By comparing the coaching programs of IVN and Velt in a thorough and in-depth way, both organizations hoped to gain insight into how we train and support our coaches. In particular, we aimed to identify bottlenecks and formulate possible solutions that we can further develop and integrate into the broader operations of our organizations. We sought potential answers to the question: "How can we empower our coaches?" with the goal of reaching a larger and more diverse audience, thereby equipping more people with the tools to choose an ecological and healthy lifestyle. The ultimate aim is to support coaches more efficiently and thus generate greater impact.
Research shows that gardening with children contributes to healthy eating habits and a nature-conscious attitude. Educational gardens (vegetable gardens and food forests) in schools and childcare facilities play an important role in the food strategies of many local authorities, as children are receptive to these topics and are more likely to adopt and maintain an ecological and healthy lifestyle later in life if they receive this knowledge at a young age. Therefore, Velt and IVN work together with coaches to share knowledge and to support teachers and school administrators in starting school gardens or food forests. However, with the currently available time and resources, Velt and IVN lack the capacity to conduct research into success factors and challenges in addition to their structural work (training and guiding coaches and connecting them with the public). Such research is crucial to further enhance the quality of their products and support programs and to increase their societal impact. Given that these topics are now on policy agendas in both Belgium and the Netherlands, we don’t want to miss this momentum. We need to make a sprint to further professionalize as quickly and efficiently as possible and to spread the message.