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38 incredible ideas!

The 2023-24 competition has now closed. Thank you to everyone who submitted an idea. If you didn't get a chance to submit an idea this year, make sure you sign up to get notified when we open the competition again. We wish all teams the best of luck!

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*award amounts subject to change 

"The idea behind the project is empowerment. We're aiming (to) empower people to change their own habits in a way that's not onerous, in a way that's fun.”

- Priscilla Lam (Project: BYO), 2020 Grand Award winner

"Naloxone kits save lives. The overdose crisis hits close to home, for everyone in BC. Combining “naloxone” and the Tri-Cities, my “home”, I’ve created NaloxHome. We’re cracking open the conversation not in a way that scares but just in a way that engages them."

- Chloe Goodison (Project: NaloxHome), 2020 Grand Award winner

"SFU’s Office of Community Engagement is so pleased to be able to support the good work that students are doing with their community partners. Each year of this competition brings forth stunning creativity and innovation."

-  Matthew Grant, director of SFU’s Office of Community Engagement
GRAND PRIZE AWARD WINNER 2022-2023

KNOWLEDGE TRANSLATION: RE-IMAGINING HEALTHCARE IN THE DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE


The mental health system needs to include the perspectives of those with lived experience of mental health and substance use to avoid discriminatory treatment, burnout for care providers, and worse health outcomes. The Knowledge Translation team conducted a research study and is now sharing findings with the community to support accountability and prioritize lived experience perspectives when designing systems.

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GRAND PRIZE AWARD WINNER 2022-2023

MEMORIALIZING THE FIRST FILIPINO IN CANADA: A DOCUMENTARY


This project aims to document and raise awareness of the history of Filipinos in Canada by creating a short documentary film and memorializing the first recorded Filipino settler, Benson Flores, with a tombstone at his burial place in Vancouver Cemetery. The project will involve interviewing key individuals involved in the discovery of Flores' settlement and documenting the search leading up to it.

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COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AWARD WINNER 2022-2023

OCEAN CARE THROUGH DATA EMBODYING AND BEHAVIOUR CHANGES


This project is a collaboration between Ocean Wise and citizen volunteers who participate in the Shoreline Cleanup activity, which collects garbage from shorelines to monitor and control ocean pollution. The project aims to develop novel ways of encountering and learning about data around marine debris and to increase awareness of community members about ecological issues.

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  • October 20, 2023

    October 20, 2023

    With transphobia growing in Canada, non-binary people in this country are asking for policies to protect them in sport, but they have been continuously left out of the conversations that should inform these policies. That’s where Martha Gumprich’s project comes in. Last Spring, they won an award from the SFU Student-Community Engagement Competition to host three workshops with youth in the East Kootenays in partnership with ANKORS Trans Connect in order to help schools and sports organizations across Canada “make their recreation and athletics departments safer for all”. We’re grateful to Martha for sharing their experiences with us in this short reflection. You can find links to The Canadian Non-binary Youth in Sport Report and infographics in this story.

  • October 19, 2023

    October 19, 2023

    When COVID-19 hit, we all realized the importance of having a local neighbourhood network. Many people experienced major changes in their lives, such as losing their income and social network, or losing access to activities that supported their overall well-being. As a Roots of Empathy instructor who was fortunate enough to have a strong network of support, Rita Lee started looking for more ways to be of service to those around her. Her guiding question: how can I invite more people to have more resilience, more happiness, and to connect with a supportive network in the neighbourhood? Her SFU Student-Community Engagement Project, Happy, Connected, Resilient Neighbours, was just one of her answers.

  • October 16, 2023

    October 16, 2023

    In 2022, Ritu Mehra, Harbir Dhaliwal, and Muskan Jammu partnered with local schools to start a breakfast program that incorporates fun education about healthy food choices. More than just a project, Let’s Do Breakfast was inspired by their own personal experiences and their desire to give back to the community.