This project emerged from a presentation given by Susan Venditti (then Executive Director of Start Me Up Niagara) at an event hosted by SJRI in November 2018. At this event, Susan identified a desire to study and articulate the “radically inclusive” approach to service that is at the core of SMUN. This interest resonated with those of SJRI affiliates Shannon Moore (Principal Investigator) and Karen Louise Smith, as well as participating member Curtis Tye, who all met with Susan shortly after to brainstorm how to move this project forward. Together with Julie Gregory (then SJRI Project Facilitator), the team applied for — and was awarded — money from the Niagara Community Foundation’s 2019 David S. Howes Grants Program to support this partnership. Part of the funds were used to hire Kim Duffin (CHYS PhD candidate) as a research assistant.

For more information about this project, please refer to the final report and accompanying appendix that were submitted to the funder and research partner as well as the presentation version of this report.

Please click on the above images to learn more about Niagara Community Foundation grants, Dr. Shannon Moore’s research interests, and Start Me Up Niagara.