51社区黑料

312 Main Research Shop is a program within 51社区黑料CERi that facilitates collaboration between 51社区黑料graduate students and non-profit/community groups. It is focused on supporting research projects that provide plain-language answers to community-driven research questions at low or no cost to the community partner.

The False Creek Community Mapping Project is a collaborative initiative led by the False Creek Friends Society and Georgia Strait Alliance to develop an interactive, publicly accessible community map of False Creek.

The project seeks to bring together existing environmental, historical, hydrological, social, and civic data alongside community stories, lived experiences, and place-based knowledge. Through community engagement, the project will document climate impacts, memories, ecological change, histories of displacement and stewardship, community assets, and visions for more just climate futures in False Creek.

The map will be designed to be accessible, community-informed, and continuously expandable, with the goal of supporting climate resilience, public education, stewardship, and democratic participation in shaping the future of False Creek.

The Research Assistant will play a central role in supporting the design and delivery of the project鈥檚 community engagement strategy. Working closely with community partners and CERi staff, the RA will help coordinate and facilitate engagement activities that surface the social, cultural, historical, and equity dimensions of False Creek.

The position is especially suited for a graduate student interested in community-engaged research, climate justice, participatory mapping, urban sustainability, public storytelling, accessibility, and collaborative knowledge mobilization.

The RA will support the development of inclusive engagement processes that invite diverse forms of participation and prioritize lived experience, relationship-building, and ethical community collaboration.

Community Advisory Circle Coordination

• Support recruitment and coordination of a Community Advisory Circle composed of community members, Elders, equity-deserving groups, local organizations, and place-based knowledge holders

• Assist with meeting facilitation, agenda preparation, note-taking, and synthesis of key themes

• Help translate Advisory Circle guidance into research design and project planning

• Support relationship-building and communication with Advisory Circle members throughout the project lifecycle

Community Engagement & Mapping Activities

• Support the planning and facilitation of community mapping workshops and storytelling events

• Help design accessible and welcoming engagement formats that prioritize multiple ways of participating

• Assist with outreach, participant coordination, event logistics, and promotion

• Support the collection and organization of place-based stories, mapping insights, and community knowledge connected to specific locations in False Creek

• Help identify participants for deeper story collection and focused engagements

Focused Engagements & Story Collection

• Conduct or support one-on-one interviews and small-group conversations with community members

• Work with partners to engage underrepresented voices, including Elders, Indigenous community members, non-English speakers, renters, liveaboards, and people with accessibility barriers

• Support ethical participation practices, including consent processes and participant care

• Assist in documenting stories through written notes, audio recordings, photographs, or other multimedia formats where appropriate

Research, Synthesis & Knowledge Mobilization

• Assist with qualitative analysis and synthesis of engagement findings

• Help develop plain-language summaries, engagement reports, and 鈥淲hat We Heard鈥� style reflections

• Support the integration of community insights into the interactive mapping platform

• Contribute to accessible communication materials, presentations, and public-facing project outputs

Outreach & Communications

• Support project promotion through community outreach, social media, newsletters, posters, tabling, and partner networks

• Assist with engagement materials such as posters, facilitation guides, surveys, handouts, and online content

• Help maintain inclusive and relationship-based communication practices across all project activities

• Current 51社区黑料graduate student in Geography, Communications, Urban Studies, Resource and Environmental Management, SIAT, Public Policy, Environmental Studies, Community Planning, or a related field

• Experience with community-engaged, participatory, or qualitative research methods

• Interest in climate justice, urban sustainability, public engagement, accessibility, community organizing or community storytelling

• Strong facilitation, coordination, and interpersonal communication skills

• Experience working with nonprofit organizations, grassroots initiatives, or equity-deserving communities

• Ability to prepare accessible, plain-language materials for public audiences

• Strong organizational and project management skills

• Excellent communication skills, including experience preparing plain-language and accessible materials.

• Familiarity with engagement tools such as Canva, Miro, social media platforms, or survey platforms is an asset

• Experience supporting events, workshops, or community outreach activities is an asset

• Knowledge of False Creek, Vancouver community networks, or local environmental and social justice issues is an asset

• Hands-on experience in community-engaged and participatory research

• Experience designing and facilitating inclusive public engagement processes

• Mentorship from community organizations and CERi staff

• Opportunities to contribute to a high-profile climate resilience and public mapping initiative

• Experience with knowledge mobilization, community storytelling, and collaborative project development

• Connections with community leaders, nonprofit organizations, and urban climate resilience networks

Application link:

For more information about the application, contact: kiara_okonkwo@sfu.ca

For more information about False Creek Friends, contact: 

Mendel Skulski, mendel@falsecreekfriends.org

cc: Russell Elliott, russ@georgiastrait.org

• Candidates from equity seeking groups, including Black, Indigenous and racialized people, people facing accessibility barriers, and 2SLGBTQIA+ people and people from low-income backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply. 
• Application Deadline: The closing date for applications is June 15, 2025.