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Community Engagement and Research Centre

Our Mission

The mission of the Community Engagement and Research Centre is to enable the Faculty of Arts to serve as a resource for community groups, formal and informal, and to be enriched in turn by our relationships with those communities. Through this engagement, the Faculty of Arts and the University of Regina enhances its capacity to produce high quality and relevant knowledge, and in turn increases its ability to serve the wider community and province. 


Our Mandate

The Community Engagement and Research Centre will function collaboratively as a partnership between community groups and university faculty and students. Our mandate is to provide independent, participatory research support in response to needs expressed by communities with a view toward building capacity and enhancing our quality of life.

Learn More

What We Do

The Community Engagement and Research Centre works to build meaningful relationships between the U of R's Faculty of Arts and our communities. It does this in two main ways:

  • community-engaged research
  • capacity building

What is Community-Engaged Research?

Community-engaged research is research carried out by university and community researchers to address a need expressed by the community. It is research with and for the community. This type of research emphasizes collaboration between the university and the community, acknowledges different types of knowledge, and seeks positive social change. Because the research need is initiated by the community, community-engaged research is often directly applicable to the goals and needs of community partners. The resulting knowledge is considered a public good.

Learn about the Community Engagement and Research Centre's current and past projects.

What is Capacity Building?

The Community Engagement and Research Centre believes that the University of Regina is a rich resources for our communities, and as such, we should offer our knowledge, expertise and resources to enrich and empower non-university partners. We do so in a variety of ways, including:

  • Organizing the Toolkit Workshop SeriesThis series, held quarterly during the fall and winter semesters, consists of affordable half-day skills training workshops offered to students, community organization staff and volunteers, and the general public. In past years, we have offered workshops on: fundraising, volunteer engagement, learning to use social media, event planning, board governance, research & evaluation techniques, intro to graphic design, grant writing, and more.
  • Making connections between community organizations and university partners for initiatives and requests other than research projects.
  • Mentoring a Faculty of Arts graduate student member of the CERC board of directors: this enriches our board of directors and gives graduate students an opportunity to learn how to be a valued member of a non-profit board of directors.

Work with Us

Do you have an idea for a collaborative research project? Call or email us to talk about ways to connect with faculty, staff, and students at the University of Regina who can help you with your research needs.

Who We Are

Composition

The Community Engagement and Research Centre is supported by and located in the Faculty of Arts. Facilitation of the Community Engagement and Research Centre is carried out by the Community Coordinator with input from the Academic Director and overseen by the Associate Dean (Research and Graduate Studies). Together they work with a diverse group of Arts faculty researchers and community organizations to facilitate community-based, community driven research projects across the province.

Amber Fletcher Academic Director Professor, Department of Sociology and Social Studies
University of Regina
Michelle LeMoal Community Coordinator Community Engagement and Research Centre
University of Regina
Tom McIntosh Associate Dean (Research and Graduate) Professor, Department of Politics and International Studies
University of Regina

 

Our Goals
The Community Engagement and Research Centre aspires to:
  1. Serve the various research and research-related needs and/or program development needs of groups within the broader community;
  2. Build connections and relationships between and among members of the University and community;
  3. Acknowledge and utilize the experiential knowledge of communities and the technical knowledge of the University, and to promote community-engaged scholarship in our social and academic environments;
  4. Actively pursue the two-way transfer of learning between the community and the University to assist in building capacity and knowledge in both environments;
  5. Link the analyses of problems to solutions in order to help facilitate healthy social change for those who lack power and opportunities in our communities;
  6. Act as a clearinghouse for research partnerships, skill sets, and research results;
  7. Encourage and support service-learning and community engagement opportunities in the Faculty of Arts;
  8. Actively mentor students and instill a responsibility for community engagement;
  9. Promote institutional change that supports community engagement.
CERC Newsletters
Who can initiate research projects?
Any community group or organization can talk to us about working on a collaborative community-based research project; you can be a local non-profit, registered charity or an informal group of citizens. Please note that our mandate is non-profit projects that will benefit the community; this means that we do not work with for-profit organizations or individuals.
How does the Arts Internship work for a community partner?

The Arts Internship Program can help connect you with part-time, unpaid support for your community organization. University of Regina Arts students major in a variety of different programs in the Social Sciences and Humanities. These students bring a broad range of skills, talents and experiences to the work place.

How does the Arts Internship work?
  • Qualified Faculty of Arts undergraduate students are placed for part-time work within your organization
  • Students pay regular tuition but there is no fee for your organization
  • Your input helps ensure the best candidates are selected to work with your team
  • There are two placement cycles per year: September to December, and January to April
  • Internships are 13 weeks in length
  • Students work up to eight hours per week
Who is eligible to receive an intern placement?
  • First priority for internship placements will go to nonprofit community organizations
  • These organizations do not have the resources to hire students but are demonstrably committed to facilitating learning and career-building opportunities for interns
Why place an Arts intern in your organization?
  • You will gain a skilled and motivated student to support and enhance your organization's work in the community.
  • Students bring new perspectives, different experiences, enthusiasm and energy to your team.
  • Interns can provide additional support to special projects or events, or assist your team with new ideas or initiatives.
  • You'll gain valuable networking partnerships and advocates at the University of Regina, as program facilitators get to know your organization, and as students relay their experience with your organization.
  • You will have the opportunity to provide mentorship, training and guidance to the next generation of talent within your profession or area.
  • The Internship program could translate into a longer term recruitment opportunities for your organization.

Contact CERC for more information!

Toolkit Workshops

The Community Engagement and Research Centre is proud to offer free skills development workshops and webinars. Though our focus is on the needs of people that work in the not-for-profit sector, all of our sessions are open to anyone who can benefit from them. If you have ideas for us or would like to be asdded to our email list to learn about future training sessions then please contact our office.

Social Media for Nonprofits

March 22, 2023

Social media success can seem like a pipe dream to many small-to-medium sized nonprofits. Without the money to hire an outside agency or even have a part-time person dedicated to this work, how can you even hope to keep up with all the changing platforms and use social media to your organization’s advantage, let along use it as a community building tool? In this fast-paced Toolkit Workshop you will learn a few tips and tricks for developing a strategy with your social media efforts. You’ll learn about building a marketing tech stack and how to make sense of analytics so that you can measure the results of your efforts. Whether you are totally new to the social media landscape or you feel your skills are a little more advanced, you’ll leave this session with new ideas for ways to connect with your members, donors and clients.

The Generational Divide (with Shari Hildred)

January 11, 2023

For the first time in history there are four distinct generations in the workforce, each with its own characteristics, dynamics and tendencies. Leading people from all four generations can be a challenge but if we understand what makes other generations tick, we can avoid division and conflict. The facilitator identified ways to encourage productive and inclusive intergenerational collaboration at work; provide recommendations around workplace practices, processes, and norms that are inclusive of various dimensions of diversity including age, race, gender, sexuality, and class.

Myths and Misconceptions of Employment: Panel discussion with people with lived experiences with disabilities

Dec. 7, 2022

Representatives with lived experience with a variety of disabilities came together to share their personal experiences of stigma, discrimination and misconceptions in the workplace. Through the moderated discussion, people viewing the recording will learn about what employers' responsibilities are to accommodate disabilities in their workplaces. They will leave with ideas for policies and practices they can implement to make the culture in their organizations more welcoming and open to people who often face obstacles or barriers to employment that can usually be quite easily accommodated.

The panel was moderated by Robin East (Chair of the Board for Barrier Free Saskatchewan and Community Engagement and Research Centre board member). He was joined by Chelsea Wisser, Eileen Lennie-Koshman and Brenda Edel.
Navigating Allyship: Showing Up as an Effective Ally

Nov. 23, 2022

In today's world, it's not enough to be a bystander - we have to be proactive, taking part in learning opportunities and many uncomfortable conversations that can help us on our journey to navigating effective allyship. In this session, individuals from a wide array of diverse backgrounds shared their insights and stories to open up a dialogue on how to find our voice, amplify others, and act as allies in workplaces and in the community.

Panelists were Sharon Kambale, Chasity Delorme, and Dr. Fritz Pino. The session was moderated by Aria Ramdeo.

Panelist Bios

Identifying and Addressing Microaggressions

With Ricardo Arisnabarretta-Montejo
October 27, 2022

Microaggressions are everyday verbal and nonverbal slights, snubs, or insults (either intentional
or unintentional), that communicate negative or hostile attitudes towards any individual but that
disproportionally affect culturally marginalized and racialized groups. From a language
perspective, this workshop looked at what micro-aggressions are and how they manifest. This
workshop also presented ideas on how we can respond to them as a recipient, as
someone who has committed a microaggression, and as a witness to one.

Slide Deck 

Effective Recruitment & Retention: Attracting (and keeping!) Staff & Volunteer Talent

Wednesday, June 1, 2022

An important part of nonprofit management lies within effective organizational recruitment and retention for both staff and volunteers (including board members). This workshop explores key aspects of human resource and volunteer management including concepts related to attracting and retaining resources that a nonprofit requires. The concepts examine how nonprofits can maximize the retention of the organizations’ most valued asset – our
employees and our volunteers.

Facilitator: Shari Hildred is the owner of Valmore Consulting and focuses her work in the non-profit sector. She is a facilitator, professional and leadership trainer and instructor with the University of Regina and she provides management services to a number of non-profit clients in Regina, across Saskatchewan and across Canada. Shari draws on expertise gained from over 25 years of in the private, public and non-profit sectors, which include working with countless non-profits in the arts, cultural, heritage, social inclusion, humanitarian, health and sports sectors. Shari works with non-profits that range in size from large corporate entities to small, local grass roots organizations. Regardless of size, Shari is committed to assisting organizations in developing best practices and processes to run effective and efficient operations and to deliver programs and services that support community.

Shari:

  • is a designated Project Management Professional (PMP),
  • studied Cultural Resource Management at the University of Victoria,
  • completed Art of the Executive Leader training at Banff Centre for the Arts,
  • studied public policy at the UofR Jonhson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy,
  • was the recipient of the City of Regina Municipal Heritage Award in the Category of Education,
  • was the recipient of the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan Heritage Excellence Award.

Resources:

Research Projects

2022 Projects
PROJECT TITLE COMMUNITY PARTNER(S)
Living Expenses in Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation
Community
Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation Band Office
Health and Self: Understanding Barriers to
Accessing Community Programming and
Supports by Rural and Remote Girls Ages
8-13 in Saskatchewan
Sask Girls United
Landfill Recycling Project EnviroCollective
2021 Projects
PROJECT TITLE COMMUNITY PARTNER(S)
Research with kēhtē-ayak (Cree for “Old Ones”) mâmawêyatitân centre
Understanding the Needs of Black, Indigenous, and
People of Colour (BIPOC) Residents of Regina's
Heritage Neighbourhood
Heritage Community Association
Building a Saskatchewan Accessibility Act:
Nothing About Us Without Us
Barrier Free Saskatchewan;
North Saskatchewan Independent Living Centre
Digital Professional Development Resources for Regina
Based Organizations Serving the Community
Regina Public Library
By Right Not Privilege: Evaluative Research on
Saskatchewan’sFree Gladue Writing Project Research
FASD Network of Saskatchewan; 
File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Council
Exploring the Impact of Physical Rehabilitation and
Recreational Walking among People in Late Stages of
Recovery from Acquired Brain Injury
Saskatchewan Brain Injury Association
2020 Projects
PROJECT TITLE COMMUNITY PARTNER(S)
The Value of Arts and Culture for Community
Cohesion
Saskatchewan Arts Alliance
Accessing Healthy Food in Regina 2020 REACH Regina; 
Regina Food Bank; 
Saskatchewan Health Authority
Macipiciw: Restoration of Indigenous men's
roles and responsibilities

The YWCA; Newo Yotina Friendship Centre;
Metis Addictions Council -
Saskatoon Treatment Centre (MASCI);
Thomas Circle of Care; Morning Star Lodge;
Saskatchewan Health Authority

Play at Home Study Project Play YQR;
Regina Early Years Family Resource Centre
Settlement Work in Schools During COVID-19 Saskatchewan Association of Immigrant
Settlement and Integration Agencies
Development of Modern Technology and
Programming for Interactive Firesafety Lessons
with ElementarySchool Children
Regina Fire and Protective Services
Renewing Regina's Theatre Community Renewing Regina’s Theatre Coalition
2019 Projects
PROJECT TITLE COMMUNITY PARTNER(S)
Evaluating Mental Health Realities for
2SLGBTQIAP+ People in Regina
UR Pride Centre
Uncovering Hidden Homelessness in Regina Circle Project;
Poverty-Free Saskatchewan
Strengthening Family Reunification

YWCA Regina; RPIRG;
Ministry of Justice;
Homelessness Partnering Strategy;
South Saskatchewan Community Foundation

2018 Projects
PROJECT TITLE COMMUNITY PARTNER(S)
The State of Saskatchewan Trails Report Saskatchewan Trails Association;
Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association;
Saskatchewan Parks, Culture and Sport;
Resort Communities Association of Saskatchewan;
Saskatchewan In Motion;
Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities;
Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association
Rest Assured: Changes to the Saskatchewan
Assured Income for Disability Program and
the Impact on Beneficiaries
Saskatchewan Disability Income Support Coalition
2017 Projects
PROJECT TITLE COMMUNITY PARTNER(S)
Assessing the Programming Needs for
Two-Spirit Youth in Regina

Heritage Community Association;
U of R Aboriginal Student Centre
UR Pride Centre; Street Culture Project;
All Nations Hope Network; fYrefly;
Trans Sask Support Services;
Trans Umbrella Foundation

Should Saskatchewan History be relaunched?
A Feasibility Study to Determine a Way Forward
Heritage Saskatchewan
2016 Projects
PROJECT TITLE COMMUNITY PARTNER(S)
Urban Agriculture Best Practices for the
City of Regina

Food Regina

Farmers, Policy, and Local Food Systems in
Saskatchewan: Barriers and Opportunities
Food Regina;
Saskatchewan Health Authority
Reconciliation in the Media: Building Relationships
for Better News Coverage

FNUniv INCA Program;
Office of the Treaty Commissioner;
Modern Clan Marketing Communication;
Aboriginal Professional Association of Saskatchewan;
Sask. Weekly Newspapers Assoc.;
Canadian Assoc. of Journalists;
Canadian Journalism Project (J-Source);
Treaty 4 News; Eagle Feather News;
Global Saskatoon; Saskatoon StarPhoenix;
Rawlco Radio; MBC; APTN; CBC

Rails To Trails Conversion Guide

Saskatchewan Trails Association;
Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association

Factors affecting Uilization of Preventive
Healthcare Services among Immigrant Women
in Regina

Regina Immigrant Women Centre

After Rehabilitation: Meeting the Long-Term
Housing Needs of Persons with Traumatic Brain
Injury in Regina, SK

Saskatchewan Brain Injury Association;
Phoenix Residential Society;
Wascana Rehabilitation Center;
Pioneer Village;
South Saskatchewan Brain Injury Outreach Team

2015 Projects
PROJECT TITLE COMMUNITY PARTNER(S)
A Review of Global Citizenship Education
in Saskatchewan Schools

Saskatchewan Council for International
Cooperation

Farmers, Policy, and Local Food Systems
in Saskatchewan: Barriers and Opportunities
Food Regina;
Saskatchewan Health Authority
Interpersonal Violence and Abuse and
Animal Safekeeping

STOPS to Violence;
Saskatchewan SPCA; PATHS

Seniors Neglect and Abuse Response Line –
A Systems and Services Review of Regina
Qu’Appelle Health Region

Saskatchewan Ministry of Health-
Community Care Branch; Mobile Crisis Services
Regina; Mobile Crisis Services Saskatoon;
Mobile Crisis Services Prince Albert; HealthLine;
Saskatchewan Ministry of Health; Saskatchewan
Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee;
Saskatoon Council on Aging (SCOA),
Lifelong Learning Centre; Regina City Police;
Victim Services Ministry of Justice; RCMP;
STOPS to Violence; PATHS; Saskatchewan Seniors
Mechanism Member Organizations

2014 Projects
PROJECT TITLE COMMUNITY PARTNER(S)
Campus Living Wage Campaign

RPIRG;Saskatchewan Federation of Labour

Interpersonal Violence and Abuse and
Animal Safekeeping

STOPS to Violence;
Saskatchewan SPCA; PATHS

Improvising with iPads: A Partnered Inquiry into
Technology-based Music Therapy, Improvisation
and Cultural Expression in Health Settings

Native Health Services- Wascana Rehabilitation
Centre; Regina Improvisation Studies Centre;
Holophon Audio Arts Collective

Position Paper on Canada’s Prostitution
Legislation

PATHS

Anonymous Reporting & Third Option Program
Pilot Project

Regina Sexual Assault Centre;
Ministry of Justice;
Regina Qu'Appelle Health

Climate Action Plan (CAP) Engineering Assessment and Design

Saskatchewan EcoNetwork (SEN);
Green Energy Program Saskatchewan (GEPS);
Saskatchewan Environmental Society;
Interchurch Uranium Committee Environmental
Committee; Kairos; Committee for Future
Generations; Clean Green Saskatchewan;
Climate Justice Saskatoon; Craik Sustainable
Living Project; Sierra Club; Swift Current
Citizens for Environmental Action;
We Are Many; Gaia Group

2013 Projects
PROJECT TITLE COMMUNITY PARTNER(S)
Of Land and Living Skies: A Community Journal
on Place, Land and Learning

Saskatchewan Outdoor and Environmental
Education Association

African Canadian Saskatchewan Forum African Canadian Saskatchewan
Forum Workign Committee; 
Multicultural Council of Saskatchewan
Cooking Fires in Regina

Regina Fire & Protective Services

Evaluation of the Regina Community Food Assessment

Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region;
REACH

Saskatchewan Living Wage Project

Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives -
SK Office

Housing First Project

Carmichael Outreach

SCIC's 40th Anniversary History Project

Saskatchewan Council for International
Cooperation (SCIC)

Are Students with Children Getting the Support
they Need to Succeed in Higher Education?:
An Exploration of the University of Regina Community

Regina Parents as Students Success
(PASS) Working Group

2012 Projects
PROJECT TITLE COMMUNITY PARTNER(S)
Campus Compost Project

Facilities Management; URSU;
South Zone Community Gardens

2011 Projects
PROJECT TITLE COMMUNITY PARTNER(S)
Ecole Connaught Community School:
100 Years of Community and Education

Ecole Connaught Centennial Committee

Mapping Corporate Power in Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan Public Policy Working Group;
Regina Anti-Poverty Ministry;
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives -
Saskatchewan Office

REACH Outcomes Measurement

REACH; Regina Early Learning Centre

Saskatchewan Poverty Elimination Public
Involvement Program

Family Services Regina;
Saskatchewan Population Health and Evaluation
Research Unit

Sheatre's Far From the Heart: Assessing
the Impact

ESOLVE; Indigenous Peoples Health Research
Centre; First Nations University; Provincial
Association of Transition Houses of Saskatchewan;
Regina Women's Community Centre;
Planned Parenthood Regina;
Common Weal Community Arts

Bridging the Gap: Regina Landlords and Renters
on Social Assistance

Carmichael Outreach;
Living Sky Media

Exploring Schools as Community Hubs

Save Athabasca School Committee

Crime-Free Multi-Housing

Queen City Tenants' Association;
Regina Police Service;
North Central Community Association

2010 Projects
PROJECT TITLE COMMUNITY PARTNER(S)
SACHM Centennial History Project

Saskatchewan African-Canadian Heritage
Museum

Voices in Education: An Exploration
of Digital Storytelling

Save Our Schools

2009 Projects
PROJECT TITLE COMMUNITY PARTNER(S)
The Cost of Healthy Eating

Regina & District Food Bank;
Regina Education and Action on Child
Hunger (REACH)

North Central Community History North Central Community Association;
RPIRG
The Women of Washington Park Place Ehrlo Community Services
2008 Projects
PROJECT TITLE COMMUNITY PARTNER(S)
Court Breach Alternatives

Regina Alternative Measures Program (RAMP)

Building SEED Regina SEED Regina;
North Central Community Organization
North Central Housing Facilitator North Central Community Association (NCCA);
Homelessness Partnering Strategy; 

Contact Us

Drop By

Classroom Building 411
University of Regina

Mailing Address

Community Engagment and Research Centre
c/o Dean of Arts Office
3737 Wascana Parkway
University of Regina
Regina, SK S4S 0A2

Michelle LeMoal, Community Coordinator
Phone: 306-585-4226
Email: community.engagement@uregina.ca

Dr. Amber Fletcher, Academic Director  
E-mail: Amber.Fletcher@uregina.ca

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