Rawdat Rouf, a fourth-year social work student from York University, reflects on her placement experience at Black Creek Community Farm, where she found growth, purpose, and the power of hands-on learning.

Hi! My name is Rawdat Rouf, a fourth-year social work student at York University. 

Although my time completing placement with BCCF has been short, it has been the perfect space to learn and grow. I went into my placement with an openness to learn anything, and I was fortunate to be able to support across teams. My main focus was working with the Farm Education team to facilitate field trips and workshops for elementary to high school-aged youth. Over the 4 months, I’ve had the opportunity to learn and teach about bees, worms, herbs, food preservation, gardening, etc. This type of experiential education has added several layers to how I see the world and the complex interconnected relationships within it. 

I developed skills in many different areas, from administrative technical skills to curriculum development. I supported organizing the farm education database for schools, developing/facilitating workshops with what’s available at the farm, creating promotional materials for social media, and several hands-on tasks like weeding, harvesting, etc. One of my highlights working with the Farm Education team (Mildred, LeeAnn, and Maryama) was developing my own activity workshop for students utilizing dandelions to make syrup. This workshop was part of the farm-to-table curriculum, which many visitors enjoy because it provided a ‘full circle’ understanding of the food we consume and take for granted in daily life. Being able to see the origin of ingredients, the laborious processes of harvesting, and finally being able to enjoy a delicious product bridges that gap for those of us who live in big cities and buy our produce from grocery stores. I appreciated BCCF’s approach to connection and community engagement as an ongoing and dynamic process. I especially appreciated their care and focus towards the surrounding Jane and Finch community, and local schools. It has been especially fulfilling to encourage curiosity and connection with nature for youth in the neighbourhood. I grew up in a very similar community, and from childhood, I’ve cherished those special hands-on learning experiences that local organizations like BCCF provide.

I’ve had many interesting and sometimes discouraging experiences in volunteering, work, and particularly youth education-focused environments. However, BCCF’s genuine care towards youth education and young people is refreshing and evident in every aspect of their work, at least from the perspective of a placement student. My supervisor Anna, along with several others at the farm, have provided great examples of supportive leadership and inclusive community engagement for me to carry into my social work career. I feel that my time here has definitely helped me further understand what’s important to me about the work I want to do. Now, at the end of my placement, I’ve gained great skills and connected with many incredible people. However, my most valuable takeaway is learning to really stop and smell the flowers!