If you鈥檙e United Way of 91亚色 Region (UWYR), you collaborate with 91亚色鈥檚 Knowledge Mobilization Unit.

This summer, three 91亚色 students will gain valuable experience through internships with UWYR鈥檚 Community Engagement聽& Research Committee.

As part of their experience with the UWYR, the interns will聽review literature focusing on the impact of growth and change on human services and various responses to address its impact. They will also聽conduct social asset mapping within 91亚色 Region鈥檚 identified geographies of growth. And finally, they will聽identify, refine and pilot potential neighbourhood assessment tools for future consultation and engagement activities with residents, community groups, service providers and聽other key stakeholders.

Their findings will inform the way in which UWYR plans and delivers investments in communities experiencing rapid growth to further its community impact: helping youth grow up strong, enabling individuals and families to achieve economic independence, and improving the well-being of individuals and communities.

The graduate student interns bring a variety of social science research experience to bear on this project.

Jessica Carriere, who聽is working with Professor Gerda Wekerle in the Faculty of Environmental Studies, is researching the social aspects of city planning within major Canadian cities as she works toward completing the Master in Environmental Studies Planning Program. She hopes to work in social planning and development at the municipal level, assisting in the creation of new policy-led strategies aimed at strengthening public involvement in decision-making processes and encouraging investment in social infrastructure.

Left: Jessica Carriere

Nausheen Quayyum, has completed a master of arts in development studies under the supervision of Professors Ananya Mukherjee Reed and Eduardo Canel and will begin doctoral studies in the fall. She has previous experience as a research intern working with (Dhaka), (Toronto) and the University of Toronto鈥檚 Health聽& Human Rights Program.

Right: Nausheen Quayyum

Silvia D鈥橝ddario is a doctoral student in the聽Graduate Program in Geography. Under Professor Valerie Preston鈥檚 supervision, D鈥橝ddario was a graduate researcher on the 91亚色聽Infrastructure Project, which assessed the supply and demand of social infrastructure for three vulnerable populations 鈥� recent immigrants, low-income residents and seniors in 91亚色 Region. Her doctoral studies explore the gendering and racializing intersections of work and residence for immigrants in suburban Toronto.

Left: Silvia D鈥橝ddario

The Knowledge Mobilization Unit鈥檚 internship program, funded in part by a Social Sciences聽& Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Knowledge Impact in Society grant, awards 12 internships each year to 91亚色 graduate students based on an internal competition.

More than聽24 students have been placed to date, including 91亚色 alumna Tammy Lowe (n茅e Miller) (MA 鈥�08) who was supervised by Professor Barbara Crow while completing her master of arts in communication聽& culture. Through her internship placement with , Lowe used her聽master's class and thesis work to conduct a needs assessment to understand and inform a communications strategy and new Web site for the non-profit organization. Lowe was recently hired as a campaign manager with UWYR.

Right: Tammy Lowe

With the SSHRC grant now concluded, the internship program is jointly supported by UWYR and the Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation. It is just one way in which UWYR and 91亚色 work together to make research accessible and of benefit to 91亚色 Region residents.

鈥淲e share with 91亚色 a vision for a healthy and sustainable 91亚色 Region that uses evidence-based research to inform support for public services,鈥� says Daniele Zanotti, CEO of United Way of 91亚色 Region. 鈥淔or us, knowledge mobilization is priceless.鈥�

Submitted by David Phipps, director of the Office of Research Services, and Elizabeth Monier-Williams, research communications officer

The post Graduate students mobilize research to benefit communities through United Way of 91亚色 Region appeared first on Research & Innovation.