Advancing Higher Education Civic and Community Engagement

6 Oct 2021

UCC Community Week is a moment to shine a light on the civic and community engagement activities that take place all year round across the whole University, locally, nationally and globally. Here is our picks for research, teaching and learning staff wanting to hear from peers and colleagues in Cork and further afield, to support their practice as community engaged professionals. In this year’s Community Week, many of the events showcase exemplary approaches and provide practical insights for how educators can become immersed in and strengthen their engaged research and learning practice.

The University in the Era of Climate Change and the Responsibility of the Civic University

Keynote from Prof Keri Facer, Professor of Educational and Social Futures, University of Bristol and Guest Professor in Education for Sustainable Development at Gothenburg University with Prof John O’Halloran, UCC President as discussant. Keri’s work is concerned with creating the conditions for ecologically sustainable and socially just futures and the role of education and informal learning in these processes. She has published widely on the relationship between education and environmental, technological and social change and in particular on long-term educational futures. In the context of the climate change emergency, Keri Facer will present a keynote paper will explore the role of universities in helping to create ecologically sustainable and socially just futures.

More info and register here.

Public and Patient Involvement in Research

The Patient Effect documentary tells the story of Public and Patient Involvement in Research – how tapping into the lived experience of patients, their families and carers, has the potential to hugely enhance the quality and relevance of health and medical research.

PPI Ignite @UCC and PPI Ignite @NUI Galway invite colleagues and community, voluntary and patient organizations to join this special screening followed by a Q&A with researchers and PPI contributors that featured in the documentary. 

More info and register here.

Smart Communities and the Role of Citizen Engagement

In partnership with Cork Smart Gateway, this virtual event that takes a look at Cork as a smart and sustainable region. It showcases innovative engaged research projects that are currently underway and explores how citizen engagement has played a key role in fostering positive change at a social, economic, and environmental level.

More info and register here.

 ‘Service-Learning Practice Insights' with Dr Seth Pollack, California State University Monterey

Service-Learning, also called Community Based Learning, is a novel way of developing democratic competencies through encouraging students to become active citizens and participants in society by linking the curriculum with hands on learning experiences delivered in partnership with community.

The esteemed Dr Seth Pollack from California State University Monterey Bay gives an introduction to best practice Service-Learning, and together with Kieran O'Connell, Social Inclusion Development Worker in Cork City Council shares practice insights on bringing this to life in Cork through the EU Erasmus UNICORN project.

More info and register here.

Involving Older People in Community Research

This workshop explores the involvement of older people in research during the pandemic.  It includes a presentation by UCC researchers and Age Action members on the IRC-funded project ‘Agency and Ageing in Place in Rural Ireland’. This project involves a collaboration with Age Action to explore the housing preferences of older people in rural Ireland and identify how to build capacity in rural communities to meet these preferences. The workshop will be followed by discussion on methods of involving older people in participatory and community-based research.

More info and register here.

Improving Services for LGBT+ People with Dementia

Dr Sinead Hynes, NUI Galway will give a talk on behalf of UCC LGBT+ Staff Network about her work on trying to improve services for older LGBT+ people suffering from dementia. Sinead's current research initiative 'Diversifying Dementia Service Delivery in Ireland', in partnership with the Alzheimers Society of Ireland, invites anyone aged 50 or older and who identifies as LGBTQIA+ to take part in their national survey to help improve healthcare for older LGTBQ+ people in Ireland.

More info and register here.

Working with Children and Young People Through Education

Celebrating the positive impact of educational research being conducted in Cork, with local school communities at primary and secondary school level, this event showcases three case study examples from the School of Education at UCC.  Educators and researchers from primary to third level are invited to come along to discover how PhD research connected with schools in Cork can support meaningful inclusive education and healthy living for children and young people.

More info and register here.

Reconnecting Communities: Healing, Recovery, and Looking to the Future

This online panel discussion looks at how engaged research emerging from partnerships between CACSSS (College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences) and community-based organisations working with children, young people and older adults plays an important role in helping us adapt to changes in the world around us.  Hosted by Prof. John McCarthy, Chair of ISS21 and panellists from engaged research partnerships with Young at Heart Group, Douglas; Giving Voice Through Music with Music Generation and Freedom of the City with Cork City Council.

More info and register here.

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Browse the full Community Week Programme here.