Engage Edmonton
Engage Edmonton is a program for students who live in residence that offers service learning opportunities and educational social justice events throughout the year through partnership with various initiatives both on campus and in the greater Edmonton community.
The theme for the 2024-2025 academic year is social justice and humanity.
Using a social activism lens, participants will engage in a variety of service learning activities, research, service and reflection exercises that will expose them to diverse social issues. These engagements should equip students with the knowledge and skill to move beyond acts of charity and address the root causes of systemic social inequality.
Participating in Engage Edmonton will allow you to:
- Make friends with residents across various communities.
- Develop personal growth in social and political awareness.
- Form connections with organizations in Edmonton committed to pursuing social justice.
- Gain experiences that instill a greater sense of purpose in learning.
- Stand out amongst your competitors when applying for a job.
What is service learning?
Service learning is an approach to learning that emerges from active engagement with the community, with the ultimate goal of working towards positive social change. Although volunteering and service learning both involve community service, service learning has a stronger focus on the intentional learning outcomes associated with that community service. A key aspect of service learning is reciprocity, which emphasizes that service placements should be mutually beneficial for students and campus/community partners.
Service learning comprises of four components:
- Preparation: Learning about the community partner and the social issue that will be explored.
- Action: Participation in the service event.
- Reflection: Discussing the experience and reflecting on the outcomes to process the impact.
- Celebration: Recognizing the partnership and learning that took place and celebrating the communal success of the team.
Examples include sorting clothing donations, serving meals, packing food hampers, hosting a virtual afterschool program for youth living in poverty and creating holiday cards for houseless seniors.
What is social activism?
Social activism is about making real change in the world by tackling local and global issues through raising awareness, increasing engagement and facilitating education.
Examples include documentary screenings, panel discussions, attending protests and participating in letter-writing campaigns for various social justice causes.
PROGRAM CALENDAR
The Engage Edmonton program is unique because it is a low-commitment program that boasts a high diversity of service learning opportunities. Sign up for as many or as few opportunities as you like!
Programs are updated throughout the year, so check back periodically.
If you have any questions or would like to organize a service learning opportunity, please contact the Diversity, Inclusion and Service Learning Intern at slintern@ualberta.ca.
Hope Mission - Group Volunteer Session
Wednesday, January 15, 2025 | 9:30 a.m.–1 p.m. | Hope Mission
Meet at 9:30 p.m. in ECHA | The group will travel together to Hope Mission
Participants will assist kitchen staff with sandwich preparation (buttering buns, assembling sandwiches, etc.)
Please bring your ONEcard and Arc transit card. Limited spots available.
NOTE: This placement is for residents 18 years or older
Chrysalis Society - Group Service Learning Session
Friday, January 24, 2025 | 12:30–4:30 p.m. | Chrysalis Society
Meet at 12:30 p.m. in ECHA | The group will travel together to the location
Take a tour of the facility, learn about the mission of Chrysalis and do volunteer tasks. Engage Edmonton participants will assist with organizing programming space.
Please bring your ONEcard and Arc transit card.
Sign up by Thursday, January 23, 2025 at 1 p.m.
First Peoples’ House Round Dance - Group Service Learning Session
Monday, February 3, 2025 | Volunteer shifts vary throughout the afternoon | Education North
Assist with the First People’s House Annual Round Dance Ceremony. A variety of tasks are available.
Alternative Reading Week - Winter 2025
February 18–21
Alternative Reading Week is a week-long, immersive service-learning opportunity that allows students to participate in service-learning opportunities, classroom lessons, and reflection activities centered around a different theme each semester.
The theme for this week is Youth Empowerment and Advocacy.
- By participating in Alternative Reading Week, students will:
Understand the issues faced by young people and the need to advocate for Edmonton’s youth population. - Analyze stereotypes and stigma as it occurs on both an individual-level and on a societal-level in relation to families from marginalized communities.
- Apply leadership skills such as teamwork and values-based action to connect with your peers and others in the community.
- To develop a sense of citizenship and recognize the role that individuals have in creating positive social change in the community.
Schedule
- Tuesday, February 18, 2025
- 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Workshop Session on Youth Empowerment and Advocacy in Edmonton: hosted by Community Service Learning and YESS - 11:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m.
Lunch Break - 12:30 p.m. -4:00 p.m.
Volunteer Session: hosted by The United Way
- 9:30-11:30 a.m.
- Wednesday, February 19, 2025 | 9 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Volunteer Session: hosted by Tegler Youth Centre - Thursday, February 20, 2025 | 9 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Volunteer Session: hosted by Braemar School - Friday, February 21, 2025 | 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Graduation Lunch
Alternative Reading Week is a competitive program. Only ten students will be selected. Participants are selected based on the quality of their answers to the application questions.
Participants are expected to attend all sessions. Lunch will be provided daily. At the end of the program, each participant will receive a service learning certificate.
Apply by February 3, 2025 at 1 p.m.
CANAVUA - Group Volunteer Session
Friday, March 7, 2025 | 12–3 p.m. | Canadian Volunteers United in Action (CANAVUA)
Meet at 12 p.m. in ECHA | The group will travel together to the volunteer location
Engage Edmonton participants will assist in distributing food hampers to community members. Please bring your ONEcard and Arc transit card.
Sign up by Thursday, March 6, 2025 at 1:00 p.m.
The Mustard Seed - Group Volunteer Session
Wednesday, March 25, 2025 | 12:30 – 3:30 p.m. | The Mustard Seed
Meet at 12:30 p.m. in ECHA | The group will travel together to the volunteer location
Engage Edmonton participants will assist in organizing clothing donations
Please bring your ONEcard and Arc transit card. Limited spots available.