About | Centre for Global and Community Engagement

Our mission: The Centre for Global and Community Engagement promotes lifelong commitment to community engagement and social responsibility among all members of the uOttawa community. By integrating academics with meaningful volunteer service and community partnerships, the Centre supports students, faculty, staff and alumni while contributing to stronger communities, positive social change and a more engaged university locally, nationally and internationally.

Goals:

To offer an unparalleled university experience for our students
To leverage excellence and innovation by building closer links between the University and its community partners in Ottawa, Canada and around the world
To create and support sustainable and ethical community partnerships
To increase our presence on the international level

Organizational Structure

The Centre is supported by a group of dedicated individuals helping us fulfil our mandate. Two
committees are in place:

International Advisory Board: An advisory body guiding the Centre's business plan development and
fundraising efforts to ensure the Centre's long-term sustainability while fulfilling its mission of creating
global citizens and promoting positive social change

Advisory Committee: An advisory body to guide the development and growth of the Centre's
programs and services in accordance with the Centre's mission.

The Centre's journey

The Centre for Global and Community Engagement has evolved out of our desire to support social
change and the need to better train the next generation of leaders. Our goal is not simply to connect
volunteers from the University of Ottawa student body and extended family with communities that need
them—it is to create a sustainable, efficient model that will have both immediate and long-term
impacts. The Centre will be officially launched in fall 2011 in conjunction with the Vision 2020 strategic
plan. The creation of this Centre is an institutional priority. The Centre is in the process of developing its five-year business
plan. We hope within five years to be able to involve 5,000 students and have programs operating
extensively on the local, national and international levels.

As of winter 2011, the Centre had three programs in place:

Community Service Learning (CSL) program. Initiated in 2004, this program provides meaningful learning opportunities to University of Ottawa students by allowing them to contribute 30 hours of volunteer work in community projects or initiatives as part of their course curriculum. The program has grown exponentially. It benefited from a five-year grant from the J.W. McConnell Foundation. In 2010-2011 academic year, it boasted 157 courses with a CSL component and close to 1,800 registered students. The Centre wishes to expand the program, which continues to receive positive feedback from students, professors and Community Partners alike. Serious attention is now being given to improving our database and search engine for complementary volunteer opportunities in and outside the classroom for all students. New initiatives are being planned or initiated to engage our alumni, faculty, staff and students:

Staff Leave for Change program, through which four uOttawa administrative staff members are able to volunteer internationally for 2-4 weeks
Community Leadership Program features fellowships funded by the Pathy Family Foundation.

Publications

The first Annual Report is expected for the year 2011. To be released in Winter 2011
CGCE /CEMC The Volunteer (Newsletter). Published every three months, this newsletter provide updates on key initiatives. Subscribe here.
2010 CGCE Campus-Wide Student Consultation (PDF summary)