The Field to Table Schools Co-ordinator

July 13, 2007

Name:
Meredith Hayes

Where do you live?
Bloor West Village

Profession:
Field to table schools co-ordinator, FoodShare Toronto

Please explain what you do in your job:
I work with children and youth from junior kindergarten to Grade 12, teachers, school administrators, parents and volunteers to explore the food system and enhance food literacy in the City of Toronto.

Our programs include looking at and interacting with outdoor and indoor worm composting, gardening, nutrition, basic food preparation, urban and rural food production, food security and more.

Current job:
As schools are out for the summer, direct programming slows down over the next couple of months.

In the meantime, I will be watering and feeding classroom worm compost bins that needed a summer home, planning new activities and lessons for the next school year, working with FoodShare's focus on food youth interns to support a new community garden as well as our own onsite garden design, and offering support to a couple of school gardens that require summer upkeep.

List of accomplishments:
Prior to working for FoodShare, I had held a number of jobs that helped to prepare me for my current position.

I've worked as a campground naturalist for Ontario Parks, four years as an EcoCamp counsellor on Toronto Island for the City of Toronto, four years at a natural health food store and one year as an administrative assistant for a natural healthcare clinic.

Each of these jobs afforded me a variety of different skills ranging from public speaking, event co-ordination, children's education, knowledge of basic nutrition and office administration.

How do you measure success in your profession?
I feel that any opportunity to educate or build upon the range of knowledge and experience that children, youth and members of their school community have in relation to the food they eat, be it with gardening, cooking, waste management, exploration of locality, transportation and so on, can be seen as a success.

In the long term, I see the measure of success being a systemic integration of experiential food centered education into the Ontario curriculum, ensuring that children of all ages understand the importance, utility, pleasure and impact of food on their health, their community and the environment.

How did you get your start in your chosen career?
I finished my degree in environmental studies from York University with a combined interest in environmental education and the social and environmental impacts of food.

A career in food-centered education seemed an obvious choice and I was fortunate to find the opportunity to direct these interests through my position with FoodShare's field to table schools program.

Prior to beginning at FoodShare, I worked and volunteered in positions that allowed me to further explore and develop my interests.

When did you decide this is what you want to do for a living and what was the 'moment'?
From a young age I knew I was passionate about food and the environment. At 14 I held regular events at my school to educate fellow students about health and nutrition, agriculture, vegetarianism and composting.

I saw food as a point of departure for so many different lessons especially as something we all share in common, and it's through this commonality that I feel meaningful actions can arise.

The moment for me didn't come until after I had applied to university for both English and photography programs. I had gone on exchange to a biological reserve in Costa Rica and after seeing their approach to low-impact, self-sustaining, organic gardening and food production, it occurred to me that I wanted to learn more about the connection between food and the environment.

That year I deferred my acceptance to university and reapplied the following year to the faculty of environmental studies.

What did you have to do in order to get involved with this profession?
I think that my degree in environmental studies was helpful for equipping me with some of the knowledge, research skills and opportunities to develop my interests, but I don't see a degree as being a necessary aid to involvement in a profession of this nature.

I think my most valuable experiences, in terms of preparing me for my job, were the volunteer and self-directed workshops, programs and events I was involved with over the years.

Pros and cons of this job:
This job is truly ideal for my interests and beliefs.

The only perceived con I can see is that being the only person working in this position there are only so many programs and schools we are able to support.

Skills required for this job:
The skills required for this job include a passion for all things food, including worms and other decomposers, a love of working with children and youth and the wider school community, creativity, ability to work on tight deadlines, comfort leading workshops and a continued commitment to learning more about our relationships with food.

What can youth expect if they want to pursue this job?
I think that youth must be prepared to come to a job of this nature with more than just a relevant education, but a great deal of life experience and passion for the subjects it addresses.

Percentage of people who actually succeed in this field:
I'm not clear as to how many people are interested in this field, but I can say that if they truly have the passion for facilitating and developing food education that perceived opportunities abound to create the space where you can share this passion either through volunteering, work in the non-profit sector, at each level government or by establishing an entrepreneurial venture in your own community.

Salary range:
$0 to $45,000

Advice to youth who are thinking about pursuing this field:
Familiarize yourself with the agencies, organizations and committees in your community and beyond that are engaged with the work that interests you. This is a great way to feel out what a job in this field will look like and assess where existing gaps or opportunities exist.