Community Partners

Since 2003, more than one hundred community organizations of all types and sizes have partnered with the CSL Program. Community partners find that they gain motivated volunteers who contribute to their organizations, connections to the university, and the opportunity to co-educate and mentor students regarding community concerns.

The CSL Program works with you to decide if CSL is right for you and your organization, and provides a variety of services and supports:

  • background information and material on CSL to help you get started;
  • modest grants to enable the development of innovative CSL projects;
  • resources and training for planning a CSL project;
  • ‘matching’ community projects and academic courses to best meet mutual objectives; 
  • liaising with you to manage details and logistics of student placements;
  • ongoing support throughout the semester in the form of resources, training, self-evaluation tools, and generally responding to questions and concerns.

Integrating CSL into your organization takes some planning and preparation. Interested community partners are encouraged to contact the CSL Program at least six months prior to the start of the term in which they hope to adopt CSL in a course.  

To ensure that your project is considered for the upcoming Fall/Winter term, we recommend that all Community Partners indicate their intention to participate in CSL by May 30th/October 10th respectively by accessing the NEW CSL portal. However, project ideas are accepted on an ongoing basis.

The new CSL database portal will house all of your CSL project information and make submitting intention forms easier.

To get started, check out our Guidebook, and/or contact our Partnership Coordinators: Lynn Sutankayo (780.492.7422) or Erin Kelly (780.492.1723).

Please also note that your organization can apply to host a student as an intern on your board for a full academic year. Students in the Non-Profit Board Student Internship Program attend board meetings, work on projects with their host boards, and participate in a series of workshops designed to explore key practices of non-profit boards. To apply, contact Jill Flaman (780.492.2037).

The CSL Program shares an umbrella partnership with the Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations.