

On May 28, UBC Community Engagement invited Katie Crocker from AMSSA and Antje Ellermann, Sean Lauer, and Javier Ojer from CMS to share their reflections on the partnership between the two organizations.
AMSSA (Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Service Agencies of BC) is a province-wide association well-known as an umbrella organization for the BC immigration and settlement sector. Since 2018, CMS has partnered with AMSSA to develop research collaborations with local immigrant and refugee serving organizations.
The discussion highlighted how their partnership has grown over the years, from AMSSA holding the Community Representative seat on the CMS Executive Committee, to the creation of a unique dual-reporting role, the Engagement Strategist, who reports to both AMSSA and CMS. The collaboration also led to the first annual “Research Collaborations Day” co-organized last fall, an event that focused on Decolonization and Mutual Understanding between the sector and the academy.
In the May 28th session, CMS and AMSSA shared their experiences and offered advice to create meaningful and long-lasting partnerships with non-profits:
Invest time in relationship-building
“Go slow to go fast.” Take the time to get to know your partners and understand what they do and how they work so that, later, you can work efficiently together based on a strong mutual understanding.
Before you start, check the budget
Ensure you have an adequate budget to cover meals and compensate community partners equitably for their time and expertise. Don’t expect non-profit partners to work with you off the side of their desks. The best option is to add a multi-year or ongoing budget line for engagement in your funding proposal or operational budget.
Think about which partners have capacity
Don’t ask for time from front-line workers if there’s an organization that specializes in supporting those workers. Speak with them first.
Make it fun!













Photos by Oliver Mann