Projects
A Look through Diverse Lenses
Throughout the winter semester, Social Science and Humanities students enrolled in the Issues in Diversity course at Ontario Tech University developed equity audits for a variety of City of Oshawa locations, policies, programs, recruitment and communications. The class learned about the importance of applying diverse lenses when developing and implementing programs, initiatives and policies, in order to better understand different experiences and perspectives.
Student teams were asked to research an equity lens (from the perspective of race, gender, ability, age, language, etc.) and create an audit checklist of items City staff should consider to ensure inclusion and equitable access for all Oshawa residents. Students then used their equity audit tools to conduct their evaluations and make recommendations.
Assessment of the Innovation Climate at the City of Oshawa
In the spring of 2023, TeachingCity collaborated with Dr. Kevin Baker from Durham College to evaluate the City’s Innovation Climate. The premise was that innovation is more likely to fail when the creativity and innovativeness of employees are misaligned with their workplace’s innovation climate. Further, employees must feel psychologically safe before they will experiment and innovate. The study provided some insight into this alignment in the City of Oshawa based on four key variables: Employee Innovative Predispositions, Organizational Innovation Climate, Team Innovation Climate, and Psychological Safety.
The study invited staff across all City departments to complete a confidential online survey for an approximate two-month period. A total of 195 responses were received with respondents represented across all departments and position levels.
Sadly, Dr. Baker passed away in the fall of 2023, before the study could be fully analyzed. We share with you some of his early conclusions:
- Staff largely feel their unique skills and talents are valued and utilized in their department/work area.
- Providing opportunities through action and sentiment to internally recognize staff for corporate innovative achievements are encouraged.
- Maintaining environments where staff feel safe to explore and experiment new and trending innovative ways to achieve work goals are encouraged.
A project video summary was created to communicate to staff about the findings of the study.
Centennial Public Art Installation
Fine Art students from Durham College’s Community Collaborations course were invited to submit proposals for a temporary public art installation on the windows of the Mary Street Garage in downtown Oshawa to commemorate Oshawa’s Centennial. This visual celebration of Oshawa’s history asked students to consider activities, local landmarks and the local landscape as inspiration for their designs.
Durham College Fine Art students have previously contributed to public art displays throughout the city, including the mural at Civic Square, the windows of the Arts Resource Centre and installations at City recreation facilities.
This project provided an opportunity for local students to showcase their artistic talents and celebrates Oshawa’s 100+ Anniversary, while also contributing to revitalizing the city’s downtown urban centre.
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We thank the contributing artists:
Meghan Costello | Regent Theatre, Oshawa Centre Food Court
Courtney Defreitas | Lakeview Park
Ethan Gyongyossy | Industry’s Wheel
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Development of a Young Adult Content Creator Program
Students from Trent University Durham GTA’s Communications program worked with staff from the City’s Corporate Communications Branch to develop strategies to create and implement a potential new program for the City called Creators of Oshawa.
Over two semesters through the Interdisciplinary Studies Capstone course, students had two deliverables: the first focused on research, which included benchmarking, establishing a target audience, framework and goals for the program; the second deliverable focused on implementation and tasked students with developing an integrated marketing and communications plan to promote the program, encompassing strategies for targeted audiences, budget options and more.
City staff were impressed with the research, program ideas and implementation strategies the students developed and are determining how to move these recommendations forward. Stay tuned for updates!
Check out this student interview from Liv Brown about her experience working on this community engagement capstone project!
The goal of the capstone was to give students a chance to work on something with an outside partner to practice what it would be like if you were working in the field.
- Liv Brown
When students collaborate with community organizations, they can directly see how the theoretical concepts they work with at university are being applied in dynamic, real-world situations. Such collaborations play a critical role in bringing together theory and practice.
- Dr. Christopher Cwynar, Trent University Durham Communications professor
Dungeons, Dragons, and Neurodiversity
John Smith, a student from Trent University Durham G.T.A’s Department of Child and Youth Studies piloted a new Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) Club at the Oshawa Civic Recreation Complex. This unique programming provides neurodiverse youth with an opportunity to collaborate with their peers, socialize, and ’slay dragons’ to achieve collective goals. Opportunities such as these help foster meaningful friendships for neurodiverse youth in the Oshawa community. This collaboration between Trent Durham and the City’s Inclusion Services team within Recreation Services has been very successful. The program attracted youth from across Durham Region, leading to Trent Durham seeking further funding to support ongoing development and expansion of this program.
Congratulations to John for winning both the Audience Choice Award, and the Social JUST-ice prize at Trent University’s 10th Annual 3-Minute Paper competition. John’s talk highlighted the importance and benefits of Oshawa’s D&D Club. John was also invited to present to Oshawa City Council about the D&D Club and its important impact in our community on May 28.
Examining How Older Adults Have Been Affected by the Loss of Local Print Media
Health Science students from Ontario Tech University’s Perspectives in Aging course were challenged with researching how a lack of local print media is affecting access to information among older adults, many of whom depend on print and other traditional media as news sources.
Students were provided with priority neighbourhood data for areas with an increased senior population, as well as the City of Oshawa’s Age-Friendly Strategy, which offered insights into how older adults receive information. Students researched older adults’ use of communication and information technology, highlighting associated challenges and opportunities. They explored their neighbourhood, identifying challenges an older person living in that area might experience when trying to obtain information that could affect their health and well-being.
The class then created a series of infographic summaries that included recommendations the City could implement to ensure information about community programs and services is useful to older adults and supports their health and well-being.
Exploring Community Identity and Vibrancy in Downtown Oshawa
Criminology and justice researcher Dr. Tyler Frederick, Associate Professor, Faculty of Social Science and Humanities, Ontario Tech University, is applying his community development expertise in his research on community identity and vibrancy in downtown Oshawa. The project’s main activities include conducting a scan of popular community-building frameworks, holding key interviews with local leaders, and engaging with downtown groups and communities to understand their perspectives on building a sense of community and identity. The year-long project is assisted by matching funds from Mitacs and runs through November 2024. The student leads on the project are Carolina Gutierrez Cadavid and Maria Cashore, Criminology and Social Justice PhD students at Ontario Tech.
I enjoy working on this collaborative project with TeachingCity and Ontario Tech University. The collaborative partnerships between faculty, students, and TeachingCity have opened my eyes to the multitude of resources and supports that are available and can be used to develop opportunities for change and meaningful impact on our local community. – Carolina Gutierrez Cadavid
The time I have spent and the work I have contributed to this project have helped me become more familiar with Oshawa's downtown community, its areas of strength, and the possibilities for community improvement. I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with TeachingCity and Ontario Tech University to strengthen Oshawa’s downtown and hone in on the community-building aspect of the project. – Maria Cashore
Working with TeachingCity has been fantastic. The TeachingCity collaboration has helped us connect directly with City of Oshawa staff and downtown leaders who have been able to provide valuable insight and assistance. The project is also a valuable learning opportunity for the student leads, and they are gaining valuable experience into how to conduct collaborative, community-based research. I am very excited about the next phases of the project and know that the information we gather will have a valuable impact. – Dr. Tyler Frederick
Interactive Public Art Tour
A new interactive map developed through a collaboration with Durham College Media, Art & Design students and The Robert McLaughlin Gallery (The R.M.G.) highlights public art in Oshawa. The mobile-friendly map allows Oshawa residents and visitors to interact with six public art pieces in downtown Oshawa. At each artwork, community members can scan the featured QR code to read and/or listen to learn more about the artist and the art piece
The map also includes an augmented reality component for Group Portrait 1957, a sculpture created by Canadian novelist and visual artist Douglas Coupland that is installed on the exterior of The R.M.G. Art enthusiasts and community members can collect unique badges in the app while interacting with the artwork through the map. After collecting all six badges, community members can show the badges at The R.M.G. for a free prize.
Check out this Durham College spotlight video!
Investigating Youth Strategies
Trent University Durham G.T.A students from the Department of Child and Youth Studies helped the City’s Recreation Services Branch research and examine best practices and benchmark youth strategies.
Students analyzed the scope and depth of youth programming and services and made recommendations to enhance best practices with both long and short-term objectives. Students considered important characteristics and requirements for the delivery of successful recreation and leisure services by identifying strengths and gaps in the existing programs and services, and how to capture recommendations for future initiatives.
In groups, students then created sample surveys designed to collect data from youth to capture their voice for impact on youth-friendly programs, services and initiatives.
Pre-Service Education & Training: Improving the Health, Safety and Fitness for a Future Generation of Firefighters
Durham College and Oshawa Fire Services have been working in collaboration to enhance work integrated learning opportunities for students to experience real-life fire simulations while improving health, safety and fitness. The project’s primary focus has been on expanding program development, particularly conducting the Encapsulated Treadmill Test (E.T.T.) in collaboration with Ontario Fire Administration Inc.
The project provided future firefighter applicants exposure to candidate testing requirements and specific exercise training programs, enhancing their readiness for the application process.
Durham College students improved their understanding of health and wellness requirements within the fire service. They also enhanced readiness of future firefighters and fitness professionals and confirmed their contribution to long-term health and performance optimization for firefighters.
The collaborative efforts of TeachingCity, Durham College, and Ontario Fire Administration, Inc. have significantly contributed to the advancement of firefighter pre-service education and training. The project’s outcomes underscore the importance of integrating real-life simulations and tailored exercise programs to enhance the health, safety, and fitness of future generations of firefighters. Durham College looks forward to continued collaboration and refinement of training protocols to further optimize the readiness and performance of firefighters, ensuring the long-term well-being of both current and future members of the fire service.
Positive Space Initiative - Research and Recommendations
In the winter of 2023, Emma Griffin, a student in Ontario Tech University’s Faculty of Social Science and Humanities, provided the City of Oshawa’s Diversity, Equity and Reconciliation team with research and recommendations to help support the City’s implementation of a positive space initiative.
With Oshawa becoming increasingly diverse, it is imperative for the City to have the appropriate policies and practices in place to ensure it offers a welcoming and accepting environment. One way to incorporate these practices and polices is through the Positive Spaces Initiative started by the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (O.C.A.S.I.). Positive spaces are inclusive, accepting, affirming and safe locations where members of the 2.S.L.G.B.T.Q+ community can access the supports and resources they need. The creation and maintenance of a positive space is a collective effort to make sure 2.S.L.G.B.T.Q+ staff and customers feel seen, heard, supported, free from discrimination, and have the same level of access to resources and information as their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts.
After researching through peer-reviewed articles, conducting a jurisdictional scan, and connecting with 2.S.L.G.B.T.Q+ charities and organizations, Emma provided City staff with locally driven recommendations specific to City physical spaces, workplace culture, supports, resources, and staff competency training.
Student Spotlight: Maria Nikoviotis
Maria Nikoviotis, a Durham College Office Administration Executive Program student, was very keen in attaining a placement opportunity at The City of Oshawa and landed herself in the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer (C.A.O.). In her role, Maria provided support across a range of administrative functions. She was responsible for managing schedules, coordinating meetings, and facilitating communication both within the office and with external stakeholders. In addition to these responsibilities, Maria also assisted with various tasks, including placing supply orders to ensure office efficiency, aiding in document creation to support organizational needs, tracking invite lists for events such as the Official 100+ Anniversary Celebration, and preparing work orders to facilitate smooth workflow processes. Through her contributions, Maria gained practical experience and actively participated in the day-to-day operations of the C.A.O.'s office, enhancing her understanding of municipal administration and developing valuable professional skills.
Looking back on my time with the City of Oshawa fills me with so much gratitude! I've been extremely fortunate to learn from incredible individuals who generously shared their knowledge and embraced me as part of the team. Their guidance and support have been invaluable, shaping both my professional growth and personal development. I'm deeply thankful for the opportunity to have been part of such an inspiring community, and I'll carry the lessons learned and memories cherished with me forever. – Maria Nikoviotis
Trailblazing Women of Oshawa Story Maps
In honour of International Women’s Day and the celebration of Oshawa’s Centennial, Durham College Journalism students created a series of story maps spotlighting Oshawa’s trailblazing women - both past and present. Using a list of suggested women trailblazers, students selected individuals to research and interview in order to write articles and eventually develop visual story maps for each selected woman.
Throughout the month of March, the 17 influential women were showcased on social media, highlighting how the trailblazing women contributed to the growth and prosperity of the Oshawa community. This project was also featured as a component of the City’s Official 100+ Anniversary Celebration that took place on March 8, which also fell on International Women’s Day. Informational postcards were provided to all attendees.
To read the collection of student story maps, check out the Featured Project page.
Updating the Inclusive Language Guide
Darcy Andrews, a Political Science and Public Policy student at Ontario Tech University, spent her final semester applying the knowledge she gained in the classroom toward a collaboration with the City’s Diversity, Equity and Reconciliation team. Darcy’s focus was on researching and updating the City’s Inclusive Language Guide, which was previously developed in 2018.
Darcy researched and proposed revisions to the guide, while also receiving feedback and guidance from her City supervisors throughout the process. The updated guide incorporates new elements of inclusion; it remains a living document that will be updated when necessary to reflect and honour language changes related to equity, diversity, inclusion, accessibility, decolonization, and Indigenization.
TeachingCity provided me with insight as to how municipal government works. I was also able to understand how my technical knowledge can be applied in non-academic environments. I was a part of the processes I had spent my academic life reading about. I will be attending Ontario Tech’s Master of Arts in Social Practice and Innovation Graduate program in Fall 2024. I want to do more research into equity policy, and my experience with TeachingCity has made me even more excited for it. – Darcy Andrews
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Virtual Reality Simulation for Fire Services Training
The research team at Durham College is currently in the process of finalizing a Virtual Reality (VR) prototype to facilitate training and testing of firefighters in collapsed and enclosed spaces. They are working with the Mixed Reality Capture studio to insert new assets and incorporate new technology. Once in place, the research team will conduct physiological data collection with the VR simulation in Ontario Tech University’s Automotive Centre of Excellence (ACE) facility.