Community-Based Research with South Madison Farmers Market

Course Title: Environmental Studies 600 Section 005: CBR with SMFM
Semester: Fall 2013 and Spring 2014
Instructor/CUE Affiliate: Dadit Hidayat, Alfonso Morales, and Margaret Nellis
Community PartnerSouth Madison Farmers Market (SMFM)

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Abstract: SMFM is looking for a more effective strategy to educate South Madison community about fresh, safe, and affordable food.  The new strategy is expected to improve local market (buyers) as well local vendors participation in the market (sellers).

Student Learning Goals:

  • learn specific methodological skills for conducting community-based research
  • conduct research on informal market which will address the area of multifunctionality agriculture (sustainable agriculture, local food, community development, and health promotion)
  • identify and implement community organizing tactic

Deliverable Product or Service:

  • identified strategies for community actions
  • strategies implementation through community organizing efforts

CUE Project AreaSouth Madison

Grant involvedCharlotte Zieve Community Environmental Scholars Program

Document(s):

  • syllabus
  • CBR with South Madison Farmers Market, CUE Newsletter Vol II Issue 2

Brian D. Christens

Assistant Professor, Interdisciplinary Studies
Faculty Affiliate, Community & Environmental Sociology
Faculty Affiliate, Population Health Sciences
Associate Director for Research, Center for Nonprofits

Expertise: community development, youth development, health promotion, action research, community-based research

[Email] [Webpage]

Project Area: Southwest Madison

Project Course:

  • School of Human Ecology’s courses on community-based research, Fall 2012 [syllabus] and Spring 2013 [syllabus].

Southwest Madison

Overview: CUE has been involved with the South West Madison Community Organizers (SWMCO) and their associated work groups since fall of 2011.  SWMCO is a group of southwest Madison residents, UW faculty and students, and Madison/Dane County Public Health Department nurses that work to build leadership in the community as a way to promote holistic health and well being. CUE began to participate when SWMCO expressed becoming overwhelmed with UW student and faculty requests for involvement in community-based learning & research.

Objectives: CUE’s role is to help SWMCO with documenting  their community organizing process and model, and to act as a sort of “traffic cop” to coordinate and organize university requests for partnerships. Additionally, CUE is also identifying resource gaps and find ways that students, faculty and staff can help fill them.

Project Courses:

  • Community and Environmental Sociology service learning capstone course on neighborhood free space; Spring 2012. [project course page] [syllabus]
  • Community and Environmental Sociology service-learning capstone course on ….Fall 2012. [project course page] [syllabus]
  • School of Human Ecology’s courses on community-based research, Fall 2012 [syllabus] and Spring 2013 [syllabus].
  • Environmental Studies service learning capstone course on youth gardening; Spring 2013. [project course page] [syllabus]

Additional Information

News/articles about Southwest Madison:

South Madison

Overview: The CUE South Madison was initially a CUE pilot project. The project was developed collaboratively with community partners (see below). The community needs assessment suggested the South side’s top 3 community-identified priorities: (1) economic vitality, (2) image/perception of stigma of the area, and (3) healthy food access and nutrition education. The “image/perception of stigma of the area” was chose by students during the pilot year. The other two priorities were addressed in the year after the pilot year in different service learning courses. Geographically, the South Madison is a highly unique area in Madison with rich culture and dynamism, which confirmed by our ongoing collaboration even after the CUE pilot year.

Objectives: We had two main goals for the pilot project: (1) to create an infrastructure for campus-community partnerships that would provide an opportunity for community groups to access the UW with specific issues and problems; and (2) to work on an actual partnership between the university and the community. After the pilot, we continue to help South Madison with their self-identified community priorities.

Project Activities:

  • Slow-Food UW, promoting local and fresh food in South Madison, Spring 2011-current [project activity page]
  • A GIS certificate student helped Common Wealth Development with mapping foreclosed properties in the area to underscore need for federal Neighborhood stabilization funds, Fall 2010 [project activity page]

Project Courses:

  • Inter-HE 504 (1): CUE: South Madison, a pilot for community-campus partnership, Spring 2011
  • CNSR 477: Making Park St more Accessible and Welcoming to Students, Spring 2011
  • Inter-HE 560: Community Leadership, Fall 2011
  • J676: Technology for Social Change, Fall 2011 [project course page]
  • InterHE 570: Community-Based Research and Evaluation, Spring 2012
  • Family Voices Mentor Tutoring Program, Spring 2012 [project course page]
  • N590: Culturally Congruent Health Care Practice, Fall 2012 [project course page]
  • ENVSTUDIES 600: Community-Based Research with South Madison Farmers Market, Fall 2013 and Spring 2014 [project course page]

Project Information
CUE Affiliates: Beth Tryon, Margaret Nellis, Ariel Kaufman, Cynthia Jasper, Young-Mie Kim, Alfonso Morales
Community Partner: South Metropolitan Planning Council, Park Street Partners, South Madison Farmers’ Market, and Boys and Girls Club of Dane County