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Tips for Community Partners

How do I find a partner at the university?

If your position is paid, then contact Co-operative Education

  • The following programs offer Co-operative Education Work Terms:
  • Accounting
  • Criminology
  • Entrepreneurial Leadership
  • Environmental Protection Technology
  • Human Resources Management
  • Information Technology
  • Marketing Management

If your position is health-related, then consider posting on HSPNet. For organizations who don't have access to HSPNet, please contact HSPNet at: bj.gdanski@phsa.ca

The Faculty of Health has programs that are implemented in hospitals, clinics, community agencies and homes. Whether your profession will involve preventative medicine, long-term care, recreation and social support or building healthy communities, our learning environment provides an exceptional, hands-on education.

The following are some key programs in the Faculty of Health:

  • Acupuncture Diploma Program
  • Health Foundations Certificate Program
  • Health Unit Coordinator: Certificate
  • Health Care Assistant: Certificate
  • Nursing: Bachelor of Psychiatric Nursing
  • Nursing: Bachelor of Science in Nursing
  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing Advanced Entry
  • Nursing: Graduate Nurse Internationally-Educated Re-entry Certificate

For anything else, feel free to contact instructors directly, or experiential@kpu.ca.

See an archived list of instructors who often offer service learning courses.

See a list of intensive service learning courses & Practicum courses.  Find a course offered in the right term which seems like it might apply.  Search semester-based courses on KPU Timetables to find the instructor associated with the course. Search the Instructor name under People on the KPU main webpage and contact the instructor directly, to see if they are interested in a possible project for their upcoming course.  Courses are typically listed on the Timetable page 2.5 months ahead of time.  And, you can also search Archived courses to see who taught it the past year, as it’s often the same instructor.

How do I know which course or program might be a good fit?

Both faculty members and community partners often assume that the partner should come from an obviously aligned organization (i.e. addictions organization with Psychology faculty).  However, oftentimes, the most useful collaborations can come from unexpected partnering.

How do I post a Volunteer Opportunity (not tied to credit-based instruction)?

When should I contact instructors?

Typically, aim to contact instructors at least 1-2 months before the start of the term.

  • Fall (September-December)
  • Spring (January-April)
  • Summer (May-August)
  Jun Jul Sep Oct Nov Dec
Fall Consider Requirements & Course Presentation Find Partners Introductions & Project Work Agreements Maintain Relationships & Observe Learning Cycle Evaluations & Wrap-up Thank-you's & Follow-up with Partners
  Nov Jan Feb Mar Apr
Spring

Find Partners

Consider Requirements & Course Presentation

 Introductions & Project Work Agreements Maintain Relationships & Observe Learning Cycle Evaluations & Wrap-up Thank-you's & Follow-up with Partners
  Mar Apr May Jun Jul
Summer

Find Partners

Consider Requirements & Course Presentation

 Introductions & Project Work Agreements Maintain Relationships & Observe Learning Cycle Evaluations & Wrap-up Thank-you's & Follow-up with Partners

My project cannot fit within semester timelines. What should I do?

Frequently, community partners might have difficulty aligning their projects with the term-based structure of university courses (see Timelines).  There are ways to continue a project after a term is over.  At times, instructors can informally organize with one another, or stagger across their own courses, to make sure the project can extend past the three-month mark.  For example, you could start the project with the Sociology course in the Fall, and then have the instructors organize to switch it over to the NGO course in the Spring.  Below is a list of some of the intensive service learning courses, which could be coordinated to ensure a year-long, or multiple-term experience. 

Feel free to contact instructors directly, or experiential@kpuc.ca.

If you are interested in a service learning course, for credit, then see a list of intensive Service Learning Courses & Practicum courses, or see an archived list of instructors who often offer service learning courses.

Intensive service learning courses & Practicum courses:

How can I showcase my connection to KPU or celebrate the successes we have had in our projects?

We are working on a number of ways to highlight broader community-university partnerships.  See below for a Community Map, which we are using to start mapping the relationships.  If you would like to be included on the map, please email: experiential@kpu.ca.

Also, we are starting to document the great effects of long-term partnerships. For an example, see Stories of Impact.  Contact the instructor that you have worked with to see if you can brainstorm your own Stories of Impact infographic.

Community Map