What is it?
Students participate in a structured research experience in partnership with communities or grassroots, non-profit or public organizations. The research project and methodology are driven by community partner priorities and provide reciprocal benefits to those partners and the students engaged with them. In this type of experience, students undertake reflection to connect their community engagement to the learning outcomes of the course/program, which can be curricular or co-curricular. It is important to note that research might be the primary focus or a component of students’ experience with the community partner, and this might shift to align with the changing needs of the community partner.
Important Considerations
Eligibility
Eligibility criteria will vary depending on the initiative in which you are interested in participating.
Duration
- Curricular community-engaged research opportunities may involve part-time hours with a community organization and can last from a few hours to a number of days or weeks over the course of an academic term. The timelines vary and will be set within the course.
- Co-curricular community-engaged research opportunities may be one-time experiences or longer-term placements with a flexible duration.
Recognition and / or Compensation
- You will receive course credit for participating in curricular community-engaged research opportunities.
- Most co-curricular community-engaged research opportunities are unpaid and many offer recognition through the Co-Curricular Record.
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Access
Inclusion in research experiences is achieved when an experience supports learning for all students. Learn about the University of Toronto’s commitment to an equitable learning environment and accessible learning environment as well as available resources and supports.
Additional Information
- Review the Guidelines & Procedures on the EL Hub to further understand which partnership agreements, insurance and liability coverage and health and safety policies are applicable to community engaged learning experiences.
- The Experiential Learning Risk Management Matrix (PDF) provides a one-page overview.
- Curricular Community-Engaged Research Experience:
- An unpaid student placement agreement between the University of Toronto and the partner organization needs to be in place. This agreement will clearly outline items such as responsibilities, provisions and policies to be followed for both the University and the partner organization.
- Students engaging in a curricular community-engaged research experience (for credit for an unpaid placement), receive workplace insurance coverage through the University or Ministry of Colleges and Universities.
- Students engaging in a curricular community-engaged research experience (for credit for an unpaid placement) have general liability coverage through the University.
- Co-Curricular Community-Engaged Research Experience:
- A student placement agreement is not required for a co-curricular community-engaged research experience (not for course credit).
- Students engaging in a co-curricular community engaged research experience (not for course credit) do not receive workplace insurance coverage through the University or Ministry of Colleges and Universities.
- For information about liability coverage for co-curricular community-engaged research experiences, this depends on the circumstances of the experience, instructors or program. Coordinators should contact the Risk Management and Insurance Department.
Tags: Co-curricular, Curricular, Paid, Partnership-led Research, Unpaid
Benefits
- Allows students to apply their research knowledge and skills to a project, enhancing their understanding of the research process and approaches.
- Allows students to build their understanding of community-engaged research methodologies and approaches.
- Community-engaged research projects allow students to understand the curiosities and challenges encountered by communities and community organizations.
- Encourages students to consider the role of research in supporting and contributing to the work of community organizations.
Ideal time to participate:
- This depends on students’ capacity, academic program and personal and professional goals. Students may wish to discuss their participation in community-engaged research experiences with their academic unit or registrar’s office.
How to access / locate opportunities:
- Curricular community-engaged research experiences are available through various academic programs at the University of Toronto. These opportunities can be embedded in a course, part of students’ degree requirements, or offered as an elective. Students should take some time to explore the curricular community-engaged research experiences offered through their academic unit.
- Co-curricular community-engaged research experiences exist across the University. Some potential avenues to locate opportunities include:
- Review the Centre for Community Partnerships website for information related to community-engaged learning opportunities
- The Co-Curricular Record also features some co-curricular community-engaged learning opportunities
- Visit the University of Toronto Mississauga’s Centre for Student Engagement page to find various co-curricular opportunities
- The University of Toronto Scarborough’s Community Engagement page provides an overview of co-curricular opportunities
- To learn more about community-engaged research experiences, refer also to the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Explorer.
- The Centre for Community Partnerships and the Centre for Research and Innovation Support has collaborated to create workshops on community-engaged research:
- CRIS / CCP Faculty Roundtable: Fostering Anti-oppressive Approaches to Community Engaged Research & Learning in the Academy. Access recording here.
- Co-creating Knowledges: Equitable Practices across Community-Engaged Learning and Research. Access recordings here.
- CCP also offers a variety of programming opportunities for faculty and instructors involved with Community-Engaged Learning Courses.
- Reach out to divisional experiential learning office or community outreach office (if applicable) or the Centre for Community Partnerships.
- If faculty / staff are planning a co-curricular community-engaged research experience, consider adding it to the Co-Curricular Record so students can receive credit for participating on their transcript.
- If you are interested in developing a research skills training opportunity, consider available funding opportunities to help support the development (e.g., LEAF).
- Faculty, staff and librarians should consider ways to embed equity, diversity, inclusion and Indigenous perspectives throughout students’ research experiences.
