CESI Special Project

Toward Common Ground is a partnership of 12 organizations working together intentionally and strategically to respond to community needs. This Trillium-funded project builds on Guelph-Wellington's history of collaboration, providing a new structure for local health and social service agencies to work together in an integrated and coordinated way. This initiative weaves together the work of local agencies to gain a greater understanding of the gaps, needs, strengths, and change efforts in Guelph-Wellington.

Rewarding CES was a self-funded partnership comprised of eight universities and an international organization that worked together to address university culture, policies, and practices to recognize and reward community engaged scholarship (CES).

Starting in 2016, the Community Engaged Scholarship Institute has taken on a number research and knowledge mobilization projects to support the efforts of the Guelph-Wellington community to create a more welcoming and inclusive environment for immigrants in the context of the Syrian refugee crisis. These projects are part of our commitment to provide timely and engaged research supports, and leverage the University's research expertise for community benefit.

CESI has a longstanding relationship with Dr. Ajay Heble and the International Institute for Critical Studies in Improvisation (IICSI).

Most recently, CESI provided support for IICSI's successful SSHRC Partnership Grant proposal. Awarded in 2013, this 7-year, 2.5 million dollar grant involves a research team comprised of 56 scholars from 19 different institutions and partners with over 30 community-based organizations. IICSI aims to create positive social change through the meeting of improvisational arts, innovative scholarship, and collaborative action.

In collaboration with Faculty Affiliates and community partners, the Community Engaged Scholarship Institute is leading the development of a community research agenda focused on the interconnections between community energy and the economy. This pilot explores ways to coordinate activities across the university to meet community research needs in a specific thematic area.

Driven by a desire to apply lessons learned at the local level to a global context, discussions around CESI's Global Engagement Strategy began in 2013 out of the work to create a Vision for a School for Civil Society. Currently being piloted, this strategy builds on the University of Guelph's history of international research and programs, and increase the permeability between the university and global communities.

In 2014, Professor Mavis Morton lead a community engaged evaluation of the First Response Protocol through a community-university partnership between the Action Committee and the University of Guelph. It explored how well the First Response Protocol was working from the perspectives of service users and providers, as well as the successes and challenges of agencies in Guelph-Wellington responding to sexual assault and domestic violence.