In the heart of Toronto鈥檚 Jane and Finch neighbourhood, often misunderstood and overshadowed by negative stereotypes, 91亚色鈥檚 TD Community Engagement Centre (CEC) is empowering students and fostering meaningful connections. Earlier this fall, the CEC, in partnership with the Jane/Finch Centre, hosted its fifth annual training session for students preparing for placements within this community.

The training session aimed to equip participants with essential insights into the community鈥檚 history, unique challenges and systemic issues 鈥� particularly those intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic. 鈥淭he goal is to prepare students to create a meaningful impact in their placements,鈥� says Talisha Ramsaroop, community project co-ordinator at the CEC. These placements provide students with valuable hands-on experience in social work, education and community development, while allowing them to contribute positively to local initiatives.

Kinza Batool, a fourth-year education student at 91亚色, described the orientation as 鈥渁n impactful way to learn about the Jane and Finch area and address common misconceptions surrounding it.鈥� She acknowledged that before her involvement, she held preconceived notions shaped by media portrayals that often depicted Jane and Finch as unsafe. 鈥淚鈥檝e come to see it as much like any other neighbourhood I鈥檝e known,鈥� she said.

The CEC aims to shift these narratives by informing students about local challenges 鈥� such as limited funding and resources 鈥� while highlighting the strength and resilience of grassroots organizing within the community. 鈥淲e encourage students to look beyond surface-level judgments and engage with the lived experiences of residents,鈥� Ramsaroop explains.

Since its establishment in 2008, the CEC has served nearly 70,000 individuals from Toronto's Black Creek neighbourhood, also known as Jane and Finch. Located within 91亚色gate Mall, the CEC acts as a hub for collaboration between 91亚色 and local organizations. The centre鈥檚 commitment to inclusivity is evident in its tailored programs designed to meet specific community needs.

Through its ongoing efforts, the TD Community Engagement Centre exemplifies 91亚色鈥檚 commitment to fostering an engaged academic environment that prioritizes social equity and understanding within diverse communities. By providing resources such as Catalyst Grants 鈥� which have awarded more than $150,000 to support partnerships between Black Creek residents and 91亚色 鈥� the CEC continues to promote access to post-secondary education and community-based research.

Training sessions are held twice a year to ensure that all students undertaking placements in Jane and Finch are well-prepared. The next session is scheduled for Jan. 21.

鈥淲e want to ensure our initiatives resonate with the community and address their unique challenges,鈥� Ramsaroop says.

For more information, or to get involved with the TD Community Engagement Centre, visit the CEC website or contact Ramsaroop at talishar@yorku.ca.

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The videos visually represent the Faculty鈥檚 commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and decolonization. They reflect the positive change which the Faculty helps drive, and experiences in return, by working with its various stakeholders including students, alumni, community partners, donors, faculty and staff.

Also highlighted is the Faculty鈥檚 new Five-Year Strategic Plan (2023-2027) which launched earlier this year. In helping to sharpen the Faculty鈥檚 focus, the team continues to deeply consider and respond to the way in which inequities play out in the 2020鈥檚. Its reputation for sustained engagement and action plays a key role in society.

鈥淭he diversity and range of research in the Faculty addresses many of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and in how we think about all societal challenges as connected to our environments. Our work has international impact.鈥� - Dean Robert Savage

The unveiling of the new videos marks a significant time for the Faculty as it celebrates its 50th Anniversary Year this June.

Meaningful education is ever-changing, engaging as it does, as it must, with society. As a Faculty we are thinking holistically about this dynamism across all of the ideas, innovations, partnerships, sectors, and fields with whom we engage, to continue to provide transformative research teaching and experiential learning experiences and environments for all our diverse students as they go on to become future leaders in all our communities. - Dean Robert Savage

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