From virtual workshops to goodie bag deliveries, students from Niagara College are helping to brighten the lives of local youth, in partnership with Niagara-based agencies.

About 50 students from NC’s Child and Youth Care (CYC) program have been working with local agencies with a focus on giving back to the community. After spending 10 hours per week on the project since January, their efforts are culminating in various remote initiatives during Niagara’s elementary and high school spring break week April 12-17.

It’s all part of NC’s new Giving Back Project. Recently launched by program staff, faculty members and administrators, the new project helps to address limited placement opportunities for CYC students during the pandemic while helping community youth. Small groups of students were assigned to work with different local agencies, assess a community need, and find out how they can best support the agency by mobilizing resources and building social capital.

The CYC students are hosting a roster of initiatives during the April break: four with The RAFT Community programs in St. Catharines and Niagara Falls, others with the John Howard Society of Niagara and Youth Wellness Hub Niagara, Faith Welland, and Our Centre (a foster care agency).

“Through the Giving Back Project, our students have the opportunity to gain real-world applied experience in community support and implementation, and a further understanding of the role they can play as Child and Youth Care practitioners,” said Carol Phillips, associate dean, School of Community Services. “Through their initiatives, our students work on building opportunities to engage with community members, and provide services, information and — most importantly — human connection.”

CYC field placement officer and part-time professor Sherry Visser-Fleming noted that while students would have typically completed their placements with local after-school programs, the new project is an exciting way for them to gain experience and complete their required placement hours during the pandemic while making a difference in the community. Students have an opportunity to be on the front line and work with children and families, build rapport and work on interpersonal relationships.

“It’s exciting when you see the students getting pumped up about what they’re doing, and really connecting to our community,” said Visser-Fleming. “It’s so important to give back to the community and very empowering for our students to be part of amazing initiatives like these.”

Due to the evolving nature of the pandemic, CYC students have faced the challenge of planning for different scenarios based on current public health guidelines. Several initiatives that were planned earlier in the term needed to be changed due to the provincial shutdown announced on April 1 and further modified following the provincial stay-at-home order, which went into effect on April 8.

It’s all valuable experience for CYC students as they complete their first program placement before moving onto their second during the Fall term. “When they are able to go into classrooms, they will bring along the knowledge and experience they have gained working with local agencies and learning about the support mechanisms in place within our region,” said Visser-Fleming.

John Howard Society of Niagara and Youth Wellness Hub Niagara

CYC student Jenny Kneebone shops for groceries to prepare for the virtual culinary workshop her group organized with the John Howard Society of Niagara- Youth Wellness Hub.

Learning to cook was on the menu for youth at the John Howard Society of Niagara (JHSN) and Youth Wellness Hub of Niagara, which helps improve mental health and addiction services. On April 12, CYC students hosted a virtual cooking workshop on how to make chili.

Participants were provided with a recipe, tools and ingredients to learn that cooking from scratch does not have to be difficult or expensive, and is more nutritious than takeout or processed foods. A video cooking lesson from a chef professor at NC’s Canadian Food and Wine Institute – specially recorded for the project – included step-by-step instructions on how to prepare, handle, cook and store the food.

To support the effort, CYC students asked for donations of time, funds or supplies; and approached local farmers for donated vegetables. They purchased groceries, prepared and packed ingredients into kits and delivered them, which enabled participants to join the workshop from their homes. They also sought out local businesses to help make them aware of JHSN and Contact Niagara.

CYC student Sarah Sotto noted that she was proud to help youth learn a new skill while broadening her own horizons.

“The experience from the Giving Back Project will help me gain experience with communicating professionally as well as facilitating therapeutic activity programs such as this,” she said. “I am a very shy person but this project allowed me to step out of my comfort zone, speaking to people from our school, agencies, local businesses and more.”

JHSN youth services supervisor Caroline Graham said the workshop proved to be a great virtual event for all who attended.

“It provided the youth with the skills and the information from start to finish in creating a healthy meal for themselves and their families,” said Graham.

She also noted that working with NC students has been a positive experience and she hoped that they learned more about their organization through the experience.

“They have been very professional, flexible based on our needs as well as the current landscape due to COVID,” said Graham. “It’s nice to see them stepping up and working toward a common goal.”

The Youth Wellness Hub Niagara is a collaboration between Contact Niagara, The John Howard Society of Niagara and Centre de Sante Communautaire, with support from others including CASON, Pathstone, and Positive Living.

The RAFT – Manchester Site

CYC student Hannah Sorrell prepares to host a virtual science experiment for youth with The Raft – Manchester Site.

Local youth within the RAFT Manchester community were treated to virtual science experiments on April 16. Mini helicopter and walking water experiments were conducted by CYC students via Zoom. Participants were able to follow along using kits full of supplies which were assembled and delivered them by the CYC students.

“The event is really about giving the kids an opportunity to enjoy themselves and have some fun,” said CYC student Hannah Sorrell, who noted that the agency has not been able to host any major events due to COVID-19. “We are hoping this event will raise some awareness and support for the agency from the community.”

Sorrell aims to work as a child and youth counsellor someday and values the experience she gained through the Giving Back Project.

“Working directly with an agency to meet the needs for the youth feels really connected to my career goal,” she said. “By being a part of this program, I feel that I can do my part by being there to help.”

The Raft Manchester After School program provides free access to education and pro-social skills programs and services that promote healthier lifestyles and encourage academic success, based at a community house in St. Catharines in partnership with Niagara Regional Housing.

“The Giving Back Project has allowed the children and youth living in the Manchester Community to participate in an exciting, interactive and educational virtual program,” said Melissa Debruin, manager, after-school programs at The Raft. “This has been a tough year for our families and we are so grateful for the work NC students are putting in to provide a fun and valuable experience for our participants. The virtual event allowed our participants to safely socialize with their friends as well as engage in some fun science activities during their spring break.”

Faith Welland Church

Puzzles, colouring pages and more are lined up for goodie bags to be delivered to children and youth in the Faith Welland community.

Since they couldn’t welcome local youth in-person, CYC students decided to bring the fun to them. A group of CYC students are preparing goodie bags and prepackaged activities to drop off to the homes of Faith Welland’s youth community on April 17. The kits will include snacks, colouring pages, stickers, crayons and markers, as well as personalized cards for each recipient, and links to YouTube videos that students can watch from home, including a musical performance from Zan.

Faith Welland Church has a mission to reach out to those in need and create opportunities for families, and supports more than 120 local children and youth (age five to 18) through its programs and services. CYC students wanted to plan a fun initiative to support local children and youth after they explored the stresses they face. The drop-off initiative replaces a walk-through fun fair CYC students had originally planned for the church’s McLaughlin Street location.

“We switched multiple times to accommodate the COVID-19 rules and guidelines however, we as a group believe that we are still making it a fun and positive event for giving back to the community,” said CYC student Spencer Russell.

To prepare for the initiative, NC students asked for donations, and gathered items for goodie bags with food provided by Small Scale Farms as well as toys and activities for families to enjoy. They also contacted community agencies for information about their resources.

“The idea that we can give back to our community and relieve children of their daily stresses for one day has been a rewarding prospect,” said Russell. “We also hope to achieve skills when it comes to planning events and working with agencies that will benefit us for the rest of our schooling and even our career.”

Faith Welland program coordinator Rylan Johnson noted that by working with NC students, they hoped to provide a family fun event for children and youth, while giving the CYC students an opportunity to develop their leadership and organizational skills, and heighten their awareness of needs among children and youth.

“By planning and facilitating this event, they are providing an additional event for our families, beyond what we are able to provide with our current resources,” said Johnson. “I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the NC students in this group. I really appreciate hearing their ideas and how they can support our families.”

Child and Youth Care is a three-year advanced diploma program delivered in six consecutive terms (24 months). Through therapeutic programming and processes, students learn to engage purposefully and effectively to facilitate growth and positive life change in the development of healthy emotional, social, behavioural and developmental well-being. Students gain more than 800 hours of in-field experience through program placement opportunities.

Niagara College offers more than 130 diploma, bachelor degree and advanced level programs; as well as more than 600 credit, vocational and general interest Part-Time Studies courses. Areas of specialization include food and wine sciences, advanced technology, media, applied health and community safety, supported by unique learning enterprises in food, wine, beer, distilling, horticulture and esthetics. For more information visit niagaracollege.ca.

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Media inquiries, please contact:

Michael Wales
Manager, Communications
Cell: 905-328-4101
[email protected]

Julie Greco
Communications Consultant
Cell: 905-328-2532
[email protected]

 

Niagara College’s Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management students have an idea to make the future a little brighter.

In fact, they have an entire case of beer’s-worth.

Graduating students have created Brewtopia: Brews for a Better Future, featuring 24 capstone beers for this term’s edition of Project Brew.

“We have this idyllic idea of what life should be like without COVID,” said April Tyrrell, who teaches Brew Sales and Promotions. “We want it to be light and fun, and have that message of positivity instead of doom and gloom.”

Project Brew is the student-run beer festival that happens each term to showcase the work of fourth-term Brewmaster students. The festival is typically held at Market Square in St. Catharines but the in-person celebration has been put on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Students are still keen to showcase what they’ve learned in a safe, pandemic-friendly way, however, and worked in Tyrrell’s class to come up with the Brewtopia concept. Student-brewed beers for the project include a pale stout, New England IPA, mango gose and dry-hopped lager, among others. They’re for sale online as a 20-pack for $75.

In keeping with the cheerful theme and the spring season, Brewtopia cans feature a bright rainbow label. Packages also include two tasting glasses and a treat.

An additional four-pack of fruit sours, including two that students brewed collaboratively, is also for sale for $15.

“It’s that idea again, with the fruit and the colourful label, of being cheerful and positive,” Tyrrell said.

Both options can be ordered online through the College’s through the College’s Project Brew website (niagaracollege.ca/projectbrew/) and are available for shipping in Ontario or pickup at the College April 16-17. To order visit ncteachingwinery.ca/collections/gifts-packages/products/project-brew-brewtopia or ncteachingwinery.ca/collections/gifts-packages/products/sour-pack-brewtopia

Proceeds from the sales of Brewtopia packs will support the Matt Soos Memorial Fund , which awards a scholarship each year to the student who brews the best beer in the academic Target Brew competition.

Beer aficionados can also learn about the brews through short Facebook videos produced by students in the Broadcasting — Radio, Television and Film (BRTF) program. Brewmaster bios will also be available online.

“You’re getting a case of beer to drink at your leisure,” Tyrell said. “There are videos to go along with it to learn about how the beers were made and to get to know the brewer.”

This year’s Project Brew arrives on the heels of the 10-year anniversary of NC’s trailblazing Teaching Brewery, which officially opened on April 13, 2011 [View news release here.]

 

 

There was a time when Kennan Larmand was interested in getting his degree in kinesiology. Then he switched gears and decided to study nutrition this coming fall instead.

In the meantime, he’ll graduate from Niagara College’s Fitness and Health Promotion Program, which lays the foundation for Larmand to pursue a career in either field — and many others, including as a certified personal trainer.

Larmand will demonstrate the versatility of his education during a virtual Fitness and Wellness Fair aimed at Niagara and Hamilton high school students who may be contemplating enrolling in the College’s two-year Fitness and Health Promotion Program.

The inaugural event, which happens during two online sessions on Wednesday, April 7, is expected to reach as many as 150 secondary students. Most of the attendees are in the wellness specialist high skills major program and on the brink of deciding what to do after graduating high school.

With the help of Larmand and his classmates, they’ll get an online tour of dedicated program spaces, including a weight room.

His classmates will present on a series of health and wellness topics. They’ll cover everything from screen time and posture to just how much sugar is in that popular coffee shop drink. Attendees will also have the opportunity to participate in a brief exercise session and treat a sports injury with kinesio tape mailed to them ahead of time.

All in, it will give prospective students an idea of the many career paths they can take by studying Fitness and Health Promotion at Niagara College.

It’s the kind of recruiting tool Larmand wishes existed when he was considering what to study after graduating high school.

“They get to hear from students themselves,” Larmand said. “Usually when you apply to something, you hear about it from a teacher or a book. But this is students telling them about it so we can connect with them better. I find it really cool.”

The fair is about more than recruiting future students, however. It’s also a teaching tool for the College’s current cohort of 37 aspiring health and fitness professionals, explained instructors Jodi Steele and Carrie Schachtschneider.

The Fitness and Wellness Fair is the joint effort of Steele’s Marketing and Entrepreneurship course and Schachtschneider’s Health Promotion class.

Fairs are a significant part of the health and fitness industry, so Steele is using this one to teach event organization and planning. Students work in groups responsible for a different facet of the event, including putting together and mailing kinesio tape kits and exercise bands in advance of the fair.

Schachtschneider will evaluate the students on their presentations focusing on a fitness and wellness topic.

“It’s not just about recruiting for the program but gaining insight into the pathway of who a fitness and health professional is and the careers in the industry,” Steele said.

Added Schachschneider, “I think it’s been eye-opening for them to see the other piece in our courses that can be highly involved in some of the jobs they’ll be performing in their careers.”

It’s having learning opportunities like this that compelled Farrantina Gatta to enrol in Fitness and Health promotion to become a certified personal trainer. Gatta is part of a group presenting about posture and screen time during the Fitness and Wellness Fair.

Gatta, who was a varsity wrestler at Brock University before switching to Niagara, could have done an online program to become a certified personal trainer. But she chose the College for the chance to work one-on-one with clients and gain hands-on experience throughout the program — something she hopes to convey to future students.

“I hope they learn from everything we’re working so hard to show them but also all the things they could do if they enrolled in this program.” Gatta said. “They would be running this event next year and that could be eye-opening for them, too. If fitness and health is their passion, this program is great for them.”

 

Centennial College is the newest member of the Southern Ontario Network for Advanced Manufacturing Innovation (SONAMI), a Niagara College-led consortium of postsecondary academic institutions that provides competitive, disruptive and innovative solutions to Ontario’s manufacturers.

The partnership, which began April 1, will expand the range of facilities and expertise available to small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and extend SONAMI’s reach further into Southern Ontario. The addition of Toronto’s Centennial College to SONAMI now brings the total in the network to eight postsecondary partners, including: Conestoga, Fanshawe, Lambton, Mohawk, Niagara and Sheridan colleges and McMaster University.

Through the centralized SONAMI hub, member institutions pool their resources and talent to match them to the needs of SMEs in various industries, giving them access to cutting-edge technologies, knowledge and funding in order to de-risk their applied R&D, create innovative new products and optimize processes. Targeted industries include agri-food, health, environmental, computer and electronic automation, industrial internet of things technology (IIoT), traditional manufacturing – and now expanded capacity in aerospace and aviation, with the addition of Centennial College’s Applied Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Services (ARIES). Centennial has been a leader in aviation for more than 40 years, and its Bombardier Centre for Aerospace and Aviation at Downsview Campus is in the first phase of development of an Aerospace Hub at Downsview Park.

“Centennial College is honoured to have been chosen to join SONAMI. We look forward to working with local industry partners and the other academic institutions in the SONAMI network to help SMEs in Southern Ontario develop their technologies in advanced manufacturing,” said Jonathan Hack, executive director, ARIES. “We will be leveraging the state-of-the-art equipment located at our Downsview Campus, and the expertise of academic experts and staff within our ARIES department, to continue developing the transformative potential of additive manufacturing technologies of the aerospace industry.”

In 2019, the award-winning SONAMI entered its second phase after a significant reinvestment from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), following a successful first three years. With this continued support came the announcement the network would increase its membership to 10 postsecondary partners, enhancing its reach to help manufacturers innovate.

Since its inception, industry partners have benefitted from collaborative projects by: increasing sales, reducing manufacturing costs, diversifying product lines, and realizing their innovative ideas. SONAMI partners have worked with more than 200 SMEs to complete more than 265 projects, created or maintained 140 permanent jobs and provided skills and training for hundreds of students to prepare them for future jobs.

“Centennial College’s focus on aerospace, aviation and automation brings a unique set of capabilities to SONAMI, further enhancing support for manufacturers,” said Marc Nantel, PhD, vice-president, Research & External Relations at Niagara College.

“By welcoming this institution – with its strong history of applied research – to the partnership, the network will advance its resources available to assist SMEs to remain competitive by offering leading-edge solutions for industry partners,” said Nantel, who is also the chair of the SONAMI Steering Committee. “At the same time, we continue to provide more students with the opportunities to gain essential skills by working alongside research staff and faculty on real-world projects.”

To access the advanced manufacturing network, representatives from interested businesses can contact SONAMI’s project manager, Sarah Dimick, at [email protected]. For more information about the network, please visit the SONAMI website.

 

TOP PHOTO: Centennial College has been a leader in aviation for more than 40 years. Programs at the Bombardier Centre for Aerospace and Aviation at Downsview Campus are not yet commonly available outside Canada, and their variety and scope place Centennial at the forefront of aviation and aerospace training in Canada.

Centennial College has several focused applied research activities in aerospace, advanced manufacturing, autonomous vehicles, sustainable energy systems and data analytics. A significant amount of Centennial’s applied research activity is in partnership with the School of Engineering Technology and Applied Sciences (SETAS) and School of Transportation (SOT), and programs at Downsview Campus place the school at the forefront of Aviation and Aerospace training in Canada.

NC’s award-winning Research & Innovation division administers research funding support from various regional, provincial and federal agencies. Students and graduates are hired to work alongside faculty researchers and assist industry partners with leaping forward in the marketplace.

SONAMI Quick facts

• SONAMI was established in 2016 – led by Niagara College, in partnership with McMaster University, Mohawk College and Sheridan College – with an initial $7.3 million contribution from FedDev Ontario, which provided funding through March 2019. The network expanded to include three additional academic institutions: Conestoga, Fanshawe and Lambton
• In August 2019, FedDev Ontario announced an additional investment of $14 million towards a five-year project (through to December 2023), which would grow the network to 10 partners, enhancing its reach to help manufacturers innovate.
• Niagara College received the 2019 Research Partnership Award from the Canadian Association of Research Administrators (CARA) for the significant impact SONAMI has had on the regional economy.
• Through specialized expertise, resources and R&D capabilities, SONAMI partners have a broad range of capabilities that provide effective innovation and technology transfer in areas of automation, additive manufacturing, product testing & validation, Industry 4.0, process optimization, simulation & modelling, and digitally-enabled and intelligent manufacturing.
• SMEs wanting to innovate but do not have the resources of time, knowledge/skills or finances to take them to the next level can de-risk their R&D by leveraging a 1:1 funding match on projects. This could reduce overall project costs by up to 50 per cent and help more manufacturers participate.

 

Media inquiries, please contact:

 

Sayyeda Masood

Centennial College, Marketing & Communications Coordinator, Applied, Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Services (ARIES),

Cell: 416-451-3907

[email protected]

 

Julie Greco

Niagara College, Corporate Communications Consultant

Cell: 905-328-2532

[email protected]

 

Members of the Niagara College community are planning a special way to honour the memory of one of their most dedicated long-time champions, which combines her love for students, passion for horticulture and support for student learning.

With spring in the air, budding plans are in the works for a memorial garden in honour of NC’s long-time ‘first lady’ Saundra Patterson who passed away in January 2021. Saundra was not only known as the devoted partner of NC’s former president Dan Patterson – who served 25 years at the College – but as a College supporter in her own right who left an indelible mark on the NC community.

The Saundra Patterson Memorial Garden will be created in the upper courtyard of the Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake. The initiative stems from NC’s School of Environment and Horticulture whose faculty and students – along with staff at its Teaching Greenhouse – have forged a special connection with Saundra over the years.

“Our Horticultural staff and faculty immediately agreed that a memorial garden would be a meaningful way to honour Saundra, who loved gardening and loved our students even more,” said Alan Unwin, dean of Business, Tourism and Environment. “This project will beautify our campus, support student learning, and be a special way for our College community to remember Saundra for many years to come.”

Applied learning will flourish with the memorial garden project. During the Spring term, students from a variety of horticulture programs will have an opportunity to design the memorial garden as part of their landscape design course, and the winner will be selected by the end of the term. Students are expected to begin the building phase in September and complete the garden by the end of Fall term. By the time the garden is in full bloom, about 150 students will have had their hands in the project.

Horticulture professor Dena Gavin noted that the entire department has embraced the idea of having a dedicated memorial garden and it will be incorporated into many classes – from designing and planting to maintaining it.

“Saundra loved gardening, the College, and our department. She treated us all like her closest friends and spent time with our students,” said Gavin. “I was honoured to have known such a strong woman. This garden will be an amazing tribute to her and will be loved by many for years; her passion and story will be talked about by many.”

President emeritus Patterson was moved to hear about the initiative.

“Saundra was so pleased to see the way the campus has developed into becoming one of the most beautiful learning environments in the country … it’s so extraordinary to think that a memorial garden will be created in her honour,” said Patterson. “I am so pleased that her legacy and her love for the College will continue on for the enjoyment of students, faculty, staff and visitors to the College.”

The memorial garden will be completely funded by donors who contribute to the Saundra Patterson Memorial Garden and Horticultural Bursary Fund. More than $7,000 has been raised to support the initiative to date, and Carol and David Appel of Niagara-on-the-Lake have generously committed to match every new donation up to $10,000. With the Appel’s gift of $10,000 matched by new donations, the fundraising initiative would be more than halfway to its $50,000 goal.

“The fact that the memorial garden will be completely funded through the generosity of donors is a testament to how important and loved Saundra was in our College community,” said Marc Nantel, vice-president, Research and External Relations. “With our donors’ support, the Saundra Patterson Memorial Garden will blossom into a beautiful place of special reflection on campus for everyone to enjoy, while continuing to create learning opportunities for our students.”

Funds raised that exceed the $50,000 goal for the permanent memorial garden will support student learning through the Saundra Patterson Horticultural Bursary. A tireless supporter of student learning, Saundra contributed to many bursaries for students over the years. She established an endowed bursary fund in 2006, which has disbursed almost $10,000 in bursaries to date.

Bonnie Rose – a close friend of the Pattersons who has held senior executive positions at Niagara College and served two terms on its Board of Governors – was delighted to hear that the initiative to honour Saundra’s memory will focus on student involvement.

“Saundra truly nurtured students as she did her own garden, with respect for their potential, with empathy for their worries and sorrows, with challenges to spur them to do their best, and always, with great joy in their successes,” said Rose.

For more information or to make a donation visit the Saundra Patterson Memorial Garden and Bursary page on the NC website.

View NC president Sean Kennedy’s January 28 message about Saundra Patterson here.

Niagara College offers more than 130 diploma, bachelor degree and advanced level programs; as well as more than 600 credit, vocational and general interest Part-Time Studies courses. Areas of specialization include food and wine science, advanced technology, media, applied health and community safety, supported by unique learning enterprises in food, wine, beer, distilling, horticulture and esthetics. For more information visit niagaracollege.ca.

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Media inquiries, please contact:

 

Michael Wales


Manager, Corporate Communications


Cell: 905-328-4101

[email protected]

 

Julie Greco


Corporate Communications Consultant


Cell: 905-328-2532

[email protected]