Holland College researching food insecurity
An applied research project at Holland College will investigate the level of food insecurity for post-secondary students across Prince Edward Island to determine the causes and develop policies to combat the problem and improve students’ eating habits.
The project, which is funded by the provincial Department of Health and Wellness through a Health Promotion Impact Grant and the Holland College President’s Innovation Fund, will include students in all 13 of the college’s campuses and centres to determine the barriers they may face when attempting to access affordable, nutritious food.
The Holland College Student Union, the international office, and Canada’s Smartest Kitchen - the research arm of The Culinary Institute of Canada, will participate in the project, along with students in the practical nursing program.
Debra Smith, lead researcher on the project and an instructor in the college’s practical nursing program, said the research will benefit postsecondary students across the country, as the information gathered will be shared with other institutions through Colleges Institutes Canada and Springboard Atlantic.
“With so many campuses and centres across the Island, in both rural and urban locations, we will be able to gather information that will help us determine if the barriers students encounter differ depending on their location.”
Students in the program will run an awareness campaign to encourage participation and will participate in the research activities.
Following the collection of information through the survey, the research team will bring together focus groups to identify and confirm perceived barriers and explore the overall level of food insecurity across the college.
The research team will compile and interpret the results of the survey and develop recommendations based on the findings.
The report will be released this spring.
For more information, visit hollandcollege.com, email info@hollandcollege.com, or call 1-800-446-5265.