September 3 is the last day to submit youth team applications for the Community Food Security Coalition Annual Conference.
The youth participation in the CFSC conference includes a pre-conference day for youth, as well as a field trip for the youth on the first day of the conference. The following are the objectives of the youth presence at the conference:
- This project recognizes the multiple, important roles that young people play and will play in the food system as key consumers, as future leaders, and, increasingly, as agents of change. Through this initiative, we hope that:
- Adult conference participants will be more likely to partner with young people. They will view youth as important strategic partners, and will be able to identify concrete ways of incorporating them in their work to bolster its sustainability and impact.
- Youth/young adult participants will have a greater understanding of the different approaches to community food security. They will have new connections to adult leaders in the field and will have learned specific strategies or ideas that they can use in their own communities.
- We will strengthen a model for incorporating youth in a meaningful way into major conferences. We hope to continue the successes of youth presences at both the CFSC and FAS conferences last year. This project will carry forward the mission of BLAST and the importance of systematic inclusion of youth in future gatherings and conversations nationwide.
Applications are due to The Food Project either by fax, mail, or e-mail by noon Friday. The application is available at http://www.thefoodproject.org/blast/internal1.asp?ID=212.
Any questions should be directed to blast@thefoodproject.org, or by phone to Ben Handzo or Anim Steel at (617) 442-1322.
