Changemakers Certificate

The Changemakers Certificate will give you an opportunity to explore social change, critique current power structures and systems, and learn how to use practical tools to engage in changemaking in ways that are personally meaningful. Combining workshops, on the ground experience and reflective learning, this Certificate will help you define your own changemaking style and prepare you to get active in the community.

In addition, you will:

• connect with likeminded peers,
• participate in lively discussions about social issues,
• build your Co-curricular Record.

With a flexible schedule and hybrid format, there are many opportunities for you to get involved!

Open to all U of T students at the St. George campus.

Please email questions to Janet Fitzsimmons, Coordinator, Co-curricular Learning at janet.fitzsimmons@utoronto.ca.

How to complete the Changemakers Certificate

The Changemakers Certificate has three components:

1. Workshops
2. Experience
3. Reflection

Workshops

Complete 4 out of 5 workshops:

• When Engagement Becomes Activism
• Understanding Government Systems
• Systemic Leverage: Using the Tools of the System for Change
• Grassroots Dynamism: How Movements Move
• Scaling Your Impact: Local and Global
• Building Influence: Systems Change from Within

Register for upcoming workshops on Folio:

Fall 2024

• Scaling Your Impact: Local Actions, Global Impact (Online) on Thursday, November 28, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
• Grassroots Dynamism: How Movements Move (Online) on Saturday, November 30, 9 – 11 a.m.

Winter 2025

• When Engagement Becomes Activism (In-person) on Saturday, January 18, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
• Understanding Government Systems (In-person) on Saturday, January 18, 1 – 3 p.m.
• When Engagement Becomes Activism (Online) on Thursday, January 23, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
• Building Influence: Systems Change from Within (In-person) on Monday, January 27, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
• Understanding Government Systems (Online) on Friday, January 31, 9 – 11 a.m.
• Scaling Your Impact: Local Actions, Global Results (In-person) on Saturday, February 8, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
• Grassroots Dynamism: How Movements Move (In-person) on Saturday, February 8, 1 – 3 p.m.
• Building Influence: Systems Change from Within (Online) on Friday, February 14, 1 – 3 p.m.
• Scaling Your Impact: Local Actions, Global Results (Online) on Saturday, February 22, 9 – 11 a.m.
• Grassroots Dynamism: How Movements Move (Online) on Saturday, February 22, 1 – 3 p.m.

Experience

Complete one of the following experiential activities:

• Attend a self-chosen social change activity (e.g., Every Child Matters rally), and identify two changemaking tactics being used.
• Engage with peers to create an opportunity for the student community to learn about a social issue (e.g., you could organize through an existing student group or by outreaching through existing channels).
• Organize a cohort meeting for those working toward the Certificate to share ideas and experience in changemaking.
• Attend a Social Action Pop-Up event hosted by the Centre for Community Partnerships.

After completing their experiential activity, students must post photos or narrative reflections of their experiences on the Quercus page.

Reflection

Participate in one of the following reflection activities:

• One in-person Story Gathering event (either the fall or winter terms)
• Online questionnaire