Communitiy gardens

Jerusalem Institute for Israel Studies

Evaluation Studies Integrating Seniors

in Community Gardens

The Jerusalem Institute for Israel Studies

Dr. Maya Choshen


Jerusalem – A Unique City

• Jerusalem’s many layers and

features are constantly

interweaving, resulting in a city

that is truly one of a kind –

splendid yet also complicated.


The Jerusalem Mosaic

• The neighborhood structure of Jerusalem and the

social and cultural richness of its residents

• are part of its beauty and character… but they are also

the source of its complexity and conflicts.


• The population complexity

creates a broad spectrum of needs

• Including the need to narrow the gaps

between different population groups


• Those who are similar tend to gather in

“familiar” neighborhoods, while those who

differ distance themselves geographically

from one another.

• In Jerusalem, this segregation is extremely

clear among the three principal population

sectors - the general Jewish population, the

ultra-orthodox and the Arabs.

• Even within this groups there is socio-

economic diversity and a range of social

needs.


• The element that makes it possible for everyone to meet is the public

space.

• Community gardens exemplify the potential use of public space to

integrate different population groups and reduce the gaps among

them.


• Nature and the environment are issues all residents in the city can

relate to and these can be the basis for broad-based cooperation

among different population groups that might not otherwise meet.


• The structure of Jerusalem’s neighborhoods

enables gatherings in one public space relatively easily.

• The city’s community gardens operate for this purpose as well as

other purposes.


Community Gardens

• Natural sites and green public areas dot

Jerusalem, providing an infrastructure

basis for beautifying the city and building

partnerships among different groups.


Potential Key ChangesGenerated by Community Gardens

Through these sites, residents:

– Strengthen their connection to the community and to the city,

– Develop a sensitivity to preserving nature,

– Incorporate all groups within the community into activities.


JIIS Evaluation Studies

• So where do we come in?

• For a decade now, JIIS has conducted Evaluation Studies of projects

operating in Jerusalem, mainly:

– Social

– Welfare

– Educational projects.

• Between 6-8 projects are commissioned each year.


Evaluation studies are an important part of the Institute’s research basis.

They assist in the following ways:

•For project implementers to monitor

improve, and maintain the project;

•For foundations, project initiators,

and other funding bodies

to assess the achievement of objectives

to understand possible avenues for

their continued involvement.

•For us as researchers , evaluation

studies help to learn about :

– changes in the city at the micro level;

– connect the micro and macro levels


• In evaluation studies we examine a

given project multidimensionally,

employing a wide range of research

methods.

• The evaluation study of the

Community Garden project well

illustrates our work.


Community Gardens - Background

The project was born of the principle that community gardens not only

boost a neighborhood’s attractiveness, they also:

• Stimulate social interaction.

• Provide a useful learning tool to teach children and adults the concept and

practice of community responsibility and cooperative behavior.

• Serve as a neutral forum where activities can be created that connect local

residents and, indeed, different communities throughout the city.

• Provide urban city dwellers with a close and personal connection to

nature.


• A community garden is usually a joint initiative of people living in

close proximity to each other and a local authority, business or

organization for the purpose of creating a new garden or enhancing

one that exists.

• Each community garden reflects the specific wishes and needs of its

surrounding population.


• Jerusalem leads the country in the development of community

gardens

• The Community Gardens project initiated by the Jerusalem

Municipality has been a resounding success. It has contributed to the

quality of life of the city, has brought together diverse organizations

and funding sources, and has led to an active “network of green

communities.”

• In Jerusalem, there are presently 33 active community gardens, spread

over seventeen neighborhoods.


Elderly Community

CommunalGarden

Integrating Seniors in Community Gardens

One of the primary target groups for the project was senior citizens, with

the stated aims of:

• Increasing their active, voluntary participation in the greening of

Jerusalem;

• Raise their awareness of and

commitment to the environment; and

• Solidifying their participation

as a cohesive group within

the broader community.


It is grounded in the belief that integration of these elements will generate

cooperation and cross-fertilization, which in turn will lead to an

improved quality of life and more fruitful activities in each of the

following spheres:

• The communal aspect

• The societal aspect

• The inter-personal aspect

• The environmental aspect

• The educational/professional aspect


The communal aspect – Including the elderly in “green” communal activities and

creating a communal dialogue between the elderly and retired, on the one

hand, and “other communities,” on the other hand.

The societal aspect – Developing social-experiential activities within

nature sites and neighborhoods in a range of areas relevant to the

elderly and retired, with a link to the environment, environmental

issues, and the community.

The inter-personal aspect – Generating activities for leisure time with a

view to reducing feelings of loneliness and reinforcing a sense of

communal belonging, as well as increasing elderly engagement in the

cultivation of their residential surroundings.


The environmental aspect – Developing tools to improve the environment

and the quality of life for the community in general and for the elderly

in particular while, concurrently, making the values of the environment

and nature more accessible at the residential level, forming links with

and a sense of responsibility for the environment, and providing space

to promote environmental engagement.

The educational/professional aspect – Increasing professional knowledge

in the development of green communities and the integration of elderly

into these communities, with a view to expanding this knowledge for

the benefit of other cities and activities with other disenfranchised

communities.


• The project was initiated and led by the Municipality of Jerusalem,

JDC-ESHEL (the Association for the Planning and Development of

Services for the Aged in Israel), the Jerusalem Foundation, the Ministry

of Environmental Protection, and the Society for the Protection of

Nature, with the participation of the Jerusalem Association of

Community Councils and Idan, an NGO operating within this sector.


Methodology

At the request of the Jerusalem Foundation, JIIS monitored the

Community Gardens project for

. Our methodology was based on a range of qualitative and quantitative

tools and techniques, including:

– participation in steering committee and garden coordinators’ meetings;

– return visits to all the gardens on weekly activity days;

– one-on-one meetings with the coordinators;

– participant observations in the activities of the project;

– observing activities in training courses;

– distributing questionnaires to participants and evaluation reports to

facilitators; and

– analyzing the resulting data.



Among the most salient findings of this project is the indication of the

success of the communal garden as a communal meeting place for

people of various ages and various backgrounds with varying types of

needs.

The evaluation study indicates that :

•all participants benefited from the project,

– whether by cultivating personal surroundings,

– creating social connections,

– enjoying emotional enrichment,

– or strengthening ties to the neighborhood.

•The organizations that participated in the project experienced a learning

process in matters relating to coping with aging.

•The physical space itself showed a visible change.


Findings

Our research found that each of the participating organizations

developed different models for integrating the elderly in community

gardens and “green” activities.

In all, seven different models were developed to suit the different needs

of each neighborhood and the elderly population within it:

1. Gardening group

2. Home-based group

3. Series of meetings – intended primarily

for exploration and increasing

participants’ awareness and

knowledge relating to

environmental issues.


4. Community greenhouse – provides equipment and plantings for

various groups active in the neighborhood.

5. Gardening patrol Activities related to the “Weekly Day of Action in the

Community Garden” (Gardening and social activities that enable the

elderly population to participate actively and independently in

community gardening).

6. Activities related to the “Weekly Day of Action in the Community

Garden”

7. Home visits – designed for housebound elderly.


• These models were developed to meet the needs of groups with

different characteristics while taking into account such considerations

as the needs of the neighborhood itself alongside existing

infrastructures and resources. All considerations must be

consolidated by the on-site coordinators, whose familiarity with the

neighborhood, its existing infrastructures and resident populations is,

therefore, extremely influential and significant.


The Challenges Ahead

While the project was rather successful, challenges still lie ahead that

should be addressed in order to improve its efficacy. Among them:

•The elderly do not comprise a homogenous community, but rather

include a variety of age groups with differing needs and characteristics

(e.g., mobility, physical limitations, or independence).

•The needs and characteristics of the target population were not fully

known – and should be evaluated in order to augment the project’s

success in the future.

•Coordination among the various professional

bodies remains difficult, particularly between

professionals from the elderly community and

professionals in the area of gardening.


Recommendations

• The community should be divided into sub-groups according to specific characteristics and needs.

• The relations among the professional bodies involved need to be strengthened, with a view to the needs of the elderly.

• The needs of the neighborhood and those of the elderly within the neighborhood should be mapped and integrated.

• Professional community workers, particularly those specializing in the needs of the elderly, should be included in and allowed to guide the project.


Community Health Promotion Program

for Elderly Women in Jerusalem

The project seeks to promote the health of underprivileged elderly women

residents of the lower-class Katamonim neighborhood in Jerusalem. The

first step in this project was to set up and train a network of volunteers

who now work with the participants in the community.

•The project strives to improve the status of the elderly women, to

develop conditions and services to guarantee better their quality of life,

and to improve the image of older people to society as a whole.


Dr. Maya Choshen

JIIS Evaluation Studies Integrating Seniors

in Community Gardens

Thank youThank you


Other JIIS Evaluation Studies

"The Community Believes in Education – Better Together"

This community education program began in 2000, based on the premise

that within a community there is the strength, wisdom, knowledge and

desire to ensure the education of neighborhood children and youth. jiis is

examining


JIIS EVALUATION STUDIES

• These studies have advantages both for the client requesting the study

and those creating the project

• They provide a broad data resource which accumulates with every

additional project

• The research approach is interdisciplinary and multidimensional,

which is particularly suited to Jerusalem’s complex character

• Through these studies JIIS has developed an ever-expanding network

and professional ties with governmental and non-governmental

organizations, municipal officials, experts, practitioners and public

activists.


Aim of evaluation studies

• To provide ongoing feedback and targeted assessments during the

course of a project;

• To identify strengths and weaknesses of a project during its initial and

intermediate stages, and offer ideas for improvement and/or

enhancement;

• To measure a project’s success, based on stated objectives, and its

contribution to the neighborhood in general and the target community

in particular;

• To assist the project’s designers and facilitators in defining project’s

goals

• To assist in a project’s diffusion and implementation


Research approaches

• Evaluation based on active involvement• Evaluation based on participation• Evaluation based on initiative• Compilation of different research approaches based on a

project's specific aims


• Combining qualitative and quantitative research

• Active participation in steering committee and working committee

meetings

• Distribution of questionnaires

• In-depth interviews with

• professionals

• activists

• project facilitators and other persons involved in the project

• participant observation

• Analysis of documentation

• Measurements of success


End products

• Interim and final reports

• Ongoing evaluation tailored to the project in general and the changing

needs at different stages

• Support and assistance in expanding the partnerships associated with

the project in the city


• it is important to integrate and strengthen the weak and

underprivileged population.

• At the same time, a strong [primary?? broad??] population is needed to

ensure the city’s standard of living, which in turn contributes to the

strengthening of its weaker population.

• Nhu,r


• While each garden is unique, it was decided to create a “network of

community gardens” to multiply the effect and efficacy of the project.

• The objective was achieved: to promote community-based activities

that would contribute to the quality of life for all social strata, but

particularly youth, special needs populations, seniors, new immigrants

and educational institutions.



• This project integrates three core spheres

– the elderly population, but what about youth, education etc… referred

to on slide #19??

– community

– communal gardens.


Findings

Our research found that each of the participating organizations developed different models for integrating the elderly in community gardens and “green” activities. In all, seven different models were developed to suit the different needs of each neighborhood and the elderly population within it:

1.Gardening group (East Talpiot, NETA team – Jerusalem Bird Observatory) – operates in the community garden, intended only for the elderly, with activities focused primarily on gardening and garden aesthetics. something not quite clear here – will discuss with you..

2.Home-based group (Lev Ha’ir Community Council, Ginot Ha’ir Community Council) – operates in a community center or within the home of one of the elderly participants, designed for a fixed group of seniors who meet regularly. Activities are social in nature and include emotional and spiritual support. Some of the home-based groups address “green” issues and have a connection with a nearby community garden.


3. Series of meetings (Jerusalem Bird Observatory) – A fixed number of meetings intended

primarily for exploration and increasing participants’ awareness and knowledge relating

to environmental issues. These operate in senior citizen centers and retirement homes

and are designed for members or residents.

4. Community greenhouse (Lev Ha’ir Community Council) – Provides equipment and

plantings for various groups active in the neighborhood as well as a meeting place for

inter-generational activities. Includes gardening and social activities.

5. Gardening patrol (Lev Ha’ir Community Council) – Gardening and social activities for

young men and women in national service, in cooperation with the program for home

visits.

6. Activities related to the “Weekly Day of Action in the Community Garden” (Lev Ha’ir

Community Council, Ginot Ha’ir Community Council) – Gardening and social activities

that enable the elderly population to participate actively and independently in community

gardening.

7. Home visits (Lev Ha’ir Community Council, Ginot Ha’ir Community Council) – Designed

for housebound elderly, this is primarily a social and aesthetic activity. Both independent

senior citizens and youth take part in these activities.


מוקדי הפעילות ומספר הקשישים שהשתתפו בפעילויות במסגרת קבוצתית בכל אחד מהאתרים )(לא כולל קשישים שהגיעו באופן עצמאי לפעילויות השבועית בגינות הקהילתיות

שילוב קשישים בגינות קהילתיות מחקרי הערכה מכון ירושלים לחקר ישראל

Communitiy gardens

Education

Transcript of Communitiy gardens