Project and faculty lead Arthur Lockhart, his team of student research assistants, and their partner at The Gatehouse have launched their project for the Centre for Transformative Social Change at Humber.
“The aim of the project is to dissolve boundaries and find ways to show how we’re all interconnected as it relates to social justice issues,” Lockhart said. “The Humber College students are creating their own organizations to deal with social justice issues like gender violence, racism, homophobia, and to see them do that – it’s magical.”
The project is looking to be a resource for student-run community agencies, with the team hoping to have a physical space for the centre as the final outcome.
Lockhart’s team of student research assistants crossed different programs, as the project was intended to unify the students based on their initiatives – not their areas of study.
“Seeing students who have come from our program – they’re going out there and making a change, and doing something that they felt was right,” said Skyler Davis, a research assistant from the Criminal Justice degree program.
“Networking is something I hadn’t really done before, and even just like different students here, that are in a different program than I am, but we go to the same school, we’re part of the same initiatives,” Stephanie Desrosiers, a student in the Bachelor of Child and Youth program, added.
Maria Barcelos, who is the Executive Director of The Gatehouse, has worked with Humber in the past and have established a positive working relationship. She praised the work that the students have done at Humber.
“When students get involved in social justice and trying to be more active and present and being a part of the change they want to see in the world I think that’s amazing,” Barcelos said.
Lockhart acknowledged that much of the project’s success is owed to Humber’s Applied Research & Innovation department, as they helped him and his team bring their project to life.
“Applied Research & Innovation has been phenomenal. Making something come to life from an idea to seen at real – that’s what the research department was doing,” Lockhart said. “Community-based agencies come together to collaborate and dream up things that they haven’t even thought of yet.”
Research team
Faculty: Arthur Lockhart
Students: Skyler Davis, Stephanie Desrosiers, Diane Rafacz, Heidi Sasek
Partner: The Gatehouse