Sheridan Knowledge Mobilization – Collaboration in the Child & Youth Sector*

Posted on July 22, 2015 by Lisa Boynton

By Kirsten Madsen and Janet Shuh

In partnership with Peel Region’s Child and Youth Initiative, Sheridan’s Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Office for Undergraduate Research hosted an inaugural Community Research Café on April 17, 2015 at the Davis Campus.

The event provided a venue to showcase research while facilitating meaningful community connections for the over 90 participants in attendance. The forum brought together diverse external community partners and Sheridan staff, faculty (from the Faculties of Animation and Design, Applied Health and Community Studies and Humanities and Social Sciences) and students alike. The overarching goal of this event was to contribute to innovative service solutions that will positively impact children and youth in Peel community.

The morning panel session featured innovative projects and spurred insightful conversations focused on opportunities – both present and future. More than 25 poster presentations showcased projects and programs on a wide range of topics from early childhood education, youth violence and cyberbullying to name just a few.

The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and participants found the program and insights to be both useful and applicable to their community agencies and educational institutions. Anonymous survey feedback from participants and audience members lauded the event’s “[i]nnovative and collaborative ways to build partnerships between community partners, educational institutions and researchers to facilitate dialogue and promote social change,” while praising the event’s organization and recognizing the “[e]xcellent facility and staff.” One respondent noted “I learned of all the important and diverse forms of research being done, and how it could possibly pertain to the work I specifically do.”