Staff Spotlight: Grow Eat Learn Garden Mentors
We excitedly welcome Raena, Bria and Raina to the Nourish Nova Scotia team as Regional Garden Mentors. The Garden Mentor team will work with schools and youth-centered community spaces to help develop infrastructure and planning to give more youth across Nova Scotia access to growing spaces at school and in their communities. Read below to learn more about the mentors and why they want to work with youth and educators in gardens.
Bria Miller
What benefit do you see garden spaces having on youth, and how do you hope to see Nourish Nova Scotia support that?
I was drawn to Nourish Nova Scotia for a variety of reasons, but I think the biggest one was their youth-centered approach and climate change focus. Climate change is an important part of the food system conversation. It adds a lot of nuances around what a sustainable food system looks like and the importance of local food, government policies, and even seasonal eating habits. I also believe that food systems are so important for young people to learn about. I’ve known firsthand the kind of value this knowledge can bring since I was young.
Raina McDonald
What benefit do you see garden spaces having on youth, and how do you hope to see Nourish Nova Scotia support that?
I see garden spaces as fertile grounds for curiosity, discovery, joy, growth, and much more. Creating opportunities for young people to engage in these spaces can be nourishing on many levels. As youth gain skills and knowledge, they are also exercising, breathing in fresh air, and cultivating a connection with themselves, their human community, and the more-than-human world. I’ve also witnessed the mental health benefits of gardens, as they provide a space for youth to release tension and regulate their nervous systems. In our changing climate, inviting young people into growing spaces can be a powerful gateway for them to feel connected to and develop a deep respect for nature. As a Garden Mentor with Nourish Nova Scotia, I am excited to support flourishing gardening projects in schools across our province. Let’s normalize school yards that grow food and pollinator zones and empower youth to shape change!
Raena Ducharme
What benefit do you see garden spaces having on youth, and how do you hope to see Nourish Nova Scotia support that?
Garden spaces are a wonderful way for kids to connect to one another in a natural space, utilizing their imaginations and natural abilities to adapt fun in their environment. Nature stimulates entertainment in a healthy way by providing fresh air, sunlight and loads of space to play and get dirty! Gardens teach children the process of food growth and connect them to appreciation of the role they can play in their own food. I am extremely excited for Nourish Nova Scotia’s role in bringing garden education to our children for future generations of growers and food gurus!
Learn more about the Grow Eat Learn Program here.
Published: March 06, 2025