Investing in the future of Allamakee, Chickasaw, Clayton, Fayette, Howard & Winneshiek

Counties

Ann MansfieldCo-Convener & Project Coordinator

Kathleen ZurcherOrganizational Learning & Systems Thinking Consultant

NACCHO Webinar Goals

• Have an increased understanding of the importance of using a collaborative approach based in relationship building and system change

• Gain greater understanding of the process involved in making policy, systems, and environmental changes in rural areas

• Identify successful strategies for rural areas to improve the policies, systems, and environment to support health and prevent obesity.

As a result of the webinar participants will:

Session Outline

I. Brief introduction to the InitiativeII. Assumptions that Define our ApproachIII. Our Organizational Learning/Systems Thinking ApproachIV. Plans and Preliminary SuccessesV. A short list of organizational learning/systems thinking

resources

I. Introduction to the Initiative

II. Our Defining Assumptions

• Articulate a compelling purpose, shared core values, and a clear picture of the future

• Citizen engagement is the centerpiece of our work, especially youth engagement.

• Build on the community assets, values, strengths, and what is going well in communities

• “Policy” includes practices & institutional policies, as well as legislation at all levels.

• Using a systems approach we focus on: – the system most likely to result in the future we want– all components of that system– relationships among the components– investments that will have the most impact on creating

that system and our desired results

• We work in service of the whole, while maintaining our organizational and individual identities.

• Partnerships are critical to the work, but challenging at the same time.

• Embed the work in existing organizations and infrastructures to assure sustainability

III. Our Organizational Learning/Systems Thinking

Approach

Engaged community members & organizations

Assessing Current RealityThe Built Environment

Walkable/Bikable Community Mapping (2008) Inventory of NE Iowa Built Environment (2008) School Use Survey (2008) NE IA Regional Safe Routes to School Project (2008) Children’s Bill of Rights Survey Results (2008) Park Survey in Winneshiek County (2008) Walkability of Trails in Decorah (2008) Community Assessments by Luther College Students (2007

& 2008)www.iowafoodandfitness.org

The Food System• Annual Reports of NE Iowa Food & Farm Coalition; 2007,

2008, 2009• Consumer household survey 2007• Institutional survey results 2007• Food shed mapping

School Food• School site visits – School Wellness and Food service• Concession stand surveys, 2008• School food service survey, 2009• Annual Farm to School Chapter Report, 2009

What can we make clearer for you before we move to the next section?

IV. Plans & Preliminary Successes

Community Action Plan

Strategy A • Ensure that school district policies & practices support healthy living of

children, families and community members. Strategy B • Ensure that local, health-promoting food is available and affordable in all

communities, neighborhoods and institutions. Strategy C • Ensure that communities have a built environment that supports

abundant opportunities for physical activity and play.

Strategy A: Ensure that school district policies & practices support healthy living of children, families and community members.

Policy and System Change Targets: • Procurement policy allows for geographical preference of

local foods in schools

• Identify and interpret existing policies that align and support geographic preference of local foods in schools

Strategy A: Ensure that school district policies & practices support healthy living of children, families and community members.

Examples of Tactics • Support a regional learning community that nurtures quality

relationships, leads to policy successes, and advances the Food and Fitness Initiative vision.

• Encourage and support school districts to develop an active school wellness committee to align with the Food & Fitness Initiative.

• Incorporate healthy local foods into school food programs while teaching people about nutrition and the local food system.

• Regionally, communicate and support comprehensive state and federal school food and beverage policy implementation to ensure school food includes healthy, especially local choices.

• Build demand and support a variety of physical activity options before, during and after school time.

Strategy A: : Ensure that school district policies & practices support healthy living of children, families and community members.

Examples of Activities to support system and policy changes:• Farm to School program in regional schools• Home Grown Lunch Week• Food Service workshops • Producers contracts• K-3 Curriculum taught by high school students• School gardens

Strategy A Early Successes

Strategy B: Ensure that local, health-promoting food is available and affordable in all communities, neighborhoods and institutions.

Policy and System Change Targets : • Invest in new and existing producers who produce food for

local food systems • Develop and maintain storage & processing capabilities for

local food

Strategy B: Ensure that local, health-promoting food is available and affordable in all communities, neighborhoods and institutions.

Examples of Tactics:• Regional food system learning community • Opportunities for new & existing producers to engage in local

food system• Develop food safety education and consultation process for

producers• Develop regional processing, distribution and storage• Increase sale and consumption of local food

Strategy B: Ensure that local, health-promoting food is available and affordable in all communities, neighborhoods and institutions.

Examples of Activities to support system and policy changes:

• Educational Speakers, Workshops & Field Days• Micro Loan Program• Entrepreneurial Networking• Mini-grants• Regional Food Directory• Development of Food Safety Certification process

Strategy B Early Successes

• NE Iowa Food and Farm Coalition Annual Report – 2010; Local food sales have doubled in last year

• Luther College—Sodexo—GROWN Locally, food safety certification of local producers

• School Food Service Workshops – Building capacity for local food and school garden produce in our schools

Strategy C: Ensure that communities have a built environment that supports abundant opportunities for physical activity and play.

Policy and System Change Target: • Develop and maintain infrastructure for walking and bicycling

to and from schools in rural communities.

Examples of Tactics:• Support a regional active living learning community• Encourage and support school districts to develop an active

school wellness committee to align with the Food & Fitness Initiative

• Foster relationships between schools and communities around opportunities to support school wellness committees and active transportation to and from school

• Regionally, promote youth and family participation in physical activity and play every day

Strategy C: Ensure that communities have a built environment that supports abundant opportunities for physical activity and play.

Strategy C: Ensure that communities have a built environment that supports abundant opportunities for physical activity and play.

Examples of Activities to support systems and policy change:• Develop Safe Routes to School teams in school-communities

in 6 counties• Teams will create plans to promote walking and biking to

school in their community.• Conduct SRTS assessments• Provide educational Speakers; Engagement, Education and

Encouragement

What is the Change? LocalQuestions

Potential Key Players Local

StateQuestions

Potential Key PlayersState

FederalQuestions

Potential Key Players

Walking and bicycling infrastructure exits in communities for children and adults to use for local transportation

How many children walk or bike to and from school?How many adults use walking or biking for local transportation?What is the infrastructure that currently exists for walking and biking?What is needed to improve the infrastructure for walking and biking?

School board members• PTA• Wellness Policy Team• School Administration• County/City Dept. of

Health, Planning, Public Safety, Transportation

• Health Providers• Biking and Trail groups

Are there state policies regarding children getting to and from school as it relates to walking and biking? If yes, what are they?What are the state opportunities for funding for development and maintenance of walking and bicycling infrastructure?

Iowa Dept. of Education, Iowa Dept. Public Health, Public Safety, Transportation

State Legislators Iowa State Board of

Education Iowa Healthy Kids

Task Force Iowa Partners for

Healthy Kids State Associations for

Physical Education/Activity, Sports, Health, PTA, Biking, Public Safety

What policies in the Transportation Bill relate to infrastructure for walking and bicycling?What are the federal opportunities for funding for development and maintenance of walking and bicycling infrastructure?

US Departments of Education, Transportation, Public SafetyNat’l Conference State LegislaturesHouse and Senate Committees on Education and TransportationStaff of Senators Harkin and Grassley; Representative Braley and Rep. LathamNat’l health, Public Safety and Physical Activity Groups

What might success look like?Increased number of youth walking or biking to school.

How might we measure the impact? Increased number of youth reporting walking & # bikes ridden to school on Fall and Spring dates.

What Activities will help us activate our Tactic, leading to policy and system change?AssessmentsEducational SpeakersSafety Routes to School mini-grants in 6 target schools.

Strategy C: Ensure that communities have a built environment that supports abundant opportunities for physical activity and play.Physical Activity and Built Environment Tactic: Regionally increase youth and family participation opportunities, programming,

and system/plans for physical activity and active play every day.Policy Target #4: Development/maintenance of infrastructure for walking and bicycling to and from schools in rural communities.

Strategy C Early Successes

• Six pilot schools – forming teams, reviewing mapping, etc.

• Mark Fenton visit and SRTS workshops in 2009-2010

• Regional awareness and promotion – Bicycle Rodeos, Physical activity promotional events

• Walking School Bus

Strategy C Early Successes

V. Resources to Support Applying Organizational Learning/Systems Thinking in Rural Communities

Pegasus Communications: www.pegasuscom.comand Publications from Pegasus, especially:

Organizing for Learning by Daniel H. Kim

Foresight as the Central Ethic of Leadership by Daniel H. Kim, Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership, www.greanleaf.org

Systems Thinking in Action Conference held annually in November. Sponsored by Pegasus Communications. This year it is scheduled for November 8-10 in Boston.

Kathleen Zurcher, kzurcher33@gmail.com

For more information about the Northeast Iowa Food & Fitness Initiative: Ann Mansfield, mansan01@luther.edu

Investing in the future of Allamakee, Chickasaw, Clayton, Fayette, Howard & Winneshiek

Counties

www.iowafoodandfitness.org