2024 Summer Cohort

About FNTC

The First Nations Technology Council (FNTC) is an Indigenous-led non-profit organization based in British Columbia. Its mission is to enhance digital literacy, improve internet connectivity, and provide guidance on data and digital technologies across all 204 First Nations communities in the province.

FNTC's work includes research, digital skills training, career path development, and initiatives to foster Indigenous leadership in technology. This work is pivotal in ensuring that Indigenous communities can participate effectively in the digital world, which is crucial for education, health, economic development, and cultural preservation​.

Project description

FNTC has funding to develop a new strategy, A Strategy to Advance Indigenous Leadership in Technology—Digital Skills Training & Career Development. The result will be an actionable strategy for the council to build its Digital Skills Training and Career Pathways Departments

Previous research by the council identified the need for internships, mentorships, and Work-Integrated-Learning (WIL) opportunities as essential career development services to advance Indigenous leadership in tech and tech-enabled industries. This research also identified the need for training opportunities for Indigenous people to apply for job postings in different areas of the province.

FNTC is looking for a graduate student cohort to create reports in 3 areas relevant to their strategy. Additionally, this cohort will create materials for Indigenous people's working groups to advise on the development of Indigenous Career Pathways and Digital Skills Training departments at FNTC.

The outputs of the 3 research are:

1. A baseline understanding of best practices in career development, specifically internships, WIL and mentorships.
2. A literature review on digital skills training and career development opportunities to support delivery to Indigenous students by Indigenous-led organizations.
3. A survey of tech training available to Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in BC.

The cohort would work with Christina Schlattner, the senior manager of Research and Engagement at FNTC, who directs several independent research projects. She has an MA in Adult Education from UBC and 30 years of experience in adult education and communications.

Project objectives

• Advocacy research/literature review of Indigenous-led training for Indigenous learners
• Comparative analysis of digital skills training and career development opportunities for tech skills in BC
• Benchmark research on best practices in career development, including WIL, mentorships, and internships

Ideal qualifications

• Skills in conducting online research and literature reviews
• Analysis of research to extract themes
• Excellent writing and editing skills
• Ability to take large amounts of information and present it concisely and powerfully, using written or graphical presentation
• Background in social sciences or experience with research, analysis, writing, and presenting

Please note: This research is part of a larger project with funder-set timelines. Please only apply for this position if you are 100% committed to meeting a timeline that wraps up at the end of August.

Application form

Application deadline: Wednesday, June 5, 2024, 9am

About the organization

CICA Vancouver is a non-profit multidisciplinary art organization established in 2021. We are committed to fostering artistic dialogue and community engagement through our multidisciplinary exhibitions and programs. With a focus on inclusivity and representation, we provide a platform for both established and emerging artists to share their stories and perspectives. Our seasonal exhibitions, along with special programs, offer diverse audiences the opportunity to explore contemporary art in a welcoming and accessible environment. Engagement and accessibility are two major goals CICA Vancouver strives to achieve. We aim to enrich education through art and facilitate the development of cognition, creativity and critical thinking for learners of all ages.

Project description

CICA Vancouver is looking forward to hiring a CCP team to work on some combination of the following tasks for our current events and exhibitions:

• Communication / Press Release / Exhibition Review Writing: The student team could choose to work with our Marketing Coordinator to craft compelling press releases to announce upcoming exhibitions, capturing the essence of each showcase to attract media attention. Additionally, you'll have the opportunity to flex your writing skills by producing insightful reviews of our exhibitions and providing valuable feedback and analysis to enhance our future events.
• Membership Development (Non-Profit):  The student team could also choose to work in organizing membership drives, cultivating relationships, and implementing strategies to grow our membership base, ensuring that more individuals can benefit from our offerings.
• Event Planning and Administration (Fundraising Event): The student team could also choose to contribute to the successful execution of fundraising events that fuel our mission and initiatives. From coordinating logistics and managing guest lists to assisting with marketing efforts and on-site coordination, in this work you would play a vital role in bringing our events to life.
• Research: As part of their responsibilities, the student team may engage in comprehensive research assignments focused on particular artists, specific art forms, or related content relevant to CICA's exhibitions and events. This research could entail delving into the backgrounds, styles, and influences of various artists, exploring the evolution of specific art movements, or analyzing thematic elements within contemporary art discourse.

Ideal Qualifications

• Passion for the arts and an appreciation for the organization's mission to promote cultural exchange and artistic expression within the framework of a non-profit organization.
• Creativity, innovation, and an interest in bringing fresh ideas and perspectives to the table.
• Communication skills, written and oral.
• Teamwork and an interest in collaborating with staff and and volunteers to ensure the success of exhibitions and events.
• Attention to detail and organizational skills.
• A commitment to community engagement.
• Basic knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Office would be an asset.

The student team will work with Viahsta Yuan, Curator; Saghi Ehteshamzadeh, Curatorial Assistant; Dyana Kim, Marketing Coordinator; and Nathen Bi, Gallery Assistant. The CCP team working with CICA will gain hands-on experience in operating and managing an art gallery as a community-engaged space.

Application form

Application deadline: Wednesday, June 5, 2024, 9am

About the organization

Heritage Vancouver Society promotes public engagement and dialogue on changes to significant aspects of Vancouver's cultural heritage.

They advance a comprehensive understanding of heritage that captures the diverse ways people establish meaningful connections with the environment around them—whether they be built, cultural, natural or social. They:

• Provide a voice for the diverse stories of diverse peoples and places that shape Vancouver
• Advance a broad public understanding of what heritage and heritage conservation is, and why it matters through online resources and a range of informative and affordable events, talks and tours
• Contribute to dialogue and the exchange of views through public forums, in order to stimulate thinking around important civic issues and be a source for people to be informed
• Focus on the present and the creation of heritage in its many forms to be taken to the future
• Provide opportunities for communities to understand and participate in sustaining Vancouver’s heritage

They envision a Vancouver where everyone acknowledges, comprehends and values the diverse ways in which people forge deep connections to place through identity, cultural practices, history and memory. The value an urbanism rooted to place.

Project description

HVS is focused on building up its website with more resources for the community to engage with diverse spaces and places across Vancouver. For this project, the CCP team will have the option of proposing their own site or place in Vancouver and developing web-based resources that draw awareness to some aspect of a group or community's connection to that place and its meaning to them. HVS is especially interested in showcasing spaces and places that are a focus of community concern. Some places HVS has worked on/have been working on include: local small businesses, artist spaces, and spaces important to the queer community in the '80s and '90s.

While the CCP team will have the scope to propose any site or place in Vancouver as a focus for their work, they may also choose contribute to one of HVS's ongoing projects. For example, HVS is currently working on an oral histories project on the Filipino Canadian experience of place in Vancouver. The CCP team may choose to work on developing web-based materials connected to some of the places that have been identified in that project.

Project objectives

The cohort will produce a page on the HVS website to present the places of significance that are the focus of their work. The thematic focus, places of significance, and final form of this page are flexible depending on the project team's interests. For example, the page could take the form of a map with descriptions, a collection of narratives, or a companion to a self guided walking tour.

Regardless of the place and what the final content looks like, the project will likely require speaking with people with significant ties to that place and/or finding information from other sources such as newspaper articles, archives etc. Outputs could include: descriptive writing, interview transcriptions, photography, drawing, graphic design.

Ideal qualifications

• Have good people skills, can create good rapport with others, and understands the sensitivities that can arise from conversations about personal topics.
• Understand that HVS does not fit a traditional image of what a heritage organization is and does. We are concerned with helping people understand the city, what connections and relationships they have with place, and why it is important to them.
• Skilled at helping people tell stories in creative ways.
• Desire to work with people in different disciplines, in line with our HVS's multidisciplinary/interdisciplinary practice of heritage.
• Reliable and responsible, especially when working on their own.
• Good writing skills and ability to adapt writing to a general audience.
• Curiosity about the city, its people, differing cultural communities (note: "cultural" is not limited to "ethnic"), and to learning about diverse perspectives and opinions.
• Graphic design (Canva, Photoshop, InDesign), audio editing, and illustration skills are an asset.

The student team will be working with the Executive Director, Bill Yuen. The Executive Director is responsible for all the programmatic activities the organization undertakes to ensure that the projects align with the organization’s goals and principles.

Application form

Application deadline: Wednesday, June 5, 2024, 9am

About the organization

Gen Squeeze is an award-winning Think and Change Tank with a mission to build a Canada that works for all generations. They champion generational fairness to preserve what’s sacred – a healthy childhood, home and planet – so we all leave a proud legacy.

Our understanding of generational fairness is based on 3 principles:

1. Planning wisely for all ages, investing in wellbeing from the early years onwards
2. Being good stewards of the resources on which younger and future generations are also counting
3. Following the intergenerational golden rule to treat other generations the way you’d want yours to be treated

Our track record is proven. Public affairs leaders affirm we have “influence far beyond social advocacy groups of comparable size.” We created the $10/day child care brand key to achieving $30B in government investments. We put new housing solutions on the radar of governments, with the Prime Minister affirming our goal of stalling home prices. The 2024 BC Budget cites Gen Squeeze in new promises to “keep B.C. working for all generations.” Our evidence and framing is behind 2024 federal budget promises of “Fairness for Every Generation.”

Gen Squeeze is a university-community collaboration. The Lab at UBC turns data into policy solutions and applies rigorous academic standards to make our work credible at a time of misinformation. The Charity amplifies this evidence to engage Canadians in systems change.

Project: A campaign to promote intergenerational solidarity in the voting booth ahead of the BC election

We're looking for a team to encourage democratic engagement by fostering intergenerational dialogue about election issues in the run up to BC's election this fall. People under the age of 45 turn out to vote less often than older people, but electoral outcomes will ripple through younger people's lives for decades to come, as they inherit growing climate costs, rising government debts, and increasingly unaffordable housing. All ages stand to gain from more conversations about these issues across generational divides. Older people will better understand the impact of their voting decisions on those who will follow in their footsteps, while sharing their longer-term perspective and enthusiasm for voting. Younger people will have a chance to share how generational unfairness plays out in their lives and feel more empowered as citizens.

We have some ideas about how this campaign might unfold, what backgrounds and skill sets might be a good fit, and what materials might need to be created, such as conversation guides and promotional videos. But given our experience with Arts Amplifier students, we're very open to new ideas and are eager to hear how teams envision reaching our goal.

Ideal candidates are:

• Interested in Canadian public policy, and the role it plays in shaping wellbeing
• Motivated by the idea of empowering people to participate in public and political dialogue to support policy and systems change
• Aware of the challenges younger Canadians face today, including rising living costs, stagnant wages, unaffordable housing, growing climate risks, and increasing public debt
• Creative thinkers who can look at issues from different angles and explore various strategies for advancing project goals
• Strong communicators who are comfortable meeting with/speaking to diverse potential audiences
• Willing and able to work remotely, as part of a small team
• Able to work independently, organizing their time effectively to meet expectations and deadlines
• Available during some regular work hours in the Pacific time zone

Project tasks:

• Designing and executing advocacy campaigns
• Designing social media messaging and campaigns
• Convening people and organizing events
• Making presentations
• Writing articles, blogs, media stories, and educational materials
• Creating infographics and other visual tools to share and mobilize information

What students can gain from this experience:

• Experience working with an innovative university-community collaboration at the cutting edge of research and knowledge mobilization on today’s public policy challenges
• Experience turning knowledge into action to achieve policy and systems change
• Experience and skills in engaging and organizing people
• Hands-on opportunities to be creative and take initiative in designing and leading work
• Knowledge of the generational tensions that are undermining the financial security and wellbeing of younger and future generations that can be applied to future work and study opportunities

We’re eager to welcome diverse students to the Gen Squeeze team, including women and members of LGBTQ2S+, Indigenous and racialized communities.

Students will be working with Dr. Paul Kershaw (Gen Squeeze Founder and UBC Public Policy professor), Andrea Long (Senior Director of Research and Knowledge Mobilization), and Megan Wilde (Strategic Communications Lead).

Application form

Application deadline: Wednesday, June 5, 2024, 9am

About the organization

Hikma Collective is a knowledge mobilization agency that works with scholars across disciplines to design and implement research programs that benefit the public. We support our clients at any stage in their processes through grants crafting, strategic planning, creative media production, and a wide range of training programs. Most of our clients’ research focuses on social and climate justice, and we have a strong reputation for providing rigorous, innovative, and inclusive support.

In Summer 2024, we are launching a research impact certificate that will be co-certified by CIFAL Victoria and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). We will be piloting this program with client partners on campus at UBC Point Grey.

Our founder, Erica Machulak, has a book in progress with Rutgers University Press provisionally titled Hustles for Humanists: Build a Business with Purpose (anticipated: Spring/Summer 2025). We are also designing programs related to the book.

For a sense of what we do, browse our Impact Stories: https://www.hikma.studio/impact

Meet our founder here: https://www.hikma.studio/founder

Check out the Hikma Collective Podcast: https://www.hikma.studio/podcast

Project description

The Hikma Collective works with scholars across disciplines to mobilize social and climate justice research for the public good. Hikma is recruiting an interdisciplinary group of graduate students to carry out a literature review and produce knowledge mobilization materials related to our SSHRC-funded research partnership, “Beyond the Academy: Professional Learning and Agency in Virtual Contexts.” We seek to advance analysis and knowledge sharing focused on these themes:

• The power of agency and learning communities in emerging PhDs’ professional development
• Entrepreneurship as a pathway for self-determination and agency
• Illuminating connections across stories through rigorous analysis of qualitative interviews

The overarching goal of this initiative is to produce a peer-reviewed article analyzing qualitative interviews with PhDs-turned-entrepreneurs led by Co-Director Andrea Webb (UBC Faculty of Education). The team should deliver results in the form of an annotated bibliography and written literature review as well as data visualizations and other materials to be co-determined with Dr. Webb and the Hikma team. Short monthly presentations would also be welcomed and encouraged.

The possibility of co-authorship is available to dedicated team members. At minimum, the article will acknowledge your contributions. In addition, team members will have the opportunity to pitch and create knowledge mobilization materials such as data visualizations, podcast episodes, and blog posts that Hikma will circulate through our social media channels and website. These materials will be co-designed according to team member interests and the opportunities available.

The Hikma team will provide feedback, mentorship, and amplification of the article and knowledge mobilization materials to support the portfolios and professional development of team members.

Desired skills qualifications

We are looking for candidates from any discipline with a strong desire to learn new skills and thrive in a collaborative environment. Preferred skills:

• NVivo skills, Adobe, and skills with any data visualization software are preferred, but not required
• Excellent writing and communication
• Writing literature reviews, analyzing qualitative interviews
• Any form of creative knowledge mobilization
• Unique perspectives on the intersection of professional and lived experience

Candidates should indicate any tools with which they have familiarity, as there will likely be opportunities to co-design knowledge mobilization materials that align with their interests and experience. Candidates must have access to their own laptop with updated antivirus software, email, and a word processor.

What students can gain from this experience

Graduate students will have the opportunity to develop their own portfolios and gain direct experience working at a social impact startup. All team members will be invited to regular meetings, where they will not only share their own progress but also get a behind-the-scenes look at our client-facing projects, upcoming training programs, and book launch. We are an organization committed to supporting experiential learning opportunities for grad students, and we look forward to supporting graduate students’ career development well after the work term by sharing their work, inviting them to engage in future events, and providing informal long-term mentorship.

Project details

The student team will report to Erica Machulak, who founded Hikma in 2020. They will also receive research guidance and mentorship from Andrea Webb (UBC Education, Hikma Advisory Board) and Ai Mizuta (Hikma Operations Manager).

This is a 100% remote position with mandatory virtual biweekly team meetings. We anticipate inviting students to 1-2 team optional social events on campus over the summer. To facilitate effective collaboration and mentorship, the team will co-determine at least one scheduled weekly shift during which all members will be expected to work synchronously.

Application form

Application deadline: Wednesday, June 5, 2024, 9am