes ___ No ___
  • Other ______

11- For those actions to which you selected yes, please give some ideas or examples of how you may achieve them (i.e. which media could you approach for an interview, through which social media platforms could you share stories, to which community groups could you present, how and when could you speak with youth, who could you gather for a letter writing event).

Health

For various reasons, travelling in a developing country can be physically and mentally demanding: long journeys by air, dietary change and exposure to unusual bacteria, culture shock, etc. This tour takes place in Nepal during the winter. It is expected that the days will be warm but the evenings and nights will be quite cool or cold. The following questions will help the organization determine adequate precautions regarding the health of each applicant.

ONCE PARTICIPATION IS CONFIRMED ALL PARTICIPANTS MUST VISIT A TRAVEL HEALTH CLINIC FOR A TRAVEL HEALTH CONSULTATION. Participants are responsible for all expenses associated with this consultation and prescribed vaccinations and medications. It is vital that participants take good care of their health during such trips. This includes, but is not limited to, wearing sunscreen and a hat, applying mosquito spray, wearing your seatbelt, drinking plenty of purified water and getting plenty of sleep. When you travel in a group, your health becomes a concern for all involved.

12- Please list any medical conditions of which the group leader should be made aware (allergies, asthma, diabetes, depression, etc)? Please explain how you treat or manage these conditions. This information will be kept confidential.

13- Do you have any dietary needs or preferences that the organizers need to know about? If yes, please describe.

14- Learning Tour participants are required to follow Canadian Foodgrains Bank guidelines for meaningful cross-cultural and tour group learning and interaction. Are you willing to:

  • Read assigned material prior to the trip Yes ___ No ___
  • Commit yourself to meaningful cross cultural interaction and relationship building Yes ___ No ___
  • Engage in respectful and relevant dialogue with others Yes ___ No ___
  • Build community amongst the travel group Yes ___ No ___
  • Be open to learning from our hosts Yes ___ No ___
  • Be adaptable and flexible when confronted by unexpected changes Yes ___ No ___
  • Work through the physical, emotional and spiritual challenges that arise with grace Yes ___ No ___
  • Tread lightly on the earth as we travel Yes ___ No ___
  • Leave aside preconceived notions and approach this experience with fresh eyes Yes ___ No ___

References

Please provide 2 personal references (employer, friend, colleague, minister, etc.) who we can contact about your application. Please notify these individuals that they may be contacted.

Name
Relationship to you
Phone number(s)
Email address
Name
Relationship to you
Phone number(s)
Email address

Thank you for your interest in the tour! Please return this application to Roberta Gramlich at Canadian Foodgrains Bank as soon as possible. We will contact you shortly to discuss your application.

If you have any additional questions, please don’t hesitate to contact:

Roberta Gramlich, Youth Engagement Coordinator

204.926.4245

1.800.665.0377

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