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About the Project
Recreation Nova Scotia is undertaking the Food Access in Recreation Assessment Pilot to better understand the connection between recreation environments and food access. This pilot was initiated in partnership with Central Zone Public Health. Recreation spaces are more than places to play, be active, or connect with others. They are trusted community hubs that can promote health and well-being in many ways, including access to food, such as growing community gardens, starting local pantries, and including cooking or baking in their programming. While research has explored the food environments within recreation settings, little is known about if and how recreation programs and facilities provide access to food, either formally, through organized programming, or informally through other means.
Project Purpose
Through this assessment, Recreation Nova Scotia aims to explore and better understand how recreation programs, facilities, and community initiatives may be involved in individuals and families accessing food.
Project Scope
This assessment is a pilot project focused on recreation settings in Central and Northern Nova Scotia, with the goal of informing a provincial-wide survey to be developed from this pilot assessment. Through a survey of recreation staff and leaders, we will explore how staff experience food access in their settings - the challenges they face, and the opportunities that exist. At this stage, the project does not focus on sport organizations, recognizing that their experiences and roles may differ.
This project will not focus on food security, as it requires addressing stable, adequate income, which is outside this project's scope.
This project will not focus on household food insecurity – the inadequate or insecure access to food due to inadequate income and financial constraints, which is outside the scope of this survey.
Project Objectives:
- Understand how food access and recreation intersect:
· Identify ways the recreation sector may be supporting food access within their communities.
· Explore the types of food-related programs, partnerships, and initiatives being offered through recreation environments. - Staff experience with food access within recreation:
· Understand the challenges and opportunities recreation providers experience.
· Perspective on what the role of recreation could be regarding food access. - Explore the potential role of recreation settings regarding food access:
· Highlight the role of recreation as a trusted community space that can contribute to broader health and well-being outcomes.
· Identify opportunities for collaboration, resources, and future actions.
Outcomes
The assessment will provide a snapshot of food access within recreation programs and facilities in Central and Northern Nova Scotia, informed by the experiences and perspectives of recreation staff. The findings will highlight existing practices, innovative approaches, challenges, and opportunities for growth within recreation environments. Recreation Nova Scotia will share the results with the recreation sector to support knowledge sharing and inform decisions about expanding the assessment across the province.