Spring 2021 Participants

Project Title: #LifeAndLoveWithHIV: Community-engaged feminist digital storytelling to disseminate research evidence and share lived experiences by, with, and for women living with HIV

SFU Research Lead: Angela Kaida, Associate Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences

Community Partner Organization: LifeAndLoveWithHIV

In this project, using the digital feminist storytelling platform, LifeAndLoveWithHIV, we aim to explore how arts-based community engagement can be enhanced to better meet the needs of women living with HIV, to improve the mental, sexual and social health and wellbeing of women living with or affected by HIV.

CERi funding will provide critical support for honoraria for feature community writers (all women living with HIV), website support and maintenance, and student trainee stipend.

Project Title: For the next seven generations: (re-)Creating an Indigenous Women's Urban Leadership Framework

SFU Research Lead: Michelle Pidgeon, Associate Dean, Indigeneity; Associate Professor, Educational Leadership; Director, Centre for the Study of Educational Leadership & Policy (CSELP)

Community Partner Organization: Surrey Urban Indigenous Leadership Committee (SUILC)’s Skookum Lab

Recognizing the complex inequities that exist at the intersection of anti-Indigenous discrimination and gender-based oppression, this study aims to understand how to develop and sustain Indigenous women’s leadership in an urban context by bringing together academic researchers and community practitioners through the SUILC's Skookum Lab, specifically their Indigenous Women in Lifelong Leadership (I.WILL) program. The goals of this project are to 1. Articulate an emergent Indigenous Women’s Urban Leadership Framework and 2. Identify what opportunities and choices occurred for I.WILL participants during and after they completed this program.

The CERi funding will support the salary of Indigenous Co-researchers (I.WILL participants), honouring their knowledge and lived-experiences as central to articulating an Indigenous Women's Urban Leadership Framework and the services of a Graphic Recorder to help visually represent what is seen, heard, and felt during the research process.

Project Title: The Relationships Between Language Preferences, Autism Acceptance, and Mental Health

SFU Research Lead: Philippa Hood, MA Student, Department of Psychology (Clinical Psychology)

Community Partner Organization: Autistics United Canada

Some autistic people and autism researchers advocate for the use of identity-first language (e.g. "autistic person"), seen by many as less stigmatizing. We aim to explore how language preferences relate to autism acceptance and mental well-being, and gain insight into how researchers, professionals, and the public can use/promote de-stigmatizing language.

The CERi grant is funding consultation with autistic adults, accessible knowledge mobilization (including captioning during community dialogues), and the salary of an autistic research assistant.

Project Title: yoothspohk

SFU Research Lead: Cole Mash, PhD Student, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Community Partner Organization: Inspired Word Café

yoothspohk is a youth spoken word mentorship program designed to foster skills and knowledge of performance poetry, and connect Kelowna youth through the arts in a disconnected time in the world. The program will engage over 150 students and youth from three high schools, one middle school and Okanagan College in Kelowna, BC. Simultaneously, this program also acts as a major component in Mash’s own research into community art, and the formal and aesthetic qualities particular to Spoken Word.

CERi will be providing funding for admin and research on the project; monetary support for the partner community organization; as well as for any tech needs or requirements for the youth poetry showcase to be held in May. 

Project Title: Revitalizing an Ancestral Sts’ailes Longhouse

SFU Research Lead: Francesco Berna, Associate Professor, Department of Archaeology

Community Partner Organization: Sts’ailes

This project stems from the urgent need to analyze remaining sections of an ancient and vulnerable Sts’ailes-Coast longhouse that was recently uncovered during construction. The multiple packed floors of this 2,600 year old longhouse represent an important opportunity to strengthen a partnership and provide new insights into deep-time traditions.

CERi Grant funds will support research into this ancient plank house and meetings where information deriving from field and lab observations will be shared with the community.

Project Title: A more equitable response to climate change

SFU Research Lead: Andréanne Doyon, Assistant Professor, School of Resource and Environmental Management

Community Partner Organization: City of Vancouver

Working with City of Vancouver’s Sustainability Group, the aim of this project is to support the development of equity metrics, milestones, and indicators that will be monitored by City staff throughout the implementation phases of the Climate Emergency Action Plan to ensure success and accountability.

CERi funding is providing financial support for research for community engagement work.

Project Title: South Vancouver Neighbourhood House: Equity in Neighbourhood Expenditures Evaluation

SFU Research Lead: Meg Holden, Director and Professor, Urban Studies Program

Community Partner Organization: South Vancouver Neighbourhood House

Neighbourhoods in South Vancouver are poorly served by public amenities, investments, and access to civic processes, although they have concentrations of residents who are racialized, non-English speakers, and immigrants to Canada. Our analysis of public investment in social amenities and community-based services investigates accessibility for the provided services and their suitability to the needs of the community, especially vulnerable groups in South Vancouver. This will create a platform to address spatial inequity in civic expenditures, and will help increase residents' sense of belonging to their neighbourhood.

The CERi grant is funding the preparation and development of more detailed data and communication strategies for neighbourhood advocacy in South Vancouver.

Project Title: Social Connectivity in the time of COVID-19: A Participatory Needs Assessment using Photovoice to understand the needs of racialized newcomers in Burnaby

SFU Research Lead: Azra Bhanji and Catherine Trudeau, Graduate Students, Masters of Public Health

Community Partner Organization: Burnaby Primary Care Network (PCN) Social Isolation Working Group (SIWG)

Our project is a collaboration between the community, service providers and researchers, and explores how Burnaby can increase social connectivity for recent newcomers from racialized communities. Using Photovoice methodology, we aim to engage community members to understand recent experiences, the role of community programming, barriers and opportunities for social connectivity.

CERi will provide critical funding to support student researchers and community engagement through focus group participant honoraria, photography and communication equipment. 

Project Title: Lessons from the Past: Connecting community with the history of sustainable communities through oral storytelling

SFU Research Lead: David B. Zandvliet, Professor, Faculty of Education; UNESCO Chair Bio-cultural Diversity and Education Director, Institute for Environmental Learning

Community Partner Organization: Science World

Science World's  publicly accessible TD trail tells the story of sustainability in the False Creek community.  It promotes community connections by highlighting changes in food systems, management of storm water and energy, and other impacts in the local community.  Solutions for sustainability are constantly changing and it is important that a broad range of cultural perspectives be included as part of the dialogue. 

CERi funding aligns with the cultural  knowledge and oral storytelling component to learn about/from the past in creating a more sustainable future for  False Creek. 

Project Title: Effective Communication Methods Before, During and After a Natural Hazard Emergency: Village of Pemberton Case Study

SFU Research Lead: Yu-Yen Pan, PhD Student, Department of Earth Sciences

Community Partner Organization: Stewardship Pemberton Society (SPS)

Village of Pemberton is vulnerable to a range of natural hazards including floods, forest fires, and landslides. This project engages community, local emergency managers, scientists, and Stewardship Pemberton Society to learn about the most effective and comfortable ways to communicate natural hazard information and further encourage preparedness in this community.

CERi funds will provide the teaching materials (e.g. rain gauge) for the community and support the initial engagement, preparation, and data collection for the research.

Project Title: Understanding the experiences of older adults in using fall protective wear

SFU Research Lead: Stephen Robinovitch, Professor, Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology

Community Partner Organization: Fraser Health Falls Prevention Mobile Clinic

Falls cause 95% of hip fractures in older adults. Wearable hip protectors reduce fracture risk, and are often promoted for older adults who visit the Fraser Health Falls Prevention Mobile Clinic (FH-FPMC). This project will examine the experiences and attitudes of older adult clients of the FH-FPMC regarding hip protectors.

The CERi grant funding will support research staff in conducting  Zoom-based interviews  with older adults who have attended the FH-FPMC.

Project Title: Thrive

SFU Research Lead: Surita Parashar, Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences

Community Partner Organization: BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS

Thrive is a community-driven investigation of home and community care needs of older adults living with HIV in British Columbia. The study is conducted by a diverse group of community and academic researchers: Antonio Marante, Claudette Cardinal, Sharyle Lyndon, Patience Magagula, Anna Vorobyova and Surita Parashar.

CERi funding will cover a stipend for an SFU student who will join our project of academic and community researchers in the team-based participatory data analysis and knowledge translation activities.

Project Title: Nutrition through Engagement and Agricultural Technologies (N-EAT)

SFU Research Lead: Zafar Adeel,  Executive Director, Pacific Water Research Centre, Faculty of Environment

Community Partner Organization: Kitasoo/Xai’xais First Nation

Like many Indigenous communities in Canada, the Kitasoo/Xai'xais Nation has been reporting food insecurity for years. The lack of readily available nutritious, fresh and high quality food can be linked to negative health outcomes, such as diabetes. In collaboration with Kitasoo/Xai’xais Nation and other diverse First Nation communities in BC and Alberta, N-EAT is working to achieve food sovereignty while ensuring sustainable access to water and energy.

With CERi’s support the Kitasoo/Xai’xais First Nation will have access to gardening and traditional plant harvesting resources designed specifically for their territory, supplies for educational community garden engagement events, repairs to their greenhouse, and a much needed community garden shed.