Social inclusion — sometimes referred to as a sense of belonging — is the act of making all groups of people within a society feel valued and important.
United Way British Columbia and four other United Ways – Calgary, Guelph, Hamilton and Ottawa – have partnered with Mitacs, a national not-for-profit research and training organization, to conduct an innovative research pilot project that studies social inclusion in Canadian communities.
Two volunteers get ready for lunch service at Collingwood Neighbourhood House.
Research will focus on one or more of the following broad themes:
- Reduced isolation
- Access to services
- Stronger neighbourhoods
- Diversity
- Employment for groups that are more often excluded from the workforce
It will also examine social inclusion and its impact on the prosperity of people in these four communities. The research will be used to develop benchmarks to measure progress in social inclusion and to examine the effect it has on employment and health outcomes in our communities, as well as improve understanding of how inclusive communities are perceived by their citizens.
Mitacs has issued a call for letters of intent from graduate students and postdoctoral fellows from universities across the country that was launched in September. Letters of intent will be accepted until January 8, 2018 with research expected to commence later in the year.
“We’re excited to partner with the United Way Ottawa and the four other United Ways across the country to bring collaborative research projects to graduate students and postdocs whose work is focused on social inclusion,” said Alejandro Adem, CEO and Scientific Director, Mitacs. “These internships will have a direct and meaningful impact on the Canadian communities where United Way serves.”
Each United Way will contribute $7,500, funds to be matched by Mitacs, totalling a partnership value of $75,000. Grants will be realized through Mitacs’ internship program, which works to advance innovation in Canada through research collaborations between universities and non-academic organizations.
“This kind of enhanced understanding of social inclusion will help United Way realize our vision of a healthy, caring, inclusive community. Research and analysis are at the core of our work and informs our investment decisions,” said Michael McKnight, President & CEO, United Way British Columbia.
Mitacs is a national not-for-profit organization led by Canadian universities that has designed and delivered research and training programs in Canada for more than 17 years.
Topics : Building strong communities
