By Lily Haines, KMb RA
Five years ago, a research proposal landed on Todd Barr鈥檚 desk. It happened to be CFICE鈥檚 grant application for the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, passed along for review. Little did he know, the paper actually marked the beginning of a new chapter in Todd鈥檚 life and career.
Todd Barr, former CES community co-lead, is ready for new adventures.
In 2011, Todd took on a role as the community co-lead of聽the Community Environmental Sustainability hub at CFICE, in addition to his role as executive director of the small, non-profit in Peterborough (now known as the Trent Community Research Centre). Todd, a 鈥渏ack-of-all-trades,鈥� worked tirelessly with CFICE and the centre to build bridges between post-secondary institutions and communities for empowered learning, with an end-goal of improving local economic, social, cultural and environmental conditions.
Although he retired from his leadership role with CFICE last October, Todd鈥檚 legacy with the action-research project lives on in his accomplishments.
鈥淥ur greatest success I think was graduate student involvement,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he partnership between CFICE and the Trent community centre provided paid research assistant-ships that have opened the door to working with different community groups here in Peterborough.鈥�
鈥淭here鈥檚 one master鈥檚 student that sticks out in my mind鈥er name is Tessa Nasca,鈥� he recalled. 鈥淔or research assistants at CFICE鈥�.well it鈥檚 kind of like a job on the side for most students, but for Tessa it鈥檚 actually now become a fellowship,鈥� he said.
Tessa鈥檚 work with CFICE directly ties in with her master鈥檚 research thesis in sustainability studies and 鈥淗appy, Healthy Neighbourhoods鈥� at Trent University. CFICE locked in a two-year funding plan for Tessa, which even became part of her offer of acceptance to Trent University. 鈥淎 bunch of stars aligned in her favour,鈥� he said. 鈥淣ow she鈥檚 a bit of an entrepreneur here.鈥�
CFICE is a huge project, Todd said, with many different players and partners. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not quite there yet, but I hope CFICE will be the start of a community-campus engagement movement that leverages resources to address issues in communities and build collaboration,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 would hope CFICE can contribute to the bigger conversation, and shift the landscape in how community-campus partnerships address challenges in universities and communities.鈥�
What鈥檚 next for Todd?
Todd plans to continue his work as a social innovator and consultant. He found inspiration and a desire for change in reading Al Etmanski鈥檚 book, 鈥淚mpact: Six Patterns to Spread Your Social Innovation.鈥� In a nutshell, he said, this practical guide summarizes where his future is headed.
鈥淚 see myself as a social innovator,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 really interested in good processes that effect positive change in our communities鈥o I鈥檓 going to keep doing that!鈥�
Todd made it his mission to catalyze community action through research, and here at CFICE we are very lucky to have had him serve as a聽Community Environmental Sustainability hub co-lead.