Advancing University-Community Engagement — with Magda Goemans

In community engagement, values of relationship-building, trust, understanding, and care are paramount—which means listening and learning on both sides. In this episode of Below the Radar, host Am Johal is joined by Magda Goemans, manager of Community Campus Engage Canada. Together, they discuss her almost decade-long journey in the field of community engagement, the priorities of their practice, and plans they hold for the future. Magda describes Community Campus Engage Canada as a network or "community of practice" for individuals and organizations interested in campus-community partnership, that prioritizes community-driven work, such as making space and uplifting the voices of their community partners. Magda also discusses some of the key issues in community engagement today, such as the current societal polarizations brought forth by the pandemic, as well as the specifics of community engagement in Canada—its history, the definitions it's had over the years, and priorities around language and active decolonization. Full episode details: https://www.sfu.ca/vancity-office-community-engagement/below-the-radar-podcast/episodes/174-magda-goemans.html Read the transcript: https://www.sfu.ca/vancity-office-community-engagement/below-the-radar-podcast/transcripts/174-magda-goemans.html Resources: Community Campus Engage Canada (CCEC): https://ccecanada.ca/ Community First: Impacts of Community Engagement: https://carleton.ca/communityfirst/ Bio: As a sustainability researcher and project manager, Magda is dedicated to assisting communities in their efforts toward positive environmental and social change. She aims to really get at the heart of issues and propose meaningful ways forward. Magda actively supports the growth of knowledge-sharing communities within Community Campus Engage Canada, and oversees operations, research and communications. Prior to joining CCEC, Magda provided extensive research and evaluation support to a multi-year pan-Canadian project titled ‘Community First: Impacts of Community Engagement’ (CFICE), which explored community-driven community-campus partnerships. During the initial demonstration project phase of CFICE, she also provided direct assistance to a neighbourhood organization (Sustainable Living Ottawa East) over a period of three years. Magda’s focus on community draws from experience in sustainability research consulting, where she has assisted individuals and organizations in building positive social and environmental change at neighbourhood scales. In 2019 she completed PhD research on household-scale climate change adaptation activities in urban areas in Canada. Magda is continually inspired by the optimism, compassion and inventiveness that are applied to environmental and social challenges in communities. When away from her work she enjoys seeking out hiking, biking or cross-country skiing adventures, or thinking up art projects and learning new things with her daughters. Cite this Episode: Chicago Style Johal, Am. “Advancing University-Community Engagement — with Magda Goemans” Below the Radar, SFU’s Vancity Office of Community Engagement. Podcast audio, May 24, 2022. https://www.sfu.ca/vancity-office-community-engagement/below-the-radar-podcast/episodes/174-magda-goemans.html.