Volunteer Matters, Vol I Ed I, 2023

Be a Part of Community-
Engaged Learning at UVic!
Community-Engaged Learning (CEL)
is applied learning with community
organizations of all sizes and shapes
(including non-profits, First Nations, small
businesses, different levels of government,
and grassroots initiatives). These experiences
are facilitated by course instructors
and supported by the CEL Office at UVic.
Students earn credit for their contributions,
and the community partners, instructors
and students work collaboratively to shape
the volunteer experience to meet community
needs and learning goals. Every year
there are hundreds of collaborations between
students and community partners,
across all areas of study and sectors.
Jade (see photo to the right) was a
student who collaborated with Friends of
Music, a charitable organization that offers
musical opportunities to persons recovering
from mental illness. She contributed to
their work by taking photos and being a
part of their activities. Jade was in a Social
Sciences course that explores the role of
nonprofits organizations in society. This
experience taught Jade a lot about how
non-profit organizations function and how
they contribute to our community. And
this experience gave Friends of Music an
opportunity to have documentation of
their programing, a valuable resource for
outreach and grant applications.
UVic is so appreciative of the hundreds
Jade receiving the FoM volunteer of the year award
Students in the Clayoquot Sound Field School created teaching resources with local schools
of community partners in our region
and beyond who contribute to student
learning. We are humbled by the work of
community partners in support of social,
ecological and economic issues in our region.
We are inspired by the instructors and
community partners who thoughfuully
design applied learning experiences that
align with participation in and contribution
to community initiatives. We are inspired
by the students who bravely try new
things, apply their experiences, knowledge
and skills and wrestle with how they can
and want to be actively involved in the
world around them.
If you are a potential community partner,
the CEL Office can work with you to connect
with instructors and students across
UVic who are keen to be part of applied
learning with community.
If you are a student, the CEL Office can
support you to explore and/or connect
your volunteerism with your course learning
at UVic.
How to get involved: celc1@uvic.ca | 250-472-5667
onlineacademiccommunity.uvic.ca/LearnAnywhere/cel
The CEL Office at UVic has benefited from the guidance and support of organizations like Volunteer Victoria.
We are committed to collectively working towards more just, sustainable and healthy communities.
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