Stand Up for United Way / Prenez position pour Centraide

By David Phipps (ResearchImpact, York)
An inspiring speech by United Way of York Region calls on all knowledge brokers and social innovators in York Region to stand up for change. Join York University and stand up for knowledge mobilization and social innovation at your university and local communities.
Un discours inspirant du United Way (Centraide) de la région de York appelle les courtiers de connaissances et les innovateurs sociaux de la région prendre position pour le changement. Rejoignez l’Université York et prenez position pour la mobilisation des connaissances et l’innovation sociale dans votre université et les communautés locales.

At 7:30 am on a Tuesday morning in the old Aurora Cultural Centre in the heart of York Region, Daniele Zanotti, CEO of United Way of York Region (UWYR) asked everyone to stand up for change.  It was the 35th Annual General Meeting of UWYR and the room was filled with volunteers, board members, companies, municipal and Regional employees and UWYR staff s well as partner organizations like ResearchImpact – York.  We were all there to approve the business of UWYR but we were also there to celebrate our collective success.
UWYR Region is a key institutional partner in York University’s knowledge mobilization and social innovation strategy. Together we created Strength Investments that have invested $150,000 in 6 community-citizen projects such as Building Sustainable Capacities amongst Afro-Canadian Caribbean Youth in York Region and South Asian Family Empowerment Project.  A list of all the projects is available. Together we launched Change Inc. in October and announced an investment of $150,000 in Change Inc at York’s KMb Expo on June 15. Tammy Lowe, one of ResearchImpact – York’s KMb Interns now works at UWYR as a Campaign Manager, a career choice she links back to her internship.  We have co-authored an article, a meeting grant and a knowledge mobilization grant linking university and community strengths in knowledge mobilization.  Outcomes of knowledge mobilization such as Strength Investments are social innovations.
You can read Daniele’s speech and while you’re reading it, stand up for community-university collaborations that producer tangible change for communities and citizens.