Articles by author: Brock University

• National town and gown conference coming to Brock

  Wednesday, May 29, 2019 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE: 29 May 2019 R00091

  Officials from municipalities and post-secondary institutions across the country will come together at Brock next week to discuss ways to strengthen the bonds that exist in their respective communities.

  Hosted by the Town and Gown Association of Ontario (TGAO) in partnership with Brock University, Niagara College, the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake and the cities of Thorold, St. Catharines and Welland, the Building Bridges 2019 conference will welcome more than 60 town and gown representatives to Brock’s main campus from Monday, June 3 to Thursday, June 6.

  Town and gown committees bring together municipalities and post-secondary institutions to develop and grow relationships, policies and communications between administrators, students, the community and other organizations.

  Conference co-organizer Tanya Bradley, Brock’s Manager of Student and Community Experience, said Building Bridges will allow town and gown officials to further their expertise.

  “Participants will learn more about current issues and opportunities impacting campus and community relations,” she said. “Conference attendees will take away significant learnings they can apply to their respective areas.”

  The conference has a dual focus that allows teams to swap notes and best practices with others in similar roles across Canada, said Brock’s Director of Student Life and Community Experience Brad Clarke, who is a TGAO board member, and a member of several of Niagara’s town and gown committees.

  “This conference is intended to focus both on the ground-level neighbourhood relations-style issues we work with regularly, as well as higher-level issues that speak to city-building and dynamic partnerships between municipalities and the post-secondary institutions they host,” he said.

  Clarke said the annual Building Bridges conference provides regular updates in an ever-changing field.

  “While we continually make progress, the issues are also constantly evolving and we need to maintain ongoing dialogue to ensure best practices and open communication,” he said.

  Topics to be discussed include supporting students living off-campus, studentification of neighbourhoods, active and alternative transportation in near-campus communities, and institutional responses to off-campus misconduct.

  Further information about the conference and registration details a can be found on the Building Bridges website.

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:

  * Dan Dakin, Manager Communications and Media Relations, Brock University ddakin@brocku.ca, 905-688-5550 x5353 or 905-347-1970

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  Categories: Media releases

• Collaborative partnership means more help for those who need it most in St. Catharines and Thorold

  Tuesday, May 28, 2019 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE: 28 May 2019 – R00090

  Each year, dozens of Brock University faculty, staff and students volunteer their time to help with one of the many services offered by Community Care, St. Catharines and Thorold.

  The collaborative partnership between Brock and Community Care was formalized today, Tuesday, May 28, with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding at the community organization’s St. Catharines headquarters.

  It will further strengthen an alliance between Community Care, which has been serving St. Catharines and Thorold for 100 years, and Brock, a local institution for more than half a century.

  While many Brock students and staff volunteer at Community Care sites on an ongoing basis, students have also been involved in their own dedicated projects in support of the organization. The annual Trick or Eat Campaign involves students collecting canned goods each Halloween, while the 5 Days for the Homeless event sees students from Brock’s Goodman School of Business sleeping in the cold to raise money and public awareness about some of the most vulnerable members of the Niagara community.

  “Strengthening this partnership will greatly enhance the services and supports to the agency, not only through experiential learning, but also through the active research component which will inform our future program delivery,” said Betty-Lou Souter, CEO of Community Care, St. Catharines and Thorold.

  Every month Community Care helps about 2,000 households in St. Catharines and Thorold access food security. It also provides housing and utilities assistance, back-to-school support, ID replacement services, youth sports opportunities and many other supports.

  Today’s development is the latest in a series of commitments by Brock to enhance its work with significant regional partners, such as Niagara Health and Pathstone Mental Health.

  Brock President Gervan Fearon said the MOU is consistent with the University’s strategic priority of helping to advance the health and vitality of local communities.

  “Indeed, this partnership enables us to make further contributions to supporting vulnerable populations in St. Catharines and Thorold,” said Fearon. “It will allow us to build on our existing partnership with Community Care and expand positive outcomes for the Niagara community.”

  More of these Memoranda of Understanding between the University and community partners will be announced in the coming weeks and months.

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:

  * Dan Dakin, Media Relations Officer, Brock University ddakin@brocku.ca, 905-688-5550 x5353 or 905-347-1970

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  Categories: Media releases