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Robin Cahtarevic (she/her)- Account Representative for the Electronic Recycling Association (ERA).

Can you trace your involvement with the CSL Program?

Last summer, the CSL Partnership Coordinators emailed me about the program, and we were happy to join. We have been working with the students for two semesters now.

Why did you choose to incorporate CSL students into your organization?

We believe it's a great opportunity to gain a different perspective on how clients see us and simultaneously support students in their education.

What do CSL students learn in their placements?

With the ERA, they learn more about the three Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) and e-waste disposal. They also learn a bit more about how a business of this kind works and what it takes to attract more clients.

What have you learned by being involved with CSL?

Being involved with the CSL has taught ERA several valuable lessons. First, I've learned the importance of community engagement and collaboration. Working with CSL has shown me the power of bringing people together to work towards a common goal, such as promoting electronic recycling or advocating for environmental sustainability.

The Electronic Recycling Association is committed to reducing electronic waste by reusing and recycling unwanted computers, laptops, and related electronic equipment. How have students added to the organization’s initiatives?

The students have crafted marketing campaigns to raise awareness about the electronic recycling association's mission and underscore its significance.

Throughout the organization’s involvement with CSL, is there a particular student project, interaction, or moment that piqued your interest, and why?

The moment that piqued my interest was at an orientation meeting last year for the Fall term, where I met Webb Dussome, the instructor for MARK 455/655, and the other community partners in the course. It was lovely seeing all the other environmentally friendly projects and the people behind them. Also, hearing their experience with the CSL really solidified our decision to join for any term that we can.

With the support of CSL’s BHER Partnership, what projects and initiatives are your organization working towards, and how has this partnership benefitted your organization?

With the invaluable support of CSL's BHER Partnership, the Electronic Recycling Association (ERA) is actively engaged in several impactful projects and initiatives to promote environmental sustainability and community empowerment. Through our collaboration with BHER, we focus on initiatives such as:

• Electronic Waste Recycling Programs: We're expanding our electronic waste recycling programs to collect and responsibly dispose of electronic devices, diverting harmful materials from landfills, and promoting a circular economy.

• Digital Inclusion Initiatives: We're working to bridge the digital divide by refurbishing and redistributing computers and electronic devices to underserved communities, schools, and non-profit organizations, thereby increasing access to technology and educational resources.

• Environmental Education and Awareness Campaigns: We're developing educational materials and organizing outreach events to raise awareness about the importance of electronic waste management, sustainable consumption, and environmental stewardship.

• Job Training and Skill Development: We're partnering with BHER to provide training and skill development opportunities in electronic recycling, refurbishment, and repair, empowering individuals with valuable skills for employment in the growing field of e-waste management. Overall, with the support of CSL's BHER Partnership, ERA is committed to advancing these projects and initiatives to create a more sustainable future for communities across Canada.

How would you sum up your experience with CSL in one sentence?

A great opportunity!

In partnership with the Business + Higher Education Roundtable (BHER), and with support from the Government of Canada, CSL provides financial support to environmentally-focused community partners for their educational and mentoring roles with CSL students. 

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Jule Asterisk-Project Manager for the Society of High Prarie Regional Environmental Action Committee (REAC)

Jule Asterisk (she/her) is the Project Manager for the Society of High Prarie Regional Environmental Action Committee (REAC). She also contributes to community outreach by giving presentations to the communities and schools all around Northern Alberta. 

Can you trace your involvement with the CSL Program?

When I started working with CSL in 2015, I was with a different organization, Keepers of the Water. We were involved in many projects and had lots of opportunities for interviews with community members who wanted to give their input, but we didn’t have the capacity to perform the interviews. So, we put together a couple of projects for CSL, which was so awesome! It was not only great for our organization, but we realized that the students were very appreciative of having this opportunity and having direct communication with community members in the Fort Chipewyan vicinity regarding their health concerns. A CSL student with a Mennonite background interviewed Traditional Knowledge holders in the High-Level vicinity. That was a real eye-opener for the student, who was so amazed. It was a great collaboration because it was cross-cultural and cross-generational. Because many charitable organizations generally consist of older people, it’s been great to have full perspectives of youth and gain insight by looking at ourselves through their eyes. 

Why did you choose to incorporate CSL students into your organization?

It was partly due to capacity. There were things we wanted to do that we just couldn’t. When we were introduced to CSL, which had people available to do such things, it was a natural fit. Once we started with CSL, we formulated projects every semester. Since 2015, I’ve worked with at least two groups per year, so many students! 

What do CSL students learn in their placements?

Students learn how non-profits or charities work. We once participated in the Non-Profit Board Internship Program, which was super interesting. Students benefitted from many insightful discussions and conversations. Students also had the chance to come to Calgary with us for a special meeting. Students will learn many different things, such as how the organization works. From there, they learn all kinds of things about the interaction between Indigenous cultures and environmental work. So far, with every single student we have worked with, we feel that we’ve made a good impression on them and is highly relevant to their studies and lives. It also increases our capacity as an organization. 

What have you learned by being involved with CSL?

I’ve learned that every student we've worked with has been dedicated to the work we’ve put before them. I’ve also gained an understanding that the youth we work with sense the environmental impacts on the projects we work on and sometimes feel very deeply about it. I have to say that such urgent feelings from the youth have pushed our organization forward. We’ve been pushed quite far into places we were unwilling to go. For instance, we now have a website, which a student initiated! The student said, “You just can’t do this without a website,” and spoke to our board and convinced them to make it. 

Interestingly, sometime in the late 90s or early 2000s, we won a website through CKUA Radio and were excited about it. One of our members was placed to be the liaison and work with the company providing it. It was all set and ready to go until the board declined to make it live because we didn’t have anyone capable of updating it. We’re also in Northern Alberta, where some areas have internet-free zones or no cell phone services. So, we’re still in a place where half of our board members don’t have internet. However, the young student was passionate about convincing our board that we must have a website! I was the only board member who voted to have the website go live, and now we’ve had it up and running for a year and a half. It’s been very useful, and we just had our first successful website update. This was a critical moment when a very passionate CSL student highly influenced us. 

What have CSL and CSL students added to your organization?

We ended up hiring a CSL student who was on my team a year ago. She did a fantastic job with her editing skills, and we hired her to work on our social media. She created an Instagram account and a couple of other accounts. We’re waiting for TikTok to run right before our big fundraising event. This is another example of a skillset we don’t have but need, so it’s been a great opportunity for us and the students in the CSL program. So, we were super glad to hire the student we now have working with us, which will make a huge difference in our upcoming major fundraiser campaign later this year. We wouldn’t have gotten to this point if it weren’t for CSL. 

Throughout the organization’s involvement with CSL, is there a particular student project, interaction, or moment that piqued your interest, and why?

There have been quite a few of them! One moment of interest was the student with a Mennonite background who interviewed Traditional Knowledge holders. When we filled out his evaluation form, I was pretty amazed at how profound of an experience it was for him. That was a yes moment!

Another exciting moment was with a student who addressed our board about making the website live. He was so passionate about the need to have our organization widely known, along with the work we’ve done to promote selective logging. People often don’t know about the very real solutions that exist, so there needs to be a broader scope. So, that student made a huge impression on our board. This has happened over and over again because of the collaboration of youth. We’ve been working on so many important things. For instance, we’ve been working on our files, such as the Swan Hill Hazardous Waste Treatment Centre’s file, for decades. Nobody knew about it for a while, so a page about it is coming soon on our website! The passion of students has uplifted us and made us do more. 

With the support of CSL’s BHER Partnership, what projects and initiatives is your organization working towards, and how has this partnership benefitted your organization?

This is a new era for us with CSL. It’s been a huge support. I no longer have to convince my board that my extensive work with students is worthwhile because they see we’re getting funding from BHER. Our project has gotten a lot bigger because of the focus on climate change and preparing for tomorrow. We are having a fundraiser to purchase precious plastic equipment, which is small-scale recycling equipment. We will provide it for free to the rural, remote, and Indigenous communities with the best business plan. The fundraiser starts this year, and for preparation, we did many video interviews with experts in the field, including scientists, plastic recyclers, waste management professionals, and Indigenous communities. 

The word plastic means malleable so you can make anything out of it. Once communities have information about the risks, downsides, and opportunities, they can decide whether to partake in Precious Plastic projects, re-manufacture their community’s waste plastic, or make new things. So, that’s what we’re working on, the Plastic Re-manufacture Project. Last semester, we had a group of students working to update our marketing manual for communities, which BHER also funded. One of our students was from Germany, which was great since they had information regarding Germany's extended producer responsibility and Europe as a whole. I got our student to look into European stats regarding what occurred with EPR in the last 25 years. It was so interesting because it gave us a real heads-up on what to watch for. Recycling has gone up, and landfilling has gone down, which is great. However, incineration has tripled, putting pollution into the air in the form of highly toxic particulate emissions. 

We’re human beings. The systems we make are not perfect either. So, we feel that incinerators are not a great waste management tool! They are dangerous and emit a lot of pollution in the air, which is what we learned about with our student from Germany last year. This was a crucial piece for us, so now we can submit comments to the United Nations on their current plastic pollution document. It’s a great opportunity to have outreach in places we would have never imagined, and we are very grateful. 

How would you sum up your experience with CSL in one sentence?

Our collaboration with CSL has hugely benefitted our organization and, based on their comments, had a major impact on the students we work with. 

In partnership with the Business + Higher Education Roundtable (BHER), and with support from the Government of Canada, CSL provides financial support to environmentally-focused community partners for their educational and mentoring roles with CSL students.

[facesofcsl]

Ron MacLean- 5th year Undergraduate, Natural Resources, Energy, and Environment Major

Ron MacLean (he/him) is majoring in Natural Resources, Energy, and Environment and working towards obtaining a commerce degree. He is in his fifth and last year of study and is also taking the Certificate in Sustainability!

Why did you decide to take your first CSL course?

Actually, I didn’t even know I was taking a CSL course! I took the course MARK 455: Social and Sustainable Marketing, and I was just interested in it. It fulfilled my Certificate in Sustainability requirement and was a business elective. It seemed like it would be a good fit and aligned with my interests. It wasn’t until I read the syllabus that I found out the course had a CSL component! I honestly didn’t know what CSL was, but I came to know about it when we had presenters come in and talk about it, and I really enjoyed the course! Especially for marketing, if there’s a really specific topic, you need a project to focus on to think about how a certain theory might apply in the real world. I think it was crucial to learn the material that way. 

What CSL placements have you completed?

I’ve completed one CSL placement, which was with the MARK 455 course in the Fall of 2023. I was placed with Solar Power Investment Cooperative of Edmonton (SPICE). I completed my placement with three groupmates: Jeff Tallman, Sloan Garritty, and Moe Rakrouki. 

What did you like most about your CSL placement, and why?

I really enjoyed my placement because it aligned with my environmental interests! Social marketing is a cool topic, and I’ve chosen to do my Sustainability Certificate project on it. It’s a great tool for climate and social change initiatives. I liked that we were partnered with SPICE, and it was great to learn more about the organization, how it functions, and its vision for energy transition. Our community partners, Annette Dautel and Rocky Feroe, were super great.  We learned about the structure of a cooperative and how solar power electricity generation works in Edmonton, so it was quite multifaceted. This placement pushed me to think creatively. We had to think about what marketing techniques we were going to use for SPICE and their target group specifically. We also had to come up with graphics and messages that would be presented to the target group, which were based on class material but translated into the real world. My Sustainability Certificate also aligns with the placement I did with SPICE and my program as a whole! Additionally, I enjoyed getting to know more people who share similar interests in sustainability.  

What was the most important/memorable lesson you learned in your CSL journey?

The most important lesson I’ve learned is to be a doer. What you get from your CSL experience is as good or poor as you make it. If you’re not going to put in any energy or little effort, that’s going to show and affect the community partner. It’s important to take things into your own hands and show leadership for the project. Since there is a project you’ll be working on, you should have the passion to be a doer. Sometimes when you’re working on a project in university, nothing gets done until the stress is on, but with a CSL project, somebody is counting on you. So, having that commitment with your community partner is important. 

Has your experience with CSL led you to build new social connections?

Yes, some of my group mates and I study together. One of my group mates and I were especially close, who is interested in environmental law and passionate about sustainability topics. So, we had a lot of back-and-forth communication with each other and our community partners. I’d say we know each other more than if we were in a conventional class. It’s really cool to establish these relationships. In terms of community partners, I am still connected and friends with Annette and Rocky on Linkden. Since our interests align, posts from organizations with a sustainability background show up on my feed, leading me to a few jobs I’ve applied to. I believe our social marketing experience will be a pivotal experience to which I can call attention. 

You worked on a project in your MARK 455 class that was supported by CSL’s BHER partnership in Fall 2023. Can you tell us an interesting story about your experience working with SPICE (Solar Power)?

For one of the steps in our marketing plan, we had to identify competitors of SPICE. I did some research on their website to get a sense of how they operate and if they might be different or similar to SPICE. So, part of my role was to contact one of the competitors. That would be a no-no in private marketing since that kind of information would likely not be given. However, the individual I spoke to was more than willing to share their expertise in marketing and what has worked and hasn’t worked for them. That spoke to how climate change is a collective issue, and they were able to recognize that. So, I don’t think anyone in the cooperative business really sees each other as competitors; they are more trying to do anything to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to climate change initiatives. It showed me the difference between private and social marketing. I wouldn't have received information on marketing techniques if I had called a private marketing firm. 

Can you share what knowledge and skills you developed during your CSL placement related to climate change mitigation or sustainability activities?

Through our meetings with our community partner, we got to understand how the Edmonton microgeneration works for solar panels and how the structure of the solar panels cooperative works. Solar cooperatives want to install solar panels on community buildings. However, most community buildings don’t have the capital for upfront costs. Investors can invest money in solar panels to be used in community buildings. Because so much money is being saved, especially during the summer months, electricity is being sold back to the grid, and communities are getting money back, which they use to pay back the dividends and interest to investors. So, it’s a win-win. Communities avoid upfront costs, and investors have the opportunity to implement sustainable investment technology in community buildings. It’s also great for people who already have solar panels or live in an apartment and want to invest in solar panels. During my placement, I learned about the intricacies of solar panels and their viability as a part of a solution to climate change. 

How would you sum up your experience with CSL in one sentence?

Hands-on experience is a far more effective form of learning! 

In partnership with the Business + Higher Education Roundtable (BHER), and with support from the Government of Canada, CSL provides financial support to environmentally-focused community partners for their educational and mentoring roles with CSL students.

[facesofcsl]

Beshel Francis- MFA in Theatre Practice, specializing in Community-Based Theatre

Beshel Francis (he/him) is a second-year student completing an MFA in Theatre Practice. He specializes in community-based theatre in the Department of Drama at the University of Alberta.

Why did you decide to take your first CSL course?

I started my studies in January 2023. During my course GSJ 570, I discovered it included a CSL placement. Initially unfamiliar with the concept, our professor clarified that students would be assigned to eight different foundations. After reviewing the options, I found Ribbon Rouge particularly appealing due to its journey mapping project involving Black and LGBTQIA+ communities, which aligned with my research interests. Securing this placement was crucial for community engagement and networking. Upon receiving confirmation from my professor, I was thrilled to be chosen for Ribbon Rouge, marking my introduction to Community Service-Learning and its enlightening impact on me.

Are you completing the CSL Certificate? Why?

At the moment, I am not engaged in community service-learning placements, but I am truly eager to delve back into it. I have witnessed firsthand the profound impact it can have. Stepping into unfamiliar territory can be daunting, yet the moment you immerse yourself, it feels like finding your true calling. There's a unique resonance, especially for those passionate about community service. It's an invitation to connect on a deeper level.

Reflecting on my experience with Ribbon Rouge, I felt there was still so much more to explore with the incredible people involved. Even after my initial placement was slated to end, I reached out to continue my involvement. I was thrilled when they welcomed me to volunteer further. This eagerness stems from my background of working with numerous NGOs back home. As my initial contract was extended, I embraced the opportunity to contribute until December. The organization recognized my dedication and creativity, eventually offering me the role of Artistic Director for an upcoming festival. Each experience has been immensely rewarding, and I am genuinely excited to continue making a meaningful impact through community engagement.

What was your favorite part about your CSL placement, and why?

Ribbon Rouge Foundation embodies a profound commitment to fostering health equity and advancing social justice within the African, Caribbean, and Black communities (ACBs). Through a combination of community-engaged arts, storytelling, and purposeful dialogues, the Foundation ignites transformative conversations, reshapes perceptions, and catalyzes positive societal shifts. The power of the arts as a medium for change resonates deeply with me. Its inherent flexibility allows for the exploration of myriad sensitive topics and the cultivation of meaningful connections.

Upon discovering Ribbon Rouge, I immediately recognized it as a space where my passions align and where I can actively contribute to meaningful change. The Foundation provides a platform for individuals to take initiative and enact tangible progress, a quality that deeply resonates with my values. I hold a particular reverence for organizations like Ribbon Rouge, as they are unequivocally committed to fostering social equity, a cause that is close to my heart.

What was the most important/memorable lesson you learned?

I believe that the essence of a job well done lies not just in its completion, but in the opportunities, it brings for further growth and contribution. When we dedicate ourselves to community service alongside like-minded individuals, there's a profound sense of harmony. Our focus shifts from individual achievements to collective goals, emphasizing accessibility, mutual learning, and the power of teamwork. Each person brings their unique strengths and perspectives to the table, and it's through collaboration that we can truly harness their potential and see the bigger picture. Despite differing viewpoints, when we converge in shared spaces, we often realize that we're striving for the same outcomes, albeit through different lenses.

Engaging in art-based research within specific communities adds another layer of depth to our work. We become intimately connected with those we serve, and their gratitude and enthusiasm fuel our passion. Witnessing individuals express newfound possibilities through our projects is immensely rewarding. It's a validation that our efforts are making a tangible difference, resonating with the very people we aim to impact. The ultimate reward, however, lies in the understanding and appreciation of our organization's message by the communities we serve. When people not only comprehend but embrace our mission, it signifies a profound connection. It's a testament to the transformative power of our initiatives and reinforces our commitment to reaching those whose lives we seek to touch.

Has your experience with CSL led you to build new social connections?

Coming to Canada on my own was quite a journey. Initially, I didn't have any established connections here besides a few scattered friends and family across the country. Networking seemed like a daunting task, but then I enrolled in the GSJ 570 course, which opened doors for me, leading straight into a placement with Ribbon Rouge Foundation. Through this experience, I built professional connections with colleagues and classmates and formed meaningful relationships akin to family bonds. It's remarkable how quickly I have expanded my network and engaged with individuals I never thought I would have the chance to meet. When I reflect on my journey and share it with others, they often express disbelief, wondering how I managed to accomplish so much in such a short time. The key, I believe, lies in my dedication and willingness to seize every opportunity presented to me. I have embraced the philosophy that the reward for good work is more work, and it's through consistently demonstrating my commitment that I have been able to foster connections and receive further opportunities. Sometimes, I find myself amazed at the breadth of my network and the experiences it has afforded me.

I am profoundly grateful for every opportunity and interaction, even when venturing into unfamiliar territory. It's through these experiences that I have grown, both personally and professionally. I owe a significant portion of my success and growth to the support and opportunities provided by CSL. My placement with Ribbon Rouge has enhanced my research and enabled me to contribute meaningfully to the community while expanding my social network. Looking back, I am immensely thankful for the GSJ 570 class that introduced me to Ribbon Rouge. It has been a pivotal experience that has shaped my journey in Canada and helped me establish academic and social roots.

Throughout your journey with CSL, has there been a particular individual, group, or experience that inspired you in some way?

I have witnessed the incredible power of unity within our community. When individuals come together, their first instinct often revolves around fostering equity and championing diversity. Initially, some may express doubt, saying, "I can't do it," but with encouragement, that sentiment transforms into a resounding, "we can do it!" Together, they embrace the challenge and collaborate harmoniously. Within this shared space, optimism and positivity flourish, inspiring me deeply. This sense of collective empowerment is what drew me to engage actively in our community initiatives. Despite recognizing our limitations, we refuse to let them define our aspirations. Through Ribbon Rouge, we have cultivated a vibrant Artists Collective comprising theatre, visual arts, dance, photography, and more. Personally, theatre resonates profoundly with me, given my involvement in the medium.

In recent months, our collaboration with the Edmonton Federation Community League (EFCL) has been particularly impactful. Together, we embarked on an anti-racism project where our theatre team crafted narratives based on our experiences, integrating them into interactive theatre. This unique form of theatre allows us to immerse ourselves in various community leagues, engaging audiences in thought-provoking dialogue. Our approach is interactive and inclusive. Each character presents a dilemma, inviting the audience to share their insights. This dynamic exchange culminates in the portrayal of resolutions on stage. By targeting specific communities, we aim to bridge divides and spark meaningful conversations through art.

Prior to each performance, we meticulously tailor our presentation to resonate with the audience's identity and experiences. Our objective is not only to entertain but also to educate and engage. This work feels like a calling, driven by a deep sense of purpose. Art possesses a universal language that transcends barriers. It speaks directly to the heart, transcending linguistic boundaries. Whether or not someone shares our language, they can connect with the message conveyed through artistic expression. This ability to evoke emotions and foster understanding underscores the transformative power of our work.

During the Winter of 2023, in your WGS 470/GSJ 570 class, you were placed with Ribbon Rouge and recently started working part-time with them as the Artistic Director of their Artist's Collective. Can you share how your transition from student to staff member enhanced your skills and knowledge of the non-profit sector?

I embarked on this journey as a volunteer during my placement period, which sparked my passion for community engagement. During this time, I connected with Ribbon Rouge, feeling a deep-seated desire to contribute more meaningfully. Joining their team felt like finding my niche, propelling me into a role focused on community outreach—an area I have previously delved into. Our discussions centered around vital topics such as sexual health awareness, particularly within the ACB community. As plans for a festival unfolded, I found myself immersed in the creative process. Recognizing my contributions, they entrusted me with the pivotal role of Artistic Director, marking a significant turning point in my career trajectory. This opportunity not only promised personal growth but also underscored the ethos of flexibility and advancement within CSL. It challenged me to adapt swiftly to new responsibilities and embrace the present moment, fostering a mindset of continual transformation. While my current role involves overseeing and coordinating, it's the interpersonal aspect that truly resonates with me.

Despite my inherent shyness, I have discovered a newfound confidence in connecting with others, inspiring them to envision possibilities. Each interaction reaffirms my belief in the power of communal effort and the impact of effective communication. My journey with CSL has honed my adaptability and enhanced my social presence and negotiation skills. Looking ahead, I remain open to evolving roles within the organization, guided by a steadfast commitment to making a tangible difference. My work here isn't just about fulfilling job responsibilities—it's about fostering a culture of empowerment and collective progress. And that's precisely why I am here today.

Did CSL change your ways of thinking about certain things, and how?

It's truly been a journey of growth and adaptation for me. Navigating a new space can be daunting, especially when it comes to understanding the dynamics of community service here. However, I have found that the key lies in embracing adaptability and flexibility. One valuable lesson I have learned is to seize opportunities without hesitation. Even when faced with uncertainty, I have discovered the importance of taking that leap of faith and moving forward. For instance, when the offer to become Artistic Director at Ribbon Rouge presented itself, I was initially overwhelmed with fear. However, I chose to trust in my ability to adapt and grow.

The impact of that decision has been profound. From January until now, I have witnessed firsthand the positive outcomes of my willingness to embrace new challenges. I have received calls expressing gratitude for my role in holding the team together. It's moments like these that reaffirm the value of stepping outside my comfort zone and seizing opportunities as they arise. I am immensely grateful for the journey and the growth it has brought.

How would you sum up your experience with CSL in one sentence?

My experience with CSL has been a collage of amazing memories, each captured in my heart like a precious frame, ready to be cherished in the present and future. It has been a journey filled with invaluable lessons and countless opportunities for growth, for which I am truly grateful.

[facesofcsl]

Bonita Bohnet- Bachelor of Arts, Faculty of Native Studies

Bonita Bohnet (she/her) is Métis and is completing her Bachelor of Arts in the Faculty of Native Studies. She is in her fifth year and final term at the University of Alberta. Bonita has been an intern in the Humanities 101 Program (HUM) within CSL for three years.

Can you trace your involvement with CSL?

When I first became involved with CSL, I participated in the Humanities 101 class in 2019. The Humanities 101 Program offers free, non-credit university education to people who face barriers to post-secondary education by valuing their lived experiences and knowledge. From there, I became a university student. After my first year of university, I interned for Humanities 101 and have been with the program for three years. So, it’s been wonderful being able to do that. Besides my involvement with HUM, I’ve also taken CSL courses within my studies. 

Why did you decide to take your first CSL course?

I took my first CSL course by accident! So, I’m also in the Indigenous Governance and Partnership Certificate, embedded in the Faculty of Native Studies. I took a mandatory course, Colonization and Decolonization, to fulfill the certificate requirements. I was informed that there was a CSL component only once I started the class. It was my first CSL class, and it was great! 

What CSL placements have you completed?

I completed my placement with Métis Crossing while I was enrolled in the Colonization and Decolonization course. We were placed in groups and tasked with creating an interactive activity that could teach people about the different aspects of the Métis Nation of Alberta Constitution. As part of my group, we developed a Geocaching activity, where people can learn about various aspects of the Constitution and Metis history while exploring. Geocaching is like a scavenger hunt. It’s a worldwide activity with an app attached to it. While people are out in nature, they can hide little notes or trinkets and upload the location coordinates to the free app. This included an official kit from Geocaching that included tags and other materials that Métis Crossing could put in their vicinity. People participating in Geocaching can go there and engage with it and feel like, “Oh, there’s something we can customize!” So, that was a fun one, and I enjoyed it. 

Last spring of 2023, I was in the course CSL 370: Special Topics and Community Engagement, Uprooting and Embedding Knowledge. This one was really great, too! We went to various community organizations, from Boyle Street to Kindred House. We also met with Elders, and a lot of our experience was outdoors. It was really about getting to know people and building relationships with those who access and are involved in the services, so it was more relational. We did a lot of gardening, which was related back to the land. For instance, we made seed bombs, planted seeds, walked in the forest, and explored urban gardens.

I am currently in my third CSL course, a capstone course for my certificate in Indigenous Governance in Partnership, and currently completing a placement with the Keewatin Tribal Council in Northern Manitoba. The Tribal Council represents multiple First Nations communities, and they are in the process of starting their land claims and negotiations with the government. We are working with them to form a partnership. They wanted to know about different First Nations governments, the scope of their law-making power, the kinds of government models used, and fiscal relationships. I’m analyzing the Tlicho Nation from the Northwest Territories, in which they are the first First Nations to have a land claim and government settlement. I analyze many documents and articles and prepare briefing notes for them, supporting them to know what other governments have done and what works and doesn’t so that they can better understand the next steps forward. 

What was your favorite CSL placement, and why?

My favorite placement was with the CSL 370 course. Even though we didn’t go to one specific place, I do a lot of relational work, so I liked how it was very community-engaged and outdoors, which recognizes the knowledge gained from working with the earth. I think relational work is significant because the knowledge and creation of collective and community engagement is often forgotten in traditional academia, which tends to focus more on just writing papers. So, I find myself doing a lot of relational work and enjoy it! We visited many places, met many people, and learned their stories. It was great to share knowledge. I really enjoyed this one! 

Did CSL change your ways of thinking about certain things, and how?

My first exposure to CSL, taking the Humanities 101 class in the community, was about the value of one’s lived experiences, collective and collaborative learning, and the opportunity to come and participate without specific prerequisites. That’s what really made me feel like, you know what, even though I don’t have a high school diploma, I do have a lot of knowledge, and I can attend university as well. So, coming to university and being in the Humanities 101 Program and seeing the diversity, lived experiences, and knowledge of so many people has taught me so much. People come to learn from what we facilitate, but I’ve learned so much from them because they have so much knowledge, which is great! That’s really changed how I think about academia. I’ve reflected on questions like whose knowledge is valued? Who is valued? What’s considered knowledge, and how do we get knowledge? 

What was the most important/memorable lesson you learned?

I learned a lot from the people who participated in the Humanities 101 program. They have a wealth of knowledge, and that’s the most memorable lesson I’ve learned. People participating in the Humanities 101 Program are often excluded, ignored, and dismissed by society. They have so much knowledge to offer, and it’s about relationship-building and learning from others. 

How has CSL impacted your academic and/or personal life?

CSL has impacted me academically in terms of what I see as valuable. It's not about being in class and having someone tell you things to memorize. It’s about learning and thinking critically, questioning and challenging things. How I see and engage with the university as a whole has changed. I’ve learned that it’s very exclusive and institutional, which I wasn’t aware of before. When I started working with the Humanities 101 Program and with communities, I got a voice to say that the exclusive nature of traditional academia isn’t serving people, and we need to work toward change. 

Within the Humanities 101 Program, is there an experience or story that stood out to you?

For someone who didn’t have a high school diploma and had barriers and challenges to getting a post-secondary education, going from a participant from HUM to becoming an intern at one level and then switching to a high-level intern, where my experiences and knowledge are valued, gave me a sense of self-worth and inspiration. Somebody once told me that a person from the class remembered me! I was like, what do you mean? They said I was remembered because I was a critical thinker and challenged people. Because of what I was questioning and engaging with people, I became memorable to them. 

 How would you sum up your experience with CSL in one sentence?

CSL has given me the opportunity to learn something new every day. 

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Nikita Roy Choudhury-Psychology Major and Women's and Gender Studies Minor

Nikita Roy Choudhury (she/her) is currently in her second year at the University of Alberta. She is majoring in Psychology and minoring in Women and Gender Studies. In addition, Nikita is an active intern with the Community Service-Learning Humanities Program!

Why did you decide to take your first CSL course?

CSL 370 was the first course I took. Honestly, it was on a whim! I didn’t know much about CSL, but I was already working with the Humanities Program (HUM) at that point. Lisa Prins, who teaches the course, said, “Hey, you should take this course!” I tried it and took it with a friend, and it seemed really cool! As psychology students, we sit in a lecture hall writing notes all day, so being in more of a hands-on course seemed exciting to me. Lisa also showed me the syllabus, so I was excited to work with people in the community and expand outside of the university!

What was the most important/memorable lesson you learned?

There’s a lot that I could talk about! The biggest thing is that it changed how I view people while engaging in community service. In an academic space, there’s a lot of sitting and talking about service rather than going into communities and understanding what they would like to see happen. My favourite thing about CSL 370 was that we engaged with many different communities and organizations and spoke to people living in different circumstances. Hearing what community service looked like for the people we met and understanding what service means is much deeper than simply talking about it in a classroom. 

Did CSL expose you to new experiences and knowledge? How and what?

For me, the biggest thing was understanding what education and learning means. Traditional academic spaces are usually very exclusive environments. The biggest thing with CSL is acknowledging the different ways of knowledge and learning and what it means to others. For instance, we visited organizations such as the Nina Haggerty, Stan Daniels, and community gardens! There were so many community organizations that I hadn’t known existed. Even with my experiences as a HUM intern, we talk with people from different communities and understand what learning means from their perspectives.

It also expanded my views on university as a whole. Heading into my first year, I originally thought, “Oh, this is so cool,” about the university experience. I am very privileged to be in university, but I am now at a point where I’ve reflected on my privilege. This isn’t the end-all-be-all because it isn’t the only way of learning. I don’t think I would have gotten to that reflection if I hadn't been immersed in the knowledge I’ve gained from CSL.  

Has your experience with CSL led you to build new social connections?

Working with HUM has been so world-opening for me. It’s cool because we went back to many of the community organizations we visited in CSL 370, and I stayed connected with them through my work with HUM. By meeting people and seeing the many community organizations throughout the city, I would have never had that experience if I hadn’t taken CSL 370. Specifically, with HUM, I would have never known about the various departments and buildings. Even meeting people from within the university, such as the CSL team, wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t gotten involved. I definitely have made a lot of connections. 

In addition to taking CSL courses, you are also an active intern for HUM. Can you share insight into your role and what you love most about it?

I have been working with HUM for a year and a half since winter 2023! I am an active intern in the HUM 101 class. We provide snacks and meals for students, so my role consists of grocery shopping and helping to set up the weekly classes alongside Lisa and Bonita. This year, we have two HUM classes. One is off-campus in the Dunluce community, and the other is on campus. I am involved in the courses with the Dunluce community, helping with setup and preparation. At times, I help make sandwiches, salads, and snacks for the students. I love this job and really love the people I work with!

The biggest thing is being around the students who come to the classes! That’s my absolute favourite part! Because I’ve been with HUM for nearly two years, I've formed great connections with the students, and working with adult learners is refreshing. They bring a different perspective from the people in my classes. I’ve noticed that people taking the HUM classes have a real passion for knowledge and love learning. With the university being a very exclusive space, it’s nice to see people who want to learn regardless of the barriers. They have exciting perspectives, and I love the class discussions. It’s about the people. That’s my favourite part about this role. 

Why did you decide to take up an internship position with HUM 101?

At the time, I was working in retail and looking for other jobs. In the Women’s and Gender Studies mailing list, I found the HUM internship job posting during my first year. Because it was my first year, I didn’t know what interning meant, so I thought, “I’ll put my name in and see!” I didn’t get the position for the first semester, but in the second semester, they reached out and asked if I wanted to be the HUM intern. I was so happy! It was great when I was asked to stay with the team after the first semester, and now I’m here!

Does your experience with Humanities 101 and CSL, more broadly, help you in your career/future endeavors? 

Definitely. I understand that within the university space, many of the major psychologists we study typically come from privileged backgrounds, and their views on psychology have often been associated with people in privileged positions. So, my views have shifted on working with people as a whole. A huge reason for that has been HUM and CSL more broadly. Getting access to therapy and seeking psychologists is often possible if you are in a privileged position. My experiences with psychology, women’s and gender studies, and working with people from various backgrounds and communities have shifted how I want to become a clinical psychologist. Before, I just wanted to obtain my undergraduate degree, get an office, and be a psychologist. Now, I want to ensure that whatever I do involves working with people in community spaces and marginalized communities. I don't think that insight would have come to me if I had never been involved in HUM, which I like because I feel it's hard to get that experience unless you search for it in university spaces. So, I'm really lucky that I’ve gained experience with CSL.

How would you sum up your experience with CSL in one sentence?

CSL provides opportunities to learn and grow outside of institutional education. 

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Hailey Stubbington- Bachelor of Criminology

Hailey Stubbington (she/her/they) is in her second year at the University of Alberta. She is completing a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology, a specialized degree in the Department of Sociology that studies crime and social responses. She is also on her way to obtaining the CSL Certificate.

What CSL placements have you completed?

In the Winter term of 2023, I completed a placement with The Steadward Centre in CSL 100. It was also the first CSL course I’ve ever taken. The Steadward Centre is a physiotherapy program development centre that helps with and is for people experiencing disabilities. I worked with some clients on exercises and routines, which aided in rehabilitation with movements. In the Fall semester of 2023, I worked with Food Not Bombs, a vegan-based organization that helps give food to the public while also advocating for peace. In the same semester, I also worked with L’Arche, a catholic-based community that fosters friendship and belonging for people with and without intellectual disabilities. Currently, I am in two placements this term: one is with the Foote Theatre School at the Citadel Centre, where I am working as a TA in a youth musical theater class, and the other is with The University of Alberta Emergency Management Team, where I am conducting surveys to measure classroom engagement with emergency emails.

What was your favorite CSL placement, and why?

My favorite CSL placement is definitely Food Not Bombs. Not only because it connected me with Downtown Edmonton, an area I’m very familiar with, but I also got to work with a community that not only advocates for peace and justice in marginalized communities but actively gives back to the community with sustainable food made from perfectly good food that would be otherwise thrown away. A lot of food ends up in a dumpster at the end of the day to make space for fresh, appealing food that doesn’t go to the people who need it. By helping with Food Not Bombs efforts, I saw effective action being put toward giving these people easy and free access to basic necessities. From developing programs such as Helping Humans, where we make and deliver meals for people in the Edmonton community, to providing free community meals in Downtown Edmonton’s Beaver Hill House Park to serve anyone in the area in need of food, these programs allowed me to be on the front lines seeing and supporting those living in precarious situations. Being able to help someone in that situation just by welcoming them into a space and providing them with an essential need, like a hot meal, is something I enjoyed supporting in my placement the most.

Considering current placements, there is definitely a tie between the Foote Theatre School and Emergency Management. I like singing and acting in my spare time, and I do cosplay as a hobby. I chose this placement to get to work with kids on something they and I are not only passionate about, but something they may want to make their future career or hobby. Emergency Management is another favorite placement because it is not only in the realm of what I want to do with my degree, but I got to create something I can look back on and have people build on to make it better for months or years after I’m done with my placement.

What was the most important/memorable lesson you learned?

The most important and memorable lesson I've learned is to be very adaptable. Especially because I'm involved in multiple placements that I hadn’t thought would specifically connect with my degree until I got into Emergency Management. At first, you might think some placements don't align with your degree. Or one may ask, "Why are you working with X organization? Nothing they do connects with how people are influenced by crime!" Working with these organizations sometimes forces you to think outside of your learning and use that knowledge differently.

In one of my sociology classes, I learned about Boyle Street and its place in the city of Edmonton, but by working with Food Not Bombs, I got to see hands-on why Boyle Street is the way it is by connecting theory to the fact that homelessness can put people in precarious situations and correlates how power affects the actions they take including criminal activity. Certain populations are built around limited resources, which correlates with high crime, especially on Downtown Edmonton's Boyle Street. These environments influence some of the precarious situations and the types of services they also need. The key takeaway? Be adaptable, think on your feet, and do your best with your available resources. Even if it is the best you can do in your current situation, it is still the best you can do, and don't forget to take time to appreciate that.

Community Service-Learning (CSL) is working with the Business + Higher Education Roundtable (BHER), and with support of the Government of Canada, to help build foundational green skills for UAlberta students. So, with the support of the BHER’s partnership, you worked on a project in your AREC 173 class during the Fall of 2023. Can you tell us a story about your experience working with Food Not Bombs?

During my time with Food Not Bombs, one of the projects I did was to send letters to two local cafes: one on Whyte Ave, a bake shop on the way to West Edmonton Mall, and one commercial grocery store in Edmonton. Many food leftovers expire or end up in the trash because no one wants to take them home. Oddly enough, with local businesses, we found that they were more willing to lend some of the leftovers to us. For example, the bake shop gave us some of their leftovers a few weeks after the letters were sent out, brightening some people's day when they got their meal. However, we are still awaiting a response regarding the commercial grocery store. There wasn't an opportunity to speak to anyone about this opportunity to speak to anyone about this opportunity in person, but rather, I was redirected to submit questions online, where I found information about how they plan to support the community by asking for their help and the commercial grocery store wanting to the same differently. Thankfully, though, due to our connections with local businesses, we could still continue our initial goal of networking with businesses and gaining a lot of extra food to give to people in need.

Can you share what knowledge and skills you developed during your CSL placement related to climate change mitigation or sustainability activities?

I was able to network with many shareholders in the Edmonton community, especially through the letters we sent out. From the time we sent those letters until my placement was finished, we gained a fair amount of donations from Edmonton businesses. We were also able to connect with various other causes and efforts going on in Edmonton, such as Palestinian and 2LGBTQIA+ rights.

Working in terms of sustainability, the programs in place, such as having community meals, picking up food and accepting donations wherever we can, and having a community fridge where people can come drop off or pick up donations discreetly, helps mitigate some of the side effects that come with climate change, since much of the food that does end up being wasted impacts the environment, especially the food that is pre-made. By recovering and picking up food that is still good to eat and goes to the people who need it, not in landfills, going to waste, and harming the soil and other elements in the environment that we and other species depend on for survival.

What does receiving the Student Equity Award mean to you?

Last year, in the winter, I was making alternative plans for staying in Edmonton due to having issues finding adequate housing and keeping up with the new tuition hikes that had been approved on top of paying for basic necessities. After finding out I received the award that I applied for during the fall term, I was able to use some of that money to help myself immediately, as well as continue my degree and start completing the CSL certificate. By having this award, students are not only given the opportunity to have some extra money to start their certificate journey or continue doing projects that aid and enhance their degree, but it also helps students attend the University of Alberta and share the knowledge they've learned with others today. That's what the award means to me. The fact that this award is going to people who may be in the same boat as me or about to be in a precarious situation themselves means that this award makes a big difference in deciding whether to continue with education or not.

How would you sum up your experience with CSL in one sentence?

Yeah, I did it, and I’d do it again!

With support from the Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada (CEWIL Canada) and the Canadian federal government, CSL awards scholarships to equity-deserving students for their successful participation in an official CSL course.

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Julia- 5th year Anthropology major and a double minor in Psychology and Women and Gender Studies.

Julia (she/her) is in her fifth year at the University of Alberta, working towards her Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Anthropology, and double minoring in Psychology and Women and Gender Studies. She is also the recipient of the CSL Student Equity Award.

Why did you decide to take your first CSL course? I actually didn’t find out about the CSL program until my third year. I love volunteering, and I’m super passionate about community work and service. When I saw that there was a certificate for it, there was no reason why I shouldn’t take a CSL course. The first course I took was CSL 370 in the spring of 2023. It changed my entire outlook on community service, and I wanted to continue with it. 

What CSL placements have you completed?  I’ve completed a placement with Change Reality VR, and I was the facilitation manual curator. I created a facilitation manual, and it was a virtual reality game that helped train people in bystander intervention for street harassment situations. The manual taught people about the bystander effect and the importance of intervening in those situations. Currently, I am completing two placements with the Learning Centre Literacy Association and Humanities 101 Book Club. For the Learning Centre Literacy Association, I am involved with classroom support, coming into classrooms and helping with literacy for anyone who would like to use the services, which range from reading, writing, math, and digital skills. The Humanities 101 Book Club is not your typical book club. It involves people incarcerated at the Edmonton Institutions for Women and is asynchronous in a way. We give people workbooks with given topics every other week, usually around Indigenous knowledges and a variety of readings. It leans more toward learning and education. 

What was your favorite CSL placement, and why?  The Humanities 101 Book Club really caught my attention because it opened my eyes to different communities that I wasn’t quite familiar with or not as involved with prior to my involvement with CSL. Being in this placement allowed me to become involved in things outside my comfort zone. The ability to work with people who are incarcerated and help in a different way than I thought possible was really cool.

 What was the most important/memorable lesson you learned?  The biggest lesson I have learned in CSL is how different community work can look. Before my involvement, the work I did in my community was more so on a large scale. I was very focused on the impact of my actions and tried to figure out ways to optimize the amount of people I was helping. It was often through areas around policies and governance. Through CSL, I was shown the different ways that grassroots initiatives can also help your community and their equal importance in creating change within the community. Something as simple as forming a connection with someone else does a lot more than what people tend to think. The community work I’ve been involved with, such as being in a community garden and meeting many different people, was an impactful and memorable experience for me to have. 

Are you completing the CSL certificate, and why?  Yes, I am working towards completing the CSL Certificate. The certificate was another push that got me to take more CSL courses. Personally, I really like the CSL course I was a part of, but the CSL Certificate is also a significant way to encourage people to take more CSL courses. I think it’s a great addition to your degree and resume and an opportunity to take more CSL courses. 

What does receiving the Student Equity Award mean to you?  I received it last semester in 2023 while I was in my placement with Change Reality VR. Not only did I feel it was a recognition of the work students were doing, but it was incredibly helpful for me financially, as I was working two jobs at the time. With CSL, my placement was already something I expected to do, so being eligible and receiving the Student Equity Award was a nice bonus to have when it came to the work I was already doing. I also think it’s important to encourage more equity-denied students to get involved in CSL because it is really helpful for students and shows appreciation for the work that CSL students are doing. 

How would you sum up your experience with CSL in one sentence? My experience with CSL was really life-changing and world-view-altering, which I will take with me for the rest of my life.

With support from the Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada (CEWIL Canada) and the Canadian federal government, CSL awards scholarships to equity-deserving students for their successful participation in an official CSL course.

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Yoojin- 5th Year undergraduate, majoring in psychology

Yoojin (she/her) is a fifth-year psychology major here at the University of Alberta. She is also working towards the Community Service-Learning Certificate and is in the Non-Profit Board Internship Program, placed with the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association. Additionally, she is working towards Applied Social Science Research and International Learning certificates.

Can you trace your involvement with CSL? It was actually a really new journey. I just started in the fall of 2023 with the course CSL 100. Taking a couple of steps back, I heard about CSL through their website and the Faces of CSL blog, and I’ve always thought it was so interesting to be able to go into the community and actually involve myself through such experiential opportunities since I’m also a co-op student. So, I really understand that some of the most valuable learning you can get is not in a lecture hall or classroom. The fact that I could actually take a CSL course was something I was really happy about in the fall of 2023. I took the course with the professor, Jay. I remember when I first signed up for the course, I wasn't sure if I could fit it in with my course schedule or degree requirements, but when I saw his first email saying that I could call him by his first name, it was very personable. I thought the CSL department was really great, and I wanted to learn more about community service-learning. I’m really happy I stuck around because I found these classes to have some of the most insightful conversations in the classroom and with fellow classmates and our professor. My placement was really interesting, and I feel like I learned a lot from it as well.

Why did you decide to take your first CSL course? The first CSL course I took was CSL 100. I really value learning that is outside of the classroom. Contextually speaking, I’m not sure if I have been the most passionate about academia and learning in front of a whiteboard. Thus, when I started doing internships, I found that I learned so many things about myself that I never would have before. I made really valuable community-based interpersonal connections and experiences in my internships. Furthermore, I thought to myself, I can’t always be working, and I would like to graduate eventually. Thus, to take from the best of both worlds was to be in a CSL course where I could meet new people, make an impact, and support people as well.

What CSL placements have you completed so far? I have completed a placement with the Grow Women Leaders. It’s a non-profit organization that helps Black, Indigenous, and women of color (BIPOC women) secure meaningful employment.

What was your favorite CSL placement, and why? My favorite CSL placement has been with Grow Women Leaders in CSL 100. I came out with some valuable lessons, and I remember my last day in the placement when I saw Tracy, the founder of Grow Women Leaders. I recall expressing my wish that she had been there with GROW when my mom first immigrated to Canada. It is because I found the support she gives to all the women and the impact that is happening to be so meaningful. I am the daughter of a POC immigrant mother who had to navigate finding employment. GROW means so much to me because there truly are people out there who are trying to help each other.

What organization are you placed with for your NPBI, and what does the organization work towards? I am placed with the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association in the Edmonton branch. It’s a nonprofit organization and a community for hard-of-hearing folks experiencing hearing loss for all ages and demographics. They love to connect with the heart of the community through fundraising and other fun events as well. This organization provides a method of connection and community, as many members are close outside of the organization as well. I never expected myself to be in this type of organization. When I first applied, I was trying to apply to organizations with demographics that I could personally resonate with or have experiences with because I have friends and family involved with demographics such as immigrants, women, POC, and LGBTQIA+ communities. However, this organization was a different demographic. I found there to be many differences between my mentors and me, yet board meetings have been so valuable, and the board members have been very open to answering all my questions. CHHA-Ed is a great example of a well-functioning, respectful, and kind board as far as non-profit organizations go.

Did CSL expose you to new experiences and knowledge? How and what? It exposed me to humility and showing up. It’s so easy to get caught up in school and feel like certain things are needed on your resume or CV for the future or doing it just for the sake of it, but not for the experience. With CSL, I found that it was able to teach me that, no, it’s not about doing it just so you can tell your employer or research supervisor. It’s about showing up and being there to make an impact, however big or small that is. I initially had different expectations for my placements in terms of what impact looked like. I then realized that no matter how big or small your actions are, you still support a great vision. In my first placement, I was involved in the frontline through calling employers and candidates, such as people in Edmonton and across Canada. I realized it was a great opportunity because my participation in the frontline support helped other members of the organization. It led them to focus on the bigger picture to execute their vision.

Does CSL help you in your career path and future endeavors? On a personal basis, showing up and getting involved in the community with meaningful intention is so valuable in its own way. It’s just like helping a neighbor or friend out. Career-wise, CSL has taught me more about how non-profit organizations function, how many steps are needed, and how much work it takes to execute a mission. I look forward to working with organizations that are based on social justice and advocacy through the non-profit sector. I would also be interested in involving myself as a volunteer, either on a board level or as a general member. In the long run, I would like to get my Master’s in Counseling and become a counselor. My goal is to support such organizations by working as a counselor for them and their communities.

What does receiving the Student Equity Award mean to you? For me, I think the Student Equity Award really encapsulates the heart of CSL. As CSL students, we go out to the community to support them. However, with this award, it feels like the CSL department came to support us, CSL students, as our own community. This award speaks to the intersectionality of CSL. To me, the heart of the community and how we learn to make a change is to make a change that everyone can experience, but that comes with different types of learning and understanding for it to happen. It comes with acknowledgment, reconciliation, and healing. I feel like the Student Equity Awards come to support students with their journeys in school and how they leave change within themselves and to the people and communities around them.

How would you sum up your experience with CSL in one sentence? It can give you a beautiful and authentic lens on life and what to make of it.

With support from the Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada (CEWIL Canada) and the Canadian federal government, CSL awards scholarships to equity-deserving students for their successful participation in an official CSL course.

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Crishia Dela Paz- Psychology Major and Sociology Minor undergraduate

Crishia Dela Paz (She/Her) is in her last year of studies, majoring in psychology and minoring in sociology. She took a psychology course with a CSL component and fell in love with CSL. She has previously been placed with the Campus Food Bank and is currently doing a Non-Profit Board Internship with Sombrilla International Development Society. She looks forward to working with the Edmonton Immigrant Services Association for the winter term of 2024.

Why did you decide to do a CSL course? To be honest, I didn’t know what CSL was in the very beginning. Because I’m a psychology major, I ended up taking some psychology courses that had the community-service learning component out of curiosity and interest. I thought it would be cool to get some hands-on experience because we’re always stuck in our books. Eventually, someone brought my attention to the community service certificate that comes with graduation. That pushed me to take more CSL courses, and I ended up falling in love with them. It became more than just a volunteer thing for me. I feel that people should probably take designated CSL courses before they go into a course with CSL components so that they really understand what they are doing and the impact they’re making.

What was your favorite CSL placement, and why? I took a senior psychology course, PSYCH 423- Peer Relationships in Childhood, and my favorite placement would probably be Free Play For Kids, an afterschool program focused on providing extracurricular activities for kids who wouldn't usually have the opportunity to do so. It was nice to interact with kids because they generally have a totally different way of thinking and no filter. They’ll come up to you and say what they’re thinking about, and in a way, I envy them for that. It was just so refreshing to be around these tiny people who didn’t really care what others thought and always made sure their thoughts were heard.

Did CSL expose you to new experiences and knowledge? How and what? I never really considered my privilege, positionality, and what that might look like to others. My experiences in CSL have allowed me to become more aware of the ignorance that comes with the privilege that I’ve had. In the past, I always used to go into these CSL placements thinking that I was going to make a difference by helping in the best way I knew how, but the CSL courses really bring you back down to earth and push you to think critically, considering underlying structural problems, and most importantly, to look in the mirror and consider what your responsibilities may be as a person with your privilege and your positionality.

Are you completing the CSL Certificate? Why? I never really intended to complete a CSL certificate, but the program reached out to me and let me know that I only needed one more course to meet the requirement. It was kind of like a bonus, but I’m really glad that I continued to pursue it because I’ve learned so much about myself in the process. I’ve become more self-aware and built a greater capacity for understanding others.

What was the most important/memorable lesson you learned? The most memorable lesson I’ve learned from CSL is the importance of engaging in critical thinking. That’s the thing about CSL experiences: interacting with the community teaches you lessons that can be generalized to your interactions with anyone, anywhere. Therefore, I’ve been able to apply critical thinking to many areas of my life. I come from a culture where people will only take the information they want to hear before asking the important questions. Critical thinking pushes you to ask questions like “Who’s telling the story? What side is missing? Is there bias present?” These questions are so important that they are the same questions that are at the beginning of solutions to real problems or structural inequalities in society. I found that it’s easier now to gauge what a person’s capacity for compassion and understanding might be by the way they talk and behave. I then maintain those connections accordingly.

How would you sum up your experience with CSL in one sentence? In learning to better understand others, I better understood myself, which I believe made me a more responsible community service provider in the process.

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Ivan Touko- Community Partner

Ivan Touko (he/him) is a community partner with CSL. He is the CEO and Strategic partnership manager of the La Connexional. He has been working with CSL for about 3-4 years and has greatly enjoyed the experience.

What was your personal experience with CSL?

It's been 3 or 4 years since my first interaction with CSL. I was an alumnus and have done co-op and internship, too. CSL was amazing; they instilled in students the sense and importance of community service through experiential learning, which is wonderful. We try to have at least one student every year or one student per semester because they are really helpful in uplifting the community. They help us advance in large programs that we simply do not have the capacity for by working on those programs and projects.

CSL has exposed me to new experiences and knowledge as well. I have gained a lot of skills and knowledge not only from students but it also helped me become a better supervisor as I had to work with students. So, it became important to learn how to manage students in their flexible schedule. It gave me a better knowledge of management and how to supervise and onboard students and potential future staff. 

What have CSL, and CSL students added to your organization? 

CSL students have helped us launch and work on projects that we always wanted to do but never had time for, as they are volunteer-based and harder to prioritize because we are a small business with a small team. So, having students who focus specifically on such projects helps us get the work done without having to give up on projects we are already working on. A good example is the prototype of a mobile application that we were able to launch, which is going to serve African, Caribbean, and Latin businesses in general. Another example is the project that we are working on right now with some CSL students - launching a directory where people can go and find those who are musicians and artists, people you can hire for events (directory access is free of charge). If you have an event coming up, you will be able to access that directory to find an artist or musician for your event. 

It is not only projects that CSL students help with but also the perspective and visible knowledge gap that we noticed in our community. Students bring fresh, young perspectives that we may not be aware of. This perspective helps us reach more people. In this way, CSL students help close that gap of knowledge or is helping close that gap.

Why do you choose to incorporate CSL students into your organization?

As mentioned before, I am an alumnus of the University of Alberta. As someone who has gotten support and mentorship throughout my university life, it was important for me and my team to be able to give some of that back. The university also has a huge population of African, Black, Caribbean, and Latin American communities, and these are communities that we are focusing on, so through CSL, we get that opportunity to work with these students and populations. To add to that, these community projects can be impactful, but we don’t always have the capacity to bring them to reality. However, having CSL students on our team gives us that extra time to attribute more time to those projects. So CSL has been a huge help for small businesses like us that are trying to focus on social impact.

How would you sum up your experience with CSL in one sentence?

The CSL program has contributed to empowering La Connexional with the capacity to further enhance our social impact.

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Svetlana & Luba - Community Partners

Svetlana (she/her) and Luba (she/her) are community partners with CSL. They work with the Jewish Senior Citizen Centre which provides health, wellness, recreational, nutritional, social and educational programs and services to seniors.

What have CSL, and CSL students added to your organization? 

The students bring with them fresh ideas and different perspectives. We all have been working in this organization for a long time so sometimes we don’t notice certain things which a new person will. And they bring suggestions to those things too which helps us manage things better.

We are all used to seeing each other every day so when such young people walk into the facility, it lights up the place and everyone gets interested in knowing the person and learning his or her perspectives so it just makes it livelier having young blood working with us.

Why do you choose to incorporate CSL students into your organization?

Students always have a great perspective to share along with knowledge. So we love inviting them to share their knowledge with us. For example, if a student holds knowledge about a particular culture or topic, they can do a presentation about it for our seniors and share that knowledge with us. They are also a huge help around the place, like helping us serve lunch, work in the kitchen, clean up, set up programs and so on. They also help us with our social media by creating posters, organizing different campaigns on social media etc. And it has been quite successful. We enjoy that help because none of us here are fans of social media so it is a big help when someone else does it.

We all have our stereotypes about different generations. However, since we started working with the university, we have gotten more keen on working with young people than we were before due to our assumptions and stereotypes against them. 

What was your personal experience with CSL?

After working with CSL, you can say it changed our ways of thinking. It has opened our horizons to younger people. We are now more open to collaborating with younger people and incorporating them. I think that was eye-opening for us in a certain way because some of the students that have worked with us are absolutely brilliant and they brought so many new ideas to the table. Of course, not all the ideas are implemented but they still provide stimulation and motivation for us when somebody outside the organization notices something or suggests something because then we start thinking differently and try things in ways we never thought of before. 

The only thing we would say was negative about this experience is the start and stop of volunteering. Because they work for the duration of their semester, they grow on the people here and they do wonderful work but that suddenly stops when they are done with their semester. Sometimes the seniors would ask “Oh where did that young fellow go? Haven’t seen him in a while” and the reason for that is because that person is no longer with us. His internship has ended so he won’t be coming back. And this process continues. We get a new person, everybody gets attached and they leave forever. 

How would you sum up your experience with CSL in one sentence?

CSL promotes intergenerational connection.

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Ruby Lall - BA Undergraduate majoring in Political Science and minoring in Sociology

Ruby Lal (she/her) is a 6th year undergraduate doing a major in Political Science and a minor in Sociology. She took a class back in 2018 and was unaware that it had a CSL component in it. Since then, she has gotten involved with CSL and loves her journey so far.

Why did you decide to do a CSL course?

In my first year in 2018, I took a ENGL 102 course. I did not know that class had a CSL component to it. Therefore, every student did it and I had never done something like that before so it was very interesting. We got to engage with book authors or authors who write short stories. After doing that class, I realised that it was very cool and I wanted to get more involved in CSL. I wanted to do something with CSL, either by taking courses or getting with CSL. I applied for the CSL internship - the pathways program and I got my first summer internship in 2022. I worked with the Edmonton International Street Performers Festival and that’s one of the best work experiences I have ever had. I also got to learn that knowledge is reciprocal - that you get back knowledge when you give and that was an amazing thing 

What was your personal experience with CSL?

My overall takeaway from my CSL experience has been that whether you are working, volunteering or taking courses, just don’t take yourself so seriously. In the work we do, we should try and immerse ourselves in the fun of it rather than being serious about it. And of course, the interpersonal relationships that come with the work we do are what makes our work meaningful. In my CSL 370 course called “Uprooting Knowledge,” I learned the ways of knowing and how that contributes to such great and powerful knowledge for positive change. I learned that no one box has all the knowledge. This changed my perspective because before entering university, everybody makes sure that you have an idea that you have to be at a certain level to be knowledgeable. But what I learned is that you can learn a lot from people from all walks of life, rather than just a few people who are at that certain level that everybody talks about. 

What was your favourite CSL placement, and why?

While I enjoyed all of my placements, if I had to choose one, I would say the Old Strathcona Youth Society. what I liked about them is that I had that creative room to be able to make the welcome package that I made for them. which was which was a part of my final project. Everyone was very receptive, as well as encouraging, which is important because the environment encouraged me to do better and keep doing it. The welcome package that I worked on was to welcome new onboarding members. It was to help them know what to expect. It was done through a series of online videos and included information on harm reduction and helping youth as well. I was able to ask their opinion on what they like and it felt like a collaborative effort. That is something I truly enjoyed because that’s what makes it fun and a good work environment. I was also learning about different communities, people, groups and cultures that have a systemic barrier and working, supporting and building those equal relationships. I think that’s something that I took away, and enjoyed with the Old Strathcona Youth Society. I am happy that I was able to interact more with people there and learn about their perspectives.

How has CSL impacted your academic and/or personal life?

I have always wanted to be a counsellor and I think that I’ve always wanted to do that and I think CSL has reinforced and strengthened that. I wanted to take more CSL courses because it has compelled me to learn more again - learning doesn’t just stop at a dead end or a wall. I wanted to learn more so that I could take my learning outside of the classroom and it seems this is something that I enjoy. I will be able to use this knowledge later down the road in my counselling career where knowing what is service would be beneficial. ‘What is service’ is one of the first things we learned in one of our CSL classes. It is not about what is right or how much sympathy you have. It is about “Okay, I might not know what you’re going through right now but I’m gonna sit with you”. That’s kind of the idea I have.  CSL is helping me to learn more about that, get deeper into that and try to apply that in my everyday life, too. I’ve always known I wanted to do something where there’s meaningful change and there’s healing. I wanted to do something that supports others and brings some sort of healing you know with people. CSL has, therefore, helped me understand these things and gave me a perspective on life.

How would you sum up your experience with CSL in one sentence?

Through CSL, we are all powerfully connected.

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Paula Polman - Community Partner

Paula Polman (she/her) is a community partner with CSL and is the board chair of the Aquatic Biosphere Society. Their mission is to educate, inspire and empower people to play an active role in the conservation of our aquatic ecosystems. CSL has helped them to work towards their goal by utilizing student perspectives and knowledge, through collaboration.

 What was your personal experience with CSL?

I have been with CSL for 5 years. We are involved with the NPBI Board mentorship program as well and I just love the program. We were also working with Volunteer Alberta and sometimes had two or three youth board participants in a season. This year we have one volunteer. Volunteer Alberta has stopped this program but through CSL, we continue to have our volunteers. There are always new and interesting perspectives that the students bring and it has certainly helped to take the regular board and make us all think about some of the things that we are coming up with because they are coming from a different perspective. So I love that part. Through CSL, we have had students from different programs who are all able to contribute regardless of their program. We have worked with students from computer science, marketing, education and more. The reason we can do that is because of the nature of our project. Everyone regardless of their educational background will be able to find something where they can utilise their skills with our projects. 

CSL helped me gain new perspectives as well. Our board, if it did not have NPBI board participants, tends to be an older demographic. So it is wonderful to have these “breath of fresh air” [students] come in with newer ways of looking at things or seeing them through the lens of their own specific generation. Because we aim to reach people more effectively, young people’s perspectives are really helpful in achieving that.

What have CSL, and CSL students added to your organization? 

We have many things going on and therefore we always have more room for student perspectives and usually they add on to previous projects and continue to build on them. This allows us to focus on other projects as the students help cover some of them completely. For example, sometimes in marketing, I will share what previous groups have done and then the current group takes that information and builds on it. This gives them a sense of continuity and the sense that they are building something. We are also able to use what the students produce, even if it is not in its entirety, because of the work and perspective they put into the work. 

We are trying to build an attraction for the city, a public aquarium that will be focused on education - research and conservation. Therefore, within that space, there are a lot of things. For example, we have a whole project that is dedicated to developing an augmented-reality game that interacts with nature and natural experiences. So computer science and education students would be building pieces for us to make that project a reality. So, to conclude, each student brings in not only their skills and experience in their field but also their perspective of what can make the project even more engaging to the audience. Since these projects are huge, groups of students also get to build on the work of the previous group of students, hence building on other people’s knowledge and adding their own. These students, I consider them to be consulting partners rather than just student volunteers.

Why do you choose to incorporate CSL students into your organization?

I love working with students. Secondly, I am a huge believer of education and thirdly, if I have the option to get students to come and work in the environmental sphere, I am always in. I want to bring more people into this space and people usually do not. One of the reasons is that a lot is going on in this world, environmental-wise, climate-wise, biodiversity-wise and so on. Therefore, people feel helpless because it is a big world and a lot is going on. So when we can dial that down into discrete focuses like we do with CSL, it gives a little bit of self-control and hope to us and the students who are helping make that difference. I want to engage students from all backgrounds in this organization because I want students to know that once you are out of the education system, there is a place for you to utilize your skills in a space like this, which you may not have considered otherwise. 

At the end of the day, I can start initiating but I am in an age group where we are not going to fix it, you are. Therefore, I am trying to make sure that the right people are getting in the right space. 

How would you sum up your experience with CSL in one sentence?

An incredible opportunity for students and a rich environment for community partners; you will be surprised at what students can bring to the table.

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Hamis Hegazy - 3rd year Undergraduate majoring in Chemistry

Hamis Hegazy (she/her) is a third-year undergraduate student and she is majoring in Chemistry. She took CSL to do something different from what her degree is related to and learned a lot from the experience. 

Why did you decide to do a CSL certificate (or CSL course)?

Currently, I have not decided if I want to do a CSL certificate as my degree may not allow for room to take that many courses. However, I still took one CSL course and will be taking another one next semester. I took CSL mainly because I wanted to branch out from my routine at University. I wanted to add something unique and new to my routine that was outside of traditional classroom learning and setting. I found that CSL was the perfect fit for me. Before COVID, I used to be active in the community. I worked with a lot of organizations like the Hope Mission, the food bank and I also volunteered in a senior home beside my house. So, once COVID calmed down and I settled in University, I wanted to get back out there in the community because COVID limited my chances. I realized that with CSL, I could restart my journey of volunteering and helping in the community once again.

What was your personal experience with CSL (Where did it lead you? How did it change your thinking about certain things? Did it expose you to new experiences and knowledge?)

I would say my personal experience with CSL was life-changing in a manner that made me think about more ways I can volunteer and get involved in the community. It led me to understand that you could never have too much help in the community. Every little bit helps to move our community further and all of us as a community become better with that. Another way it changed my thinking is that you can never see who is struggling in the community without actually being involved. You can learn about what different programs do or say they will do but unless you involve yourself, you won’t know who needs it. You never really understand unless you actively insert yourself in the environment where the programs operate. That is when you know the community well. 

What was your favorite CSL placement, and why?

I have only done one CSL course so far and that is CSL 100. My placement was with Skillcity Institute. The things I did was social media management, i.e., creating content and engagement to get more students and children to explore opportunities with Skillcity. I enjoyed the placement and one major factor that made me enjoy this community placement was that I got the chance to work with kids and connect with them. As mentioned earlier, I volunteered with senior homes so working with the opposite age spectrum was nice. This was also the first time I worked with kids so it took me a while to get comfortable to communicate with them and when I did, I realized how effortless it was to match their energy and enthusiasm. 

How has CSL impacted your academic and/or personal life?

CSL has impacted both my academic and personal life. In terms of academics, CSL encouraged me to continue my CSL journey by taking another CSL course next semester. I am hoping to work with kids again next semester. I also learned that you can get the same kind of organization for another semester if that course offers it so I am hoping to get to work with kids again. 

In terms of personal life, CSL has positively impacted my confidence. I am a shy and introverted person and usually, I am so quiet that people ask me to speak up. So once I started working with children, I had to match their energy for them to like and want to talk to me.  So I started to talk more and became louder and that improved my confidence. It has also impacted the way I do presentations, especially in class because, as I said, I am shy.

How would you sum up your experience with CSL in one sentence?

A positive and life-changing experience as it allows you to see the problems in the community and allows you to contribute to bettering those problems.

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Rebecca Moon - Community Partner

Rebecca Moon (she/her) is a community partner with CSL. She works with the Centre for Global Education as an online learning coordinator. The organization develops and delivers virtual, collaborative learning projects that engage and empower youth as global citizens. It is a non-profit that connects students in K to 12 classes around the world with the people, places and issues that they are learning about in their classrooms.

What was your personal experience with CSL?

I have been working with CSL for about 3 years now and every semester I learned something new from the volunteers. For example, this fall we had a great group of students who have helped me rethink how we engage our young teachers and students by enhancing our programming in our social media department. And that is just one example. There is always something new to learn every semester from the group of students we get to work with. CSL has helped me understand how interconnected teachers and students are and helped me view the world through more of a university youth lens. 

What have CSL, and CSL students added to your organization? 

Having youth or young people integrated into our programming is crucial to help engage with the young people that we work with around the world. The university volunteers bring an enthusiasm that as an over 30-year-old, it is kind of hard to do on our side. They help make the participants feel more comfortable in our programs. They help inspire them to engage more deeply with our events and our learning activities. They work as mentors to show what a global citizen can be.

Why do you choose to incorporate CSL students into your organization?

Our goal as an organization is to try to amplify youth voices around the world and to give them a space to share their stories and perspectives on global issues. It can be difficult to lead initiatives like that when you are no longer in the youth sphere because you are removed from that section of society. So having CSL volunteers to kind of help bridge that gap makes our programs a lot more accessible and also makes the students feel more safe in being able to share what they think solutions to different issues are. We try to focus on letting people share solutions that they think will work for their communities rather than having us older generations tell them what we think solutions will be. So the CSL students are the bridge we have between those two sections of society that normally do not operate in the same sphere. 

What have you learned by being involved with CSL?

I have learned that engaging with youth is vital to every aspect of decisions that we make in the world, but specifically, for example, on the aspect of global citizenship. Youth and young people in the world have a passion and a drive to help solve world issues which is unparalleled by other segments of society. So I have learned that it is important not just to have young people there to assist with programs that we are already doing but to engage them to help us plan and integrate these programs more efficiently in a way that works for fellow young people.

How would you sum up your experience with CSL in one sentence?

The students are invaluable members of the organization and receive invaluable experience from the organization and CSL helps create that opportunity to let both parties benefit from it

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Raquel Feroe - Community Partner

Raquel Feroe (she/her) is a CSL Community Partner connected with CSL through three organizations namely, Edmonton River Valley Conservation Coalition (ERVCC), Pesticide Free Edmonton (PSE) and Solar Power Investment Cooperative of Edmonton (SPICE). 

 What was your personal experience with CSL?

I will respond to this from the perspective of someone who is 67. CSL has brought me into contact with younger people, who are decades younger than I am and who are interested in the community. When I went to CSL orientations, I was very impressed to see how CSL really created an inclusive learning community. They have different programs I got to learn about and I found them encouraging. So I reached out to CSL because I wanted assistance from the younger community volunteers and it led me to certain things - one being I was impressed with their capacity. It led me to develop new skills. These young people taught me how to use Canva. They shared their perspectives. For example, if you want to attract people under 30 on social media, you better get on Instagram and forget about Facebook and Twitter. It led to better outcomes

What have CSL, and CSL students added to your organization? 

CSL students have definitely added intelligence skills to our organization. They add their fresh perspectives, ideas and skills. As mentioned earlier, they are much more adept in social media than I am and therefore their contribution to social media has been awesome. Not only have they added great things, but they have also helped shape perspectives, as mentioned earlier. They have shown that Instagram is the new Facebook and much more.

Why do you choose to incorporate CSL students into your organization?

Sometimes, having to articulate your mission to others in order for them to understand it helps you hone your mission. This young blood helps bring fresh perspectives to the table. They ask questions and you get to meet new people. We also get better outcomes and advice from them as they are university students and fresh ideas are always ready. It is a small amount of time invested that always returns more than expectations. Hence, it is always worthwhile to work with CSL students.

What have you learned by being involved with CSL?

Considering I am 67, you can imagine that I did not grow up with computers. Working with young people through CSL has helped me develop such skills. Students are socially intelligent beings and they have a very modern approach to things which I find encouraging. Hence, I can say I have learned technical skills, social skills and more modernistic perspectives by being involved with CSL

How would you sum up your experience with CSL in one sentence?

CSL advances my non-profit knowledge in a way that takes advantage of young students to better the non-profit community.