Five Year Overview of the Community Research Unit (CRU) Faculty of Arts, University of Regina

1. Five Year Overview of the Community Research Unit (CRU) Faculty of Arts,University of Regina Created December 12, 2013

2. A Little History Lesson…. 2003 The 2003 Final Report of the Faculty of Arts’ Planning Committee, We Who Serve, made the following recommendation: • C2 We will develop a community research unit out of the Faculty of Arts that will act as a connection between the research needs of the communities that we serve and the research interests of faculty members and students.

3. 2004 • Arts hosted a community meeting on April 28, 2004 at the Unitarian Centre to gauge interest and gather feedback on a “Research for Communities Unit” • A group dedicated to this idea began to form the unit by addressing its focus, structure and members.

4. 2006 • A working group of 4 university members (including the Associate Dean (R&GS as chair) and 4 community members was formed to develop the Community Research Unit.

5. 2007 • Working Group began to meet on a regular basis

6. 2008 • The CRU received an operational budget of $5000/year • Hired a staff coordinator on a year-long term (.80FTE), using Arts discretionary funding • Started our first community-based research projects (completed 2 the first year).

7. 2009 • We were facilitating CBR (community-based research) projects on a regular basis • Planned and hosted our first Arts CARES program • Hosted our “launch” – Making the Links Event September 2009 for university & community folks • Hosted our first strategic planning sessions: lots of talk about funding, formalizing as a type I vs type II unit • Staff coordinator became a permanent staff member under the Dean of Arts Office • The Working Group evolve into a Board of Directors • We established regular (monthly) meetings

8. 2010 • We were formally approved by the Faculty of Arts as a Type II Research Centre (Jan 2010). This meant: • The creation of a Type II Research policy for the Faculty of Arts • The creation of a constitution (evolved from original terms of reference). • Creation of a Director position: Patricia Elliott joined us as our first Director in March 2010. • We created a CSL Committee to plan the 2nd Arts CARES program • We joined a national CES project (through an application process)

9. 2011 • Creation of our Research & Action Fund (funded 3 projects our first year) • Hired our first Arts CARES Student Assistant • Successfully applied for Youth Intern for 6 months • Organized and hosted our first Toolkit Workshop Series

10. 2012 • The CRU (not our researchers) gave our first scholarly presentation at the CACSL conference about Arts CARES • Hosted our first appreciation event • Signed an MOU with RPIRG, formalizing our relationship • Hosted Barbara Holland for the CES project

11. 2013 • Our operational budget was increased to $6000/annually • Trish presented at the CU Expo for the CES project • Hosted our first Spring Celebration & first Community Connections Awards • Updated our constitution • Michelle Stewart joined us as our 2ndfaculty director

12. Collaborative Community Research Projects 2008-2013 2013 • African Canadian Saskatchewan Forum - ACSF • Of Land and Living Skies Community Journal - SOEEA • Regina Cooking Fires Project – Regina Fire & Protective Services • Saskatchewan Living Wage Project – CCPA SK • Student Parent Experiences Research Project – PASS • SCIC's 40th Anniversary History Project - SCIC 2012 • Regina Community Food Assessment - CFSSC • Housing First Project – Carmichael Outreach • Campus Compost Project – RPIRG & Facilities Management 2011 • Ecole Connaught Community School: 100 Years of Community and Education – Ecole Connaught Centennial Committee • Mapping Corporate Power in Saskatchewan – CCPA SK • Saskatchewan Poverty Elimination Public Involvement Program – Poverty Free Saskatchewan • Sheatre's Far From the Heart: Assessing the Impact - Sheatre • REACH Outcomes Measurement - REACH • Bridging the Gap: Regina Landlords and Renters on Social Assistance – Carmichael Outreach & Living Sky Media • Exploring Schools as Community Hubs – Save Athabasca School Committee • Crime-Free Multi-Housing – NCCA, Queen City Tenants’ Association & Regina Police Services 2010 • Voices in Education: An Exploration of Digital Storytelling – Save Our Schools • SACHM Centennial History Project – Saskatchewan African Canadian Heritage Museum 2009 • North Central Community History – North Central Community Association • The Cost of Healthy Eating – Regina Food Bank & REACH • The Women of Washington Park Place – Erhlo Community Services 2008 • Court Breach Alternatives – Regina Alternative Measures Program • Building SEED Regina – SEED Regina • North Central Housing Facilitator – North Central Community Association

13. Research & Action Fund 2011-2013 2010/2011 Community Hub for Athabasca School Save Athabasca School Coalition $3,000.00 May 1-August 30, 2011 Bridging the Gap: Creating Dialogue with Landlords Carmichael Outreach Inc $3,000.00 May 1-August 30, 2011 Far From the Heart: Assessing the Impact Sheatre Educational Alternative Theatre (Huron) $3,000.00 May 1, 2011 - March 1, 2012 TOTAL distributed = $9,000.00 2011/2012 Saskatchewan Poverty Elimination Public Involvement Program Poverty Free Saskatchewan $2,000.00 June 1, 2011 - January 31, 2012, extended to Sept 30, 2012 Mapping Corporate Power in Saskatchewan Saskatchewan Public Policy Working Group, c/o CCPA - SK $3,000.00 August 1, 2011 - September 30, 2012 Ecole Connaught Community School: 100 Years of Community and Education Ecole Connaught Centennial Committee $3,000.00 November 1, 2011 - March 31, 2012 TOTAL distributed = $8,000.00 2012/2013 Regina Community Food System Assessment and Action Plan REACH & Regina Community Food System Steering Committee $3,000.00 January 1, 2013 - July 1, 2013 Homes First Study Carmichael Outreach Inc $3,000.00 March 21, 2013-August 31, 2013 Saskatchewan Living Wage Project Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives - Saskatchewan $2,550.00 May 1, 2013 - October 31, 2013 SCIC History Project Saskatchewan Council for International Cooperation (SCIC) $3,000.00 May 15, 2013 - December 15, 2013 TOTAL distributed $11,550.00 2013/2014 (year to date) African Canadian Saskatchewan Forum (ACSF): Understanding how to form an enduring organization Uganda Canadian Association of Saskatchewan $3,000 November 27, 2013 - June 30, 2014 Of Land and Living Skies: A Community Journal on Place, Land and Learning Saskatchewan Outdoor & Environmental Education Association (SOEEA) $3,000 December 2, 2013-December 31, 2014 Distributed to date =$6,000

14. 5 Years of Arts CARES (2009-2013) Students: • Total number of student participants = 260 • Total hours of service = 3800 + • Our Students in the past five years: • The top 4 contributing Faculties: • Arts • Social Work • Education • Science • Average age: 24 years old, Median age = 22 years old • 1st and 2nd years students = 60% of total participants Community Partners • Total number of different community partners = 34 * Note that many have participated in multiple Arts CARES programs. Courses: • Total number of different participating courses = 19 * Note that many have participated in multiple Arts CARES programs, and this doesn’t reflect new instructors, or instructors teaching multiple courses • Arts CARES 2014: • 70 students • 11 courses (4 new courses) • 25 community partners (7 new partners)