Community-engaged projects
In addition to amplifying the work of our colleagues and partners, the Office of Community Engagement (OCE) runs its own programs and projects that facilitate connection, experimention and partnership.
Current projects
University of the Streets Café
The University of the Streets Café organizes bilingual public conversations in cafés and community spaces accross Montreal. Since its inception in 2003, more than 400 events have been hosted.
As a community-driven program, each discussion creates an open space to address a variety of topics that meet the needs and interest of participants.
The Decolonial Toolbox : Educational Pathway
The Decolonial Toolbox is the result of a multi-year collaboration between the Office of Community Engagement, Mikana and the Montreal Indigenous Community NETWORK to offer the public a self-educational pathway to understand historical and contemporary Indigenous realities. The pathway gathers carefully-selected resources produced by Indigenous peoples and organizations that are accessible and promote Indigenous expertise.
Community-engaged learning fund for Indigenous students (CELFIS)
Concordia Indigenous graduate students working on a community-based project can apply for a grant of up to $7,000.
Photo credit: Jean Manuel Photography
UMITEMIEU
UMITEMIEU is an initiative that introduces Indigenous youth to digital arts and photogrammetry and allows them to connect with objects from the McCord Museum collections. The project brings together students and Knowledge Keepers to share knowledge and stories about objects, their communities and way of life.
The UMITEMIEU project was developed by the OCE in partnership with the McCord Museum and UHU Labos nomades.
HoodSTOP les violences sexuelles
This project is an initiative of Hoodstock in partnership with the Simone de Beauvoir Institute, and the Office of Community Engagement to identify and tackle the systemic barriers in accessing support services for survivors of sexual violence in Montréal-Nord.
Park-Extension Community-Based Action Research network (CBAR)
The OCE joins the Park-Extension CBAR, a network of academic and community-based researchers who pledge to approach their work in Park-Extension by applying the principles of community-based action research (CBAR).
Since its inception, the CBAR network has worked on a variety of projects, with a commitment to equity, social justice and resident engagement in all aspects of the research.
Digital Divides
The Digital Divides (DD) project stems from ongoing exchanges that have been taking place as part of the Park-Extension Community-Based Action Research network (CBAR), which involves community organizers and researchers concerned with the housing crisis in the neighbourhood and with better understanding the development dynamics — including the rise of an artificial intelligence hub in the neighbouring Marconi-Alexandra district — that underpin it, and the impact of that hub on housing in nearby neighbourhoods.
Parc-Ex Curry Collective
The Parc-Ex Curry Collective offers an opportunity for women living in Park-Extension who have very limited access to employment due to linguistic or social barriers to have a financial resource. Participants help prepare home-cooked, reasonably priced meals, available to order every Friday. In addition, the collective promotes solidarity meals that can be purchased for seniors and vulnerable families in the neighbourhood.
The Parc-Ex Curry Collective is an integral community-led aspect of the Digital Divides (DD) research project supported by the OCE. The DD project examines the impact of artificial intelligence and technology on housing in the Marconi-Alexandra area and surrounding neighborhoods.
Park-Extension Community Power Map
This map offers a portrait of community-led projects, actions and organizations which seek to meet Parc-Extension residents’ needs and aspirations, to challenge the housing crisis in the neighbourhood and to put forward solutions adapted to local priorities.
Data can be added to this map by completing a questionnaire, with the goal of documenting initiatives and struggles happening in Parc-Extension, as well as sharing knowledge and strategies between various groups and organizations.
Park-Extension Evictions Map
The Park-Extension Evictions Map, created by the Park-Extension Anti-Eviction Mapping Project with support from the OCE, highlights the distribution and evolution of evictions in Park-Extension since 2017, based on data collected by the Comité d’action de Park-Extension (CAPE), the tenants' rights association of neighbourhood.
The map illustrates a significant increase in evictions, renovictions and repossessions over the last four years. In addition, it highlights the pressing concern that many evictions have occurred without tenants contacting CAPE first.
Note that the points shown in the map do not reflect the exact location of the tenants but their vicinity, to preserve confidentiality.
Living Labs at Bâtiment 7
Concordia’s Sustainability Action Fund and the Office of Community Engagement formed a partnership to support student leadership in community-based sustainability projects at Bâtiment 7, a heritage industrial site located on former CN lands at the southernmost tip of Pointe-Saint-Charles.
More than 20 student-led initiatives were realized on the site which presents a unique model of collectively governed, citizen-led urban design projects.
Community Arts Residencies at Bâtiment 7
The Community Arts Residency program aims to support community-based art projects initiated by recent alumni of Concordia’s Faculty of Fine Arts by providing them with financial compensation and access to studio spaces at Bâtiment 7, a heritage industrial site located on former CN lands at the southernmost tip of Pointe-Saint-Charles.
The site is emerging as a unique model of collectively governed, citizen-led urban design project.
Past projects
Bâtiment 7 Anchored Project
A partnership between the University and this Pointe-Saint-Charles citizen-led initiative.
Photo: Antonia LaMantia
CRE Youth Gathering For(a)ging our Paths
During this event held in February 2020, more than 350 Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth gathered to reflect on the meaning of reconciliation.
The theme “For(a)ging Our Paths” was chosen by the youth committee. It symbolizes self-determination in choosing one's path and the resources that each person collects along their journey of personal growth. The event was a space for learning, discussion, celebration and connection, which served to expand knowledge of cultures and history, and to impart lessons to youth.
Enable Montreal
A design challenge to co-create solutions for a more accessible and inclusive city.
StartUP Nations
A three-day event to support a new generation of Indigenous social and collective entrepreneurs.
Next City Vanguards
Concordia, in partnership with Next City, hosted an experiential leadership conference from May 31–June 3, 2017.
