FACULTY: CEL teaching support services

CCP staff can assist you with CEL course design, informed by their experiences in the field, recent scholarship and existing best practices.

Please contact Shannon Black at shan.black@utoronto.ca to book a one-on-one consultation.

We offer an orientation presentation from the CCP's Academic Initiatives team for your CEL students. This presentation covers the key principles of community-engaged learning, standards of professionalism and confidentiality for students engaging in CEL, considerations for health and safety, and an overview of the paperwork required of students. We can customize the orientation to address topics relevant to your course.

To request an orientation for your course, please contact Rebs Lee at rebeccav.lee@utoronto.ca.

We offer a student handbook for engaging in CEL courses.

This handbook covers:

• information about CEL as a pedagogy and practice
• an overview of reflection as it pertains to CEL
• roles and responsibilities of students, instructors, community partners and the CCP
• tips for engaging with community partners
• information on policies and procedures

We offer small grants to support instructors teaching community-engaged learning (CEL) courses at the University of Toronto. This funding can be used for CEL courses to support innovation, recognize community partner engagement and address barriers to student participation.

At the CCP, a CEL course has four characteristics:

1. It takes place in partnership with a community, and/or grassroots, nonprofit or public organizations.
2. It responds to community-defined priorities.
3. It is reciprocal so that both community partners and students benefit from the engagement.
4. It asks students to undertake reflection that connects their community engagement to the learning outcomes of the initiative.

Eligibility, application & selection processes

The 2022-2023 CEL Course Fund opens on August 4, 2022 and must be for an initiative that takes place before April 30, 2023. Funding is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. CEL course instructors may apply for funding up to a maximum of $500 per CEL course. Applications are assessed twice annually.

This year’s application deadlines are September 12, 2022 and January 9, 2023.

To be considered for funding, applicants must complete a short application. We will respond within one month of receiving your application.

Funding can be used for:

Developing innovations in CEL courses

• Developing resources for a course (e.g., creating a new online module or other learning asset).
• Supporting faculty, students or community partners who attend or present at conferences related to CEL.
• Covering costs associated with TA and/or RA support hours.
• Hosting a talk or conference related to CEL.

Recognizing community partner engagement*

• Providing honoraria for guest speakers from external communities and community organizations
• Hosting a community partner meal as part of a CEL class
• Providing honoraria or a meal for community partners who consult on course development
• Providing honoraria for community partner attendance at events related to course
• Services provided by Indigenous Traditional Teachers

*Applications to support funding for under-resourced grassroots or volunteer-run community organizations will be prioritized.

Addressing barriers to student participation

• Reimbursing student transit, entrance fees or other costs for CEL-related field trips (e.g., tour of a community partner’s space).
• Covering costs associated with student projects (e.g., printing costs).

If a grant is awarded, funds will be transferred to your department. You will then liaise with your department's business officer regarding expense reimbursements and payments to community partners.

Complete the CEL Course Fund 2022/2023 form to apply.

Questions? Please email Shannon Black, Coordinator, Academic Initiatives at shan.black@utoronto.ca