News

Below is a list of events, initiatives, resources and updates on CBRC activities. Let us have your news items to share with members, by emailing us at ocbr@uvic.ca.

CUExpo2011 Welcome CU Expo 2011 is a Canadian-led Conference designed to showcase the exemplars in Community-University partnerships worldwide, and together to introduce creative ways of strengthening our local communities. Registration Conference registration is not open at this point. Registration will open December 2010, fees are anticipated to be approximately $350-$400 Canadian. Announcements D...more... Link... - 2010-08-03

It’s common knowledge in communities UVic researchers at the forefront of “knowledge commons” development By Tara Sharpe Common knowledge—according to the Canadian Oxford Dictionary—is shared by, coming from, or done by, more than one person. Turn the two words back to front, and multitudinous forms of knowledge find a new base: “knowledge commons” is a term used by community-based researchers for a shared conceptual space which emphasizes the learning that comes from or is done by communities and supports intersections of collaborative thought and traditional wisdoms. A knowledge commons can help deliver urgent messages as well as preserve culture, hope and learning. The relationship between the camas lily and the local Coast Salish peoples is one example of the traditional wisdom and community-based knowing that experts such as Dr. Lorna Williams, Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Knowledge and Learning, do not want to see lost. For generations, the blue camas lily has been selectively cultivated by the Lekwungen people of the Songhees First Nation. Generational knowledge of this edible root food is integral to ecological restoration efforts involving the lily, whose bright blue tips once formed a vast colourful carpet across the local landscape. Other examples include how to creatively adapt technologies for children with special needs and how best to supply mobile tent projects for people who are homeless—both initiatives already undertaken by UVic researchers. Williams has been at the forefront of national news lately, in particular with respect to the perilous situation involving First Nations languages, which was the focus of her keynote presentation on June 2 at the Canadian Knowledge Commons summit in Montréal. Williams is Lil’wat from the St’at’yem’c First Nation and an assistant professor in UVic’s Faculty of Education and Department of Linguistics as well as former program director of UVic Aboriginal Education. She is also the chairperson of the First Peoples’ Council, located on Wsanec traditional territory in BC. On April 30, the council released its first annual Report on the Status of BC First Nations Languages, starkly revealing the troubling state of BC’s First Nations languages. The situation in BC is a variation of the situation of all Indigenous languages in Canada. The council’s report did also provide positive examples of Aboriginal language revitalization—an effort that Williams has been closely engaged in for some time. “It’s important to recognize and acknowledge that when people made or make their homes on the lands we now call Canada, that they take on the heritage of the languages located on those lands,” says Williams. “It’s extremely important that the public recognizes all Indigenous languages as their heritage; then governments must respond to ensure the knowledge and wisdom embedded in the languages are protected. These languages exist nowhere else in the world.” The knowledge commons event coincided with the Congress 2010 of the Humanities and Social Sciences in Montréal, which incidentally became the staging ground for the signing of a landmark accord on the education of Indigenous peoples. Williams reflects upon the events in Montréal this month, saying, “I came away from Montréal and the congress with a feeling of hope and optimism. With the signing of the Accord on Indigenous Education, there is a set of guidelines that each faculty of education can use, in dialogue with its Indigenous communities, to build Indigenous education into the fabric of their faculties. Making the changes necessary to the education of people of Indigenous and non-Indigenous heritage requires partnerships and collaboration where knowledge can be shared and exchanged. We are at a time when we realize that we can learn from each other to live wisely on this earth.” Dr. Budd Hall of UVic’s Office of Community-Based Research (OCBR) is the architect of the Canadian Knowledge Commons initiative and was a keynote panelist alongside Chad Gaffield, president of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, who joined 150 other scholars, community leaders and research funders at the summit. Hall says, “We are putting out a call for the renegotiation of the understanding of knowledge; knowledge is produced in the village market as well as the ivory tower. A thousand years ago, knowledge was available as people needed it, because most lived in communities where knowledge-keepers and users were located in the same vicinity. Over time, knowledge has ended up in silos with knowledge-keepers and users separated from each other. The knowledge commons approach brings it all back together.” “We have to remember the wisdom-keepers are aging,” finishes Williams. “And we are really under pressure to ensure we document and record these wisdoms before it is too late.” More info: http://www.uvic.ca/ocbr, http://knowledgecommons.ning.com and http://www.congress2010.ca Link... - 2010-06-17

Remarks to the Canadian Knowledge Commons Initiative Knowledge and Democracy: Indigenous, Historical and Engaged Thoughts on a Knowledge Commons June 12, 2010 Budd Hall, University of Victoria My name is Budd Hall; I am of English Settler heritage and have the privilege of living and working on Coast and Straits Salish traditional territory in what we call Victoria, British Columbia. I work at the University of Victoria in support of strength...more... Link... - 2010-06-14

Call for Proposals CUExpo 2011 Community-University Partnerships Conference: Bringing Global Perspectives to Local Action May 10-14, 2011 Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada CALL FOR PROPOSALS CU Expo 2011 is a Canadian-led Conference designed to showcase the exemplars in Community-University partnerships worldwide, and together to introduce creative ways of strengthening our local communities. Complex social issues requir...more... Link... - 2010-06-03

Knowledge Commons: An Emerging Strategy to Enhance the Canadian Knowledge Commons What is Knowledge Commons? Read this document to learn about the history, current development, shared principles and committments. Read about the challenges, future prospects and goals and initiatives for Canadian Knowledge Commons. Below are the English and French versions of the document: http://www.web.uvic.ca/~ccharlie/KnowCom_StrategyDoc_May2010.pdf http://www.web.uvic.ca/~c...more... Link... - 2010-05-21

Membership in CBRC/GACER tops 500! We decided to check to see how many people had signed up for membership or affiliation with the CBRC/GACER web site. Much to our delight, there are over 525 individuals, centres and organisations. There is a growing data base of simply remarkable people working on behalf of their communities. You come from community groups, universities, national civil society networks, consulting firms, local ...more... - 2010-04-30

Canadian Knowledge Commons: An Invitation to Explore the Role of Knowledge in Society ~ an Alert from Budd Hall The CBRC is working with the Canadian Alliance for Community Service Learning (CACSL) and the Social Innovation Group at the University of Waterloo to organize an exciting event on Wednesday, June 2, 2010 in Montreal. Please RSVP to the following link and sign up for the NING Knowledge Commons site as well. http://knowledgecommonsmontreal.eventbrite.com/ For further details see http://know...more... Link... - 2010-04-22

Participatory Action Research and Action Learning Congress Participatory Action Research and Action Learning Congress occurring through Action Research Action Learning Association (ALARA) this September 6 -9th 2010, melbourne, Australia. I have attached the preliminary program, and I am hoping that you will share it with all those who support and have interest in community based research. The key speakers at the congress include Dr Alan Rayner, P...more... Link... - 2010-04-15

Note from David Yetman Hi everyone; Please be advised that I am no longer with the Leslie Harris Centre at Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada. I have taken a new position with the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) in Toronto, Ontario as their Director, Research Programs and Knowledge Transfer. As of Monday, March 1, 2010 I will no longer be using my dyetman@mun.ca email account. For now, i...more... - 2010-03-09

Welcome to the Knowledge Commons Workspace Project at a Glance: Two meetings in October 2009 of leaders within the national community-based research (CBR) and community service-learning (CSL) networks, surfaced shared experiences and interests in change that could increase resources, recognition, facilitative structures, and meaningful practices to support community-university partnerships for positive social impact. These two national ...more... Link... - 2010-02-25

Community University Engagement Showcase III: Towards A More Engaged University The aim of the showcase is to highlight exemplary community-engaged research being done within the Faculty of Extension and across the university campus. You are invited to Community University Engagement Showcase III: Towards A More Engaged University, hosted by the Faculty of Extension. Using exemplary projects and panel discussions, participants will be encouraged to discuss community-univ...more... Link... - 2010-02-22

Save the Date - Knowledge in Action **Save the Date** Knowledge in Action: A Forum about Research in our Local Community Please join the Trent Centre for Community-Based Education at our annual Knowledge in Action Forum Friday March 19, 2010 1:00-3:00pm All Saints Anglican Church, 235 Rubidge St. in Peterborough The Forum is a showcase of community-based research projects conducted in Peterborough City and County this acad...more... Link... - 2010-02-03

Critical Issues in Community Based Research First Notice: Institute in Community-Based Research, University of Victoria Many communities are facing ongoing challenges relating to sustainable community economic development, food security, poverty, health, housing, democratic participation, global citizenship, and more. The complexity and interconnectedness of these issues demands a holistic, multi-sectored, and multi- disciplinary ap...more... Link... - 2010-02-03

Third Announcement! Action Learning & Action Research Association World Congress 2010, Melbourne, Australia 6th – 9th September. Plus two pre-congress skill-sharing days (4th - 5th ). Presented by ALARA and The Institute of Development Studies in partnership with Borderlands and oases Graduate School. Participatory Action Research and Action Learning: Appreciating our Pasts, Comprehending our Presents, Prefiguring our Futures. 1) Key Themes of the Co...more... Link... - 2009-11-16

University Community Engagement for Sustainability Science University of Malaysia is holding a major conference on University Community Engagement for Sustainability, supported by the Global Alliance on Community Engaged Research and UNESCO APEID. It will be held in Penang Malaysia from November 23 - 26 2009. The invitation and call for abstracts is available on the "Resources" page and on USM's website. Link... - 2009-10-30

CU Expo 2011 – May 11-15, 2011 CU Expo 2011 – May 11-15, 2011 Kitchener-Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Hosted by the communities of Waterloo Region Lead organization: Centre for Community Based Research http://www.communitybasedresearch.ca Community-University Partnerships: Bringing Global Perspectives to Local Action Rationale Complex social issues require global perspectives to inform local action. Community-Univer...more... Link... - 2009-10-16

Pan-Canadian CSL Symposium 9:00 am – 4:30 pm Westin Ottawa Hotel Held in conjunction with the Ninth Annual International Research Conference on Service-Learning and Community Engagement, this will be the third biennial national symposium on community service-learning in Canada, organized by the Canadian Alliance for Community Service-Learning and sponsored by the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation and the Faculty of Pu...more... - 2009-10-09

If Not Now When: Discussion Paper If Not Now, When?: A call for Canadian policies to support community-academic partnerships for sustainable community development in a global recession. A DRAFT Discussion Paper. Please read for more information. Link... - 2009-10-09

Building on Batawa’s past: A sustainable vision for a village Posted Aug. 13/09 By Kristy Wallace Serge Folschweiler arrived in Batawa from France 50 years ago. The young shoemaker fell in love and started a new life in Canada, calling the village home. "We worked together. We played together. Everything was done together," he says. "It was a wonderful feeling, really." Folschweiler, 74, came to Batawa after the Second World War with other imm...more... Link... - 2009-10-07

Carleton University helps Batawa create a whole new world Posted Aug. 13/09 By Lin Moody Until a few months ago, the Bata shoe factory stood empty, silent, solitary — a five-storey monument to the glory days when more than 1,200 Bata employees carefully crafted thousands of shoes to be shipped worldwide. Lately, the factory has been bustling with Carleton students. Twenty-seven architecture and industrial design students have been spendin...more... Link... - 2009-10-07

Making Batawa sustainable one orchard and greenhouse at a time Posted Aug. 13/09 By Kristy Wallace Imagine a village where orchards and greenhouses surround a community garden, where the young and old can connect with each other and to nature. It’s a self-sustaining area where local produce nourishes its people. This is part of the vision for the village of Batawa and Patricia Ballamingie, a Carleton geography and environmental studies professor, ...more... Link... - 2009-10-07

CBRC-GACER Newsletter Here is the first CBRC - GACER Newsletter. In the CBCR section, you'll find information regarding the CBRC Report, May Symposium, international linkages, key opportunities and future plans of CBRC. In the GACER section, you'll find information regarding the Report on UNESCO, European Meeting of GACER, Asian Meeting of GACER, other resources and events, and future plans of GACER. Please f...more... Link... - 2009-10-01

Funding and Development of Community University Research Partnerships A new report by Community-Based Research Canada and the University of Victoria Office of Community-Based Research provides a baseline analysis of the funding and development of community university research partnerships in Canada. Funded by the Social Science and Humanities Research Council and published in May 2009, the report provides recommendations for the strengthening of community-based res...more... Link... - 2009-09-08

UNESCO presentation by GACER The Global Alliance for Community Engaged Research presented on "University-Community Engagement for Societal Change and Development" at the UNESCO World Conference on Higher Education on July 7, 2009 A copy of the brief to UNESCO "Higher Education, Community Engagement and World We Want" is available on our resources page. - 2009-09-01

Living Knowledge Conference Engaged Communities, Engaged Universities: Developing policy and practice in participatory research This 4th Living Knowledge Conference will take place in Belfast from August 27 - 29 2009. It marks the tenth anniversary of the Living Knowledge Network Science Shops. Over time, this network has grown to include a diverse range of community-based researchers, practitioner...more... Link... - 2009-08-25

Global Alliance on Community Engaged Research Meeting An in-person meeting for the Global Alliance on Community Engaged Research will take place in Belfast August 26 2009, starting at 1pm in the Old Staff Common Room at Queen's University. The event is being organized in conjunction with the Living Knowledge Network Conference. Please email Budd Hall (bhall@uvic.ca) to confirm your attendance. Link... - 2009-08-25

Presentations from May 2009 CBRC Symposium "From Recession to Renewal: The Vital Contribution of Community-Based Research" Presentations of contributors to the CBRC symposium in May 2009 sponsored by the Community-Based Research Network of Ottawa and the Faculty of Public Affairs at Carleton University are now available. Link... - 2009-07-15

CBRC In Person Meeting and Conference A working symposium titled "From Recession to Renewal: The Vital Contribution of Community-Based Research" was held in Ottawa on May 25th co-hosted by the Ottawa Community Based Research Network and the Faculty of Public Affairs at Carleton University with Community Based Research Canada. The new report by CBRC on the funding and development of community university partnerships was presented toge...more... - 2009-05-25

Coady International Institute Launches New Book Coady International Institute at St. Francis Xavier University has launched a new book "From Clients to Citizens: Communities Changing the Course of their own Development". The book delves into the success stories of 13 communities in 12 countries around the world, including Canada, which have been recognized for local organizing and citizen engagement. Link... - 2009-03-17

March Newsletter of Talloires Network The March 2009 Newsletter of the Talloires Network is now available at http://www.tufts.edu/talloiresnetwork/?pid=178 This edition features information on the International Association of Universities 3rd Global Conference, Mexico, April 20-22 2009 with a specific focus on Associations, Networks and Alliances as they relate to Higher Education. Link... - 2009-03-09

CUexpo08 launch of Pancanadian Coalition here's a video that records the initiation of the coalition at CUexpo2008 Link... - 2009-01-09

Community Based Research Canada E-Newsletter A national newsletter will be launched in March 2009 to all those organizations and individuals interested in being connected to the national movement to strengthen community-based research. The newsletter will profile recent developments in community university research partnerships, link papers and policy discussions on strengthening the policy and institutional environment for CBR, announc...more... - 2009-01-07