51猎奇入口Public Square + You
If you like what we do, then we鈥檇 like you to be part of it. We partner with organizations, 51猎奇入口students, faculty, staff, alumni and the general public to convene gatherings that strengthen and grow connections across and between communities. From partnerships and collaborations to work-study and volunteer positions, there鈥檚 potential and opportunity right here. All it needs is you.
On this page
Gain experience, meet new people, and develop practical skills with the 51猎奇入口Dialogue and Engagement Unit! Our volunteer, for-credit, and co-op opportunities have varying levels of participation and commitment to fit different schedules. In all of our student paths, you鈥檒l find ways to learn from engagement professionals and play a valuable part in the work that happens here.
Volunteering
Join our Event Volunteer Team and take part in community conversations about issues that matter.
Why volunteer?
Volunteering is a chance to gain practical experience while contributing to meaningful events and conversations. By contributing to our events and programming, whether day to day or behind the scenes, volunteers develop practical skills and gain professional experience in community engagement. Form connections within 51猎奇入口and beyond while supporting conversations and action for social change.
51猎奇入口students who volunteer with us are also eligible to receive credit on their .
The program is intended to create space for voices to be heard, amplified and empowered within the university. This includes people who have historically been left out of conversations and institutional decision-making processes, such as people with disabilities, Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC), and people who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
Event volunteers support the Dialogue and Engagement Unit鈥檚 events on an on-call, as-needed basis during the semester. Depending on the event, volunteers may assist with pre-event planning and logistics, day-of hospitality and event support鈥攊ncluding registration, audience management and note-taking鈥攐r post-event writing, such as event recaps and blog posts.
Roles vary depending on the format and needs of each event, giving volunteers opportunities to gain experience in different areas throughout the semester.
Work-study
Through SFU鈥檚 unique work-study program, students join our team as part-time program assistants and contribute to the research, communications, programming and logistics that drive our work.
Co-op opportunities
Join one of our Dialogue and Engagement teams through SFU鈥檚 co-operative education program and contribute to real projects while getting paid and earning academic credit.
Facilitation and note-taking
Our project teams often hire students to facilitate conversations and capture what we hear at events and engagement sessions.
What鈥檚 in it for you?
Whether you volunteer at an event, join our team through co-op or support a project as a facilitator or note-taker, you鈥檒l gain practical experience working on real events and engagement projects. These opportunities can help you meet other students, grow your professional network and build skills in:
- Event coordination and planning
- Dialogue facilitation
- Conflict resolution
- Active listening and communication
- Research and data analysis
- Writing and speaking for a public audience
- Cross-cultural and multilingual communication
- Social media content creation
Additional Perk: Training opportunities
Student volunteers may also have access to in-demand training opportunities, with volunteer team members often prioritized when student spots are available.
Past opportunities have included Lewis Deep Democracy Facilitation Training and Theatre for Living.
We鈥檝e partnered with dozens of faculty members to help bring their research into the public sphere through panel discussions, workshops and event series. Whether you鈥檙e joining an event as an expert voice or need help to envision and facilitate, we provide a unique opportunity to mobilize knowledge, support community-engaged research and collaborate across disciplines.
Classroom partnerships
Our Classroom Partnership Program is a faculty-led, for-credit experiential learning program for 51猎奇入口students. Each year, we work with faculty to identify courses with thematic links to our annual Community Summit and co-design opportunities that are relevant, appropriate and implementable. Students in the program get a unique opportunity to learn directly from internationally-renowned experts in their areas of study while discovering how their work can be applied in real-world scenarios.
In the past, students have worked on:
- Background papers and research interviews 鈥� shared with our audiences to provide context around complex topics
- Content delivery 鈥� students have presented their research and participated in panel discussions at Community Summit events
- Facilitation 鈥� students have led group dialogues and discussions
Contact our senior director of public programming and collaboration Janet Webber at jwebber@sfu.ca if you鈥檙e interested in discussing a partnership.
Our expertise in public and intra-organizational engagement offers a unique way to enrich your own programming and elevate the presence of your department. Plug into our network of partnerships and convene memorable discussions around the work you鈥檙e doing on topics that matter both at the university and beyond. Interested in working together? Contact us!
51猎奇入口alumni come to us to reconnect with their academic roots and apply them to society鈥檚 evolving challenges. We work with them as partners, supporters and speakers and they offer us inspiration for future topics to engage with. They embody a commitment to lifelong learning and engagement, and their concerns and experience shape our work.
For community organizations, businesses and governments looking to engage deeper internally and with communities, 51猎奇入口Public Square can help envision, coordinate, convene and facilitate one-off or series gatherings in various formats. With our knowledge and experience in planning, execution and relationship-building, you'll find that conversations about even difficult topics can be made accessible and productive.
Community partnerships
51猎奇入口Public Square works in a rich and varied network of partners both within and outside the university, and serves as a bridge between the academic and public realms. From concept to program design and facilitation, content, logistics and production, to communications and marketing, we鈥檒l work with the seed of an idea or objective and grow it with our collaborators into an in-person, online or hybrid event, series or project.
Contact our senior director of public programming and collaboration Janet Webber at jwebber@sfu.ca if you鈥檙e interested in discussing a partnership.
Social enterprise
Over the years, we have developed a reputation as a well-regarded and strategic force that has enhanced SFU鈥檚 profile as a source for knowledge and guidance, particularly in the arena of community engagement. We occasionally apply these skills for fee-for-service contracts with governments, business associations, community groups and others to define, produce and facilitate public involvement initiatives. The funds generated through these services are used to create more experiential learning placements for 51猎奇入口students and help us advance our programming.
Projects have included:
- Evergreen鈥檚 Project Green Bloc
- Community consultations for PeaceGeeks
- Canadian Mental Health Annual Consultations
- The Surrey Community Summit
- The Reimagine Downtown Vancouver project and follow-up report
- The Future We Want: The Change We Need public engagement series with the City of Vancouver
Contact our senior director of public programming and collaboration Janet Webber at jwebber@sfu.ca if you鈥檙e interested in discussing such a project.
What people are saying
鈥�51猎奇入口Public Square was contracted by us to do a public engagement process and in the end come up with a final product, which was our Reimagine Downtown Vancouver public engagement process, with some very clear direction from 11,000 people from all walks of life. Reimagine has definitely become a roadmap for us as an organization in terms of directing where downtown will go in the next 22 years. It鈥檚 been transformative for us as an organization in what we do, day in and day out.鈥�