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This year’s t heme\, More than Papers: Resea rch Collaborations as Community Practice\, presents an opportunity to assess the ways in which we colla borate with each other and to bring university-community principles into ac tion.
Drawing from discussions about the safety of undocumented migrants in research projects\, examples of how data can impro ve program delivery\, ideas for using evaluation beyond reporting\, and pra ctical ways to decolonize migration research\, participants will engage in dialogues and hands-on workshops that will provide tools to move from refle ction and theory into action.
[buttons][button link_text="Register" link_url= "https://migration.ubc.ca/cms-sector-research-collaborations-day-2025-regis tration-form/"][/buttons]
[accordions collapsible=true active=false][acc ordion title="Description"]This panel brings together community\, clinical\ , and academic perspectives on undocumented migration\, connecting local re alities in British Columbia with broader global pathways. Panelists will sh are their experiences and insights on the challenges faced by undocumented people\, and on the responses developed through advocacy\, health care\, an d research.
The panelists will share insights from the Sanctuary City /Access Without Fear movement and grassroots advocacy for undocumented comm unities\; experiences from clinical service delivery to undocumented people in Vancouver’s Lower mainland in addressing barriers and care strategies\; and how to design and approach research related to undocumented and out-of -status migrants in Canada coming from diverse global pathways.
The d iscussion will also reflect on the critical ethical aspects around recurrin g questions—e.g.\, “How many undocumented migrants are there in BC/Canada?” —with an emphasis on the safety considerations involved in conducting commu nity-based research with undocumented populations.[/accordion][/accordions]
10:45 AM | Break
1 2:00 PM | Lunch Break
[accordions collapsible=true active=false][accordion t itle="Description"]CMS will present an update on the development of the new ‘Engagement in Practice’ webpage\, a platform to bring CMS affiliates and community organizations together to move research collaborations from the u nderstanding of principles and guidelines into actual practice. The site wi ll feature tools and information on 4 critical areas: Mutual Understanding\ , Research Connections\, Capacity Building\, and Funding Information.[/acco rdion][/accordions]
Norm Leech - Executive Director of the Frog Hollow Neighbourho od House
[accordions collapsible=true active=false][accordion title=" Description"]This session will explore how migration research can either re -create colonial harm or contribute to healing. Participants will examine r eal or planned research projects through guiding questions\, such as: Who a sks the questions? Who legitimizes the knowledge? Who benefits and who is h armed? Together\, we will identify concrete actions to embed decolonizing p ractices into migration research projects\, with emphasis on accountability \, positionality\, and moving from intention to implementation.
Atlanta Marina-Grant - Community Engagement Speci alist and Decolonial Practitioner
[accordions collapsible=true active =false][accordion title="Description"]Decolonizing research also involves p rocesses of organizational self-transformation within the institutions that fund\, govern\, host\, and implement it. This workshop provides a hands-on demonstration of how organizations can move beyond fragmented individual e fforts and intentions toward a unified decolonial practice. Participants wi ll examine power structures and practices that sustain colonial dynamics an d work with tools for collective reflection and action. Central to the sess ion is the guiding question: What does decolonization require from our o rganization\, given our positionality? Practical strategies for structu ral change\, accountability\, and building genuine relationships — both int ernally and with Indigenous and migrant communities — will be shared.
Best suited for: People directly involved in organization al governance: those holding positions of authority and decision-making. Al so for staff roles seeking to lead or deepen organizational decolonization. This includes:
Shan Hongxia - Professor a nd Deputy Head in the Faculty of Education\, UBC Educational Studies\, and Naomi Maldonado-Rodri guez - PhD Candidate in the Faculty of Education\, UBC School of Kinesiolog y
[accordions collapsible=true active=false][accordion title="Description"]
Evaluation is more th an a requirement for funding or an academic exercise\; it's a dynamic\, rea l-world process that shapes and is shaped by the people\, relationships\, a nd systems involved. When done thoughtfully\, evaluation becomes a powerful tool for navigating complexity\, enhancing partnerships\, and improving bo th research projects and settlement programs. This workshop will explore evaluation as a practical\, political\, and relational process in which accountabilit y is key. Together\, we’ll move beyond seeing evaluation as just a reportin g mechanism and explore its potential to support continuous learning\, prog ram improvement\, more equitable community-university collaborations and be nefits for the people impacted by research and programs.
We encourage you to bring a project you’re currently working on\, or imagine one\, to use duri ng the activities (a community research project\, a program for newcomers\, or any initiative involving collaboration and impact).
[accordions collapsible=true active=false]
[accordion title="Undocumented Migrat ion: Purpose and Impact of Data in the Lives of Migrants"]
Ingrid Méndez<
/strong> is the Executive Director of the Migrant Workers Centre. Origi
nally from Guatemala—the Place of Many Trees—she brings decades of experien
ce in grassroots community development and social justice advocacy. She pre
viously served as Executive Director of Watari Counselling and Support Serv
ices and has long been active with the Sanctuary Health Collective\, advanc
ing the rights of migrant communities in the Lower Mainland.
Dr. Mei-ling Wiedmeyer is a family physician and Clinical Assistant Professor in UBC’s Department of Family Practice. She provides primary care to refugees\, immigrants\, a nd migrants at the Umbrella Multicultural Health Co-op\, which uses a team- based model with Cross Cultural Health Brokers. She co-leads the Evaluating Inequities in Refugee & Immigrants’ Health Access (IRIS) Project\, a commu nity-based study examining healthcare access for refugees and im/migrants i n British Columbia.
Dr. Caitlyn Yates is
a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at CMS. She is migration researcher and pol
icy expert specializing in Latin America and the Caribbean. Her work focuse
s on mobility\, transit\, border enforcement\, and Western Hemispheric migr
ation policy. Her current book project\, Undeportable\, explores the journe
ys of migrants from Africa and Asia who travel through Latin America en rou
te to Canada and the United States.[/accordion]
[accordion title="Bri dging Divides Meets Community: Data Dialogues"]
Mothers Matter Canada (MMC) supports partner organizations in implementing the HIPPY and SMART p rograms for refugee\, immigrant\, and Indigenous mothers. These programs ch art pathways to inclusion by building confidence\, capacity\, and community connections of isolated and often low-income mothers and their children. T his presentation highlights three themes: a) what kinds of data are most us eful for service-providing organizations\, b) how MMC analyzes and applies this data to improve programs\, and c) why evidence-based approaches are ce ntral to delivering human-centred and culturally responsive services. The p resentation will share what data that drives program impact and lasting cha nge for families should look like.
Yu
sra Qadir is Chief Programs and Advocacy Officer at Mothers Matter Canada (MMC). She holds Ma
sters degrees in Sociology and Human Rights Practice and brings senior-leve
l expertise in gender equality\, human rights\, and socio-economic inclusio
n. She has supported forcibly displaced communities in Asia\, Africa\, and
South America through her work at the United Nations and at other internati
onal NGOs\, embedding gender equity in humanitarian and development program
s. At MMC\, she oversees programming for 40+ organizations delivering the H
IPPY and SMART programs to refugee\, immigrant\, and Indigenous mothers acr
oss Canada. She also spearheads a social innovation lab that experiments wi
th evidence-based and community-led approaches to scale human-centred\, cul
turally responsive service delivery models across Canada.
The C OVID-19 pandemic brought societal transformations\, including an increase i n platform-based jobs\, creating new challenges and opportunities for immig rant workers. My project explores how the transformation of workplaces is s haping immigrants’ experiences of economic and social inclusion in Canadian society. We completed interviews with 50 immigrant workers employed in for ms of gig and/or remote/hybrid work. Findings address 3 key themes reflecti ng participants’ 1) perceived shifting value of their work within the econo my\, 2) experience of (in)flexibility and (im)balance across their occupati ons\, including the “re-bordering” of their home and work spaces\, and 3) s ense of isolation impacting their socialization and belonging.
Dr. Suzanne Huot is an Associate Professor in the Department
of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy at UBC. My research prima
rily explores migrants’ experiences in Canada at the local scale through co
mmunity-engaged research. I primarily focus on the implications of Francoph
one immigration policies for French-speaking communities outside of Quebec.
My work aims to enhance the inclusivity of community spaces for newcomers.
Declining mental health among youth since the COVID-19 pandemi c has been a concern\, but is it getting similarly worse or better for migr ant adolescents? This presentation will explore trends in several mental he alth indicators among migrant boys and girls in BC over the past 20 years\, identifying areas of improvement and where gaps persist compared to peers born in Canada. Findings include trends in self-rated mental health\, extre me stress and hopelessness\, as well as past-year health behaviours such as self-harm\, suicidal thoughts and attempts. We will also share insights an d recommendations from a youth advisor to improve mental health.
Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc is the Direc
tor of the Stigma and Resilience Among Vulnerable Youth Centre\, a multidis
ciplinary research hub with national and global collaborations. Her researc
h examines how stigma\, violence\, and trauma affect marginalized youth and
what factors promote resilience and health equity. She focuses on 2SLGBTQ+
\, Indigenous\, racialized\, homeless\, and migrant youth\, including those
experiencing government care or sexual exploitation. As part of the Bridgi
ng Divides collaboration\, her team also studies how digital technologies c
an support migrant health and well-being.[/accordion]
[accordion titl e="CMS “Engagement in Practice” Webpage Presentation"]
Javier O
jer is an immigrant settler of Basque ethnicity with a Spanish
colonial background\, among other privileges. As the Engagement Strategist
at the UBC Centre for Migration Studies\, he focuses on building relations
hips and initiatives that address the intersections and contradictions of s
ettlement and decolonization. His interests include inquiring about and loo
king at appropriate roles of settler-colonial individuals and institutions
in relation to unceded territories\, the land itself\, and the experiences
of Indigenous Peoples and Nations with ongoing colonialism. He supports CMS
’s efforts to create inclusive research spaces that integrate diverse tools
and methodologies—such as art and storytelling—as legitimate ways of produ
cing\, validating and mobilizing knowledge.[/accordion]
[accordion ti tle="Workshop 1: Research as Healing or Harm: Decolonizing Research Practic e"]
Norm Leech is a member of the T’
it’q’et community of the St’at’imc Nation. He is the Executive Director of
Frog Hollow Neighbourhood House
in East Vancouver. He speaks widely on intergenerational trauma from colon
ization and draws on his experiences as a recovering addict\, survivor\, an
d spiritual explorer to guide his leadership and community work.[/accordion
]
[accordion title="Workshop 2: Research as Healing or Harm: Decoloni zing Organizational Practice"]
Atlan
ta-Marina Grant is a Community Engagement Specialist and Decolonia
l Practitioner who graduated from the Institute of Resources\, Environment\
, and Sustainability at UBC. Her research and professional work have focuse
d on what safe decolonized collaborative spaces between non-Indigenous and
Indigenous peoples can look like.[/accordion]
[accordion title="Works hop 3: Beyond Reporting: Community-Focused Evaluation"]
Dr. H
ongxia Shan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Edu
cational Studies at UBC. She studies changing work and learning practices i
n the context of immigration\, globalization\, and transnationalism. Her re
search spans work and learning\, knowledge translation\, lifelong learning\
, organizational learning\, diversity\, and migration. She employs methods
that include community-based participatory research\, institutional ethnogr
aphy\, life histories\, situational analysis\, and mixed-methods approaches
.
Naomi Maldonado-Rodriguez is a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Education\, School of Kinesiolog
y. Her doctoral research examines how migrant women living with HIV access
and navigate healthcare systems\, focusing on how sociopolitical contexts\,
institutions\, and power relations shape their experiences. More broadly\,
her work examines the intersection of health practices and concepts of wel
l-being with race\, gender\, and migration\, particularly in contexts of fo
rced migration.[/accordion][/accordions]
Co-organizers
Sponsor< /strong>
