Blog Post: Projects and partners

The U of G Campus Food Market: A Step Towards Reducing Student Food Insecurity

There is a growing awareness of the impacts of food insecurity among post-secondary students in Guelph and across Canada; while food insecurity rates among various segments of the Canadian population are well-documented, food insecurity among post-secondary students has only recently gained the attention of researchers. Sliding scale markets are one intervention that has been developed to address food insecurity, currently being employed at the University of Guelph with promising results.

CETL and Chalmers: A Mutually Beneficial Partnership Addressing Newcomer Food Insecurity

CESI regularly has the privilege of developing relationships with community organizations who are deeply immersed in the communities they serve and are familiar with the issues that impact them most strongly. These partnerships vary in length and depth, and take place across a range of programs and projects at CESI; the common thread linking them is a strong potential for transformational change and the goal of offering benefits for all parties involved, as well as the broader community.

Research Shop Project Provides Example of Evidence-Based Change for Impact

At CESI, we believe that community engaged scholarship (CES) has the potential to offer high impact to both community partners and researchers and to spark positive, evidence-informed change within the community. CES is a “collaboration between institutions of higher education and their larger communities for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources in a context of partnership and reciprocity" (Jordan, 2007).

Photo shows a group of 8 people smiling and holding paper reports.

Supporting Youth Transitions: A Community-Driven Collaboration Between CESI and Developmental Support Service Agencies

A key principle of community-engaged scholarship is that it addresses community-identified research priorities. This means that community members - rather than researchers - determine the goals of a research project to ensure its findings will be relevant to their needs. A recent partnership between the Community Engaged Scholarship Institute (CESI) and a group of developmental support service agencies demonstrates the strengths of this community-driven research approach.

From Research to Action: Working with WomanACT to Address Financial Abuse

Knowledge mobilization – the process of sharing knowledge and information to create intellectual, social, and economic benefits – is key to community-engaged research. It ensures that the insights that arise from community-engaged scholarship jump off of the pages of research reports and become practically beneficial to communities. Through a growing partnership between CESI, the Woman Abuse Council of Toronto (WomanACT) and psychology professor Dr.

Focus on Nature: A Snapshot into Program Evaluation

When we think of children playing, our minds often go to memories of running to the nearest park, playground or swimming hole, exploring and interacting with the natural world. However, with growing urban development and screen-time becoming increasingly common, many children now have fewer opportunities to connect with nature.

Upcycle Kitchen: a Creative Approach to Food Waste Reduction in Guelph

What happens to all the ugly fruits and vegetables? The sad reality of the Canadian food industry is that we waste $31 billion in food annually, often times because products don’t live up to the cosmetic standards of grocery stores. This food waste has negative economic, ethical, and environmental outcomes and is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions in Canada. So, what can you do with malformed but still fresh food? There are many things you can make with ugly produce – tomato sauce, canned fruit, soup and dip mixes – the possibilities are endless!

The Impact Factor: Sharing a Black Past

Impact is at the core of the partnership between the Guelph Black Heritage Society (GBHS) and the Community Engaged Scholarship Institute (CESI). What started out as a targeted collaboration for an on-campus project spread like wildfire, initiating a web of activities and relationships that are sparking social change.

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