During autumn 2023, CAFES Ottawa partnered with a 2nd year sociology/anthropology class from Carleton University, four local community associations and Safe Wings Ottawa to carry out the 3rd annual CAFES & Carleton University Community Engagement Project.
This year's project was inspired by the research being conducted by Carleton University's professor and ornithologist, Rachel Buxton. Bird-window collisions are a significant cause of bird mortality. The modest estimate is 250,000 birds die as a result of colliding with glass structures or windows in Ottawa each year – and about half are residential collisions. While the technologies exist to reduce bird-window collisions, community uptake has been slow. There has been little research exploring the reasons for this. Thus, CAFES, Carleton and Safe Wings Ottawa planned a comprehensive community engagement project to combat the issue, including creating a survey, awareness raising campaigns and planning an informational workshop for mid-November.
The survey was intended to investigate public attitudes towards the issue as well as connect with residents who were interested in taking action. The foundations course, led by professor Deborah Conners, includes a portion of work where students break up into groups and pair with a local Community Association (CA). The groups each worked with their partnered CA representatives to develop a campaign to disseminate the survey in their CA's neighbourhood. To connect with Ottawa citizen who were interested in taking action against this issue, CAFES and Safe Wings organized engagement opportunities which were posed in the survey, including receiving a free sample kit of window tools to prevent bird collisions at home; receiving information of the upcoming informational workshop hosted by CAFES and Safe Wings; and/or receiving more information on the issue.
The student groups created products targeted at audiences in their partnered CA's neighbourhood including Instagram posts, infographics, videos, posters, news articles, presentations and more. Students analyzed and discussed insights and experiences gained as they brought their conceptual learning in the course together with their experience of working towards achieving the objectives of a real-world project.
For the CAs, this was an opportunity to learn and engage with an important issue in their community, connect with the students in their group, and connect with survey participants in their area who indicated that they would like to take action. Below are the four community associations who volunteered for the 2023 project. Click on any of the association names below to check out their website.
The community outreach projects concluded with the four group's presentations taking place in early December 2023. CA & CAFES representatives, as well as some members of the public attended the presentations in person alongside Professor Connors and students. Students presentations showcased their achievements of the semester including social media product campaigns, lessons learned, and successes.
The achievements of each group are presented below in the following order; Fisher Heights and Area CA, Glebe CA, Hintonburg CA, Westboro CA, followed by the informational workshop report.
The Fisher Heights and Area Community Association (FHACA) student group created a variety of products to connect with the diverse audiences in the Fisher Heights area, including posters, social media posts, writing an article for the FHACA local newsletter, and canvassing in high-traffic outlets in the area.
Below is are two posters made by the students.
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Below is an informational brochure used by the students to spread awareness on the issues as well as invite citizens to participate in the survey.
This student group created a variety of informative and useful products to disseminate the survey and spread awareness in the Fisher Heights area.
The results of their efforts:
The Glebe Community Association (GCA) student group planned their campaign to connect with diverse audiences in the GCA area. This happened through creating posters, social media posts, contacting local organizations, and writing an article for a local newsletter.
Below is a beautifully drawn poster by one of the GCA students to disseminate the survey.
Below is an informative poster created by the GCA students.
Below are the graphics made by GCA students for an Instagram post to promote the survey.
This student group created a variety of useful and informative promotional products to disseminate the survey and awareness in the GCA Area.
The results of their efforts:
The Hintonburg Community Association (HCA) student group planned to disseminate their survey to the diverse residents of the HCA area through creating a video, coasters, posters, a brochure, social media posts, writing an article for the local newsletter, and contacting local organizations.
Below is the promotional video created by the students.
Below is the front and back of the coaster design created to be handed out to local restaurants and businesses as well as residents.
Below is an informational newsletter created by the students.
Below is a series of informational posters created by the students.
Below is an informational brochure created by the HCA student group.
This student group created an impressive variety of informative and useful products to disseminate the survey and awareness in the HCA Area.
The results of their efforts:
The Westboro Community Association (WCA) group worked cohesively together to reach diverse audiences in the WCA area through a variety of tools and efforts. The student group created an informational document, posters, a presentation for local high school students, an article for a local newsletter, as well as contacting local stakeholders and organizations.
Below is a informational document to spread awareness of the issue and draw attention to the survey.
Below is a promotional poster made by the WCA student group.
Below is the presentation created by the Westboro student group who presented to local high school students. Although the high school students don't own their own residences, the intention was that the high school students would bring that information home to their parents who could fill out the survey regarding their residence.
This student group created a variety of informative and useful products to disseminate the survey and awareness in the Fisher Heights Area. The Westboro group succeeded in acquiring the most survey responses out of the four groups.
The results of their efforts:
CAFES Ottawa, in partnership with Safe Wings Ottawa, hosted a workshop dedicated to offering comprehensive information to interested survey participants and the public. The event was well-attended and featured presentations from Safe Wings Ottawa about the issue as well as product demonstrations to try at home. The workshop also featured a presentation around bird-safe building design from Toon Dreessen, the President and Architect for DCA, a group of architects. The evening finished with a presentation on the engagement efforts by a few representatives of the 2nd year foundations in community engagement course taught by Deborah Conners, as well as a presentation by a few students of Carleton professor and ornithologist, Rachel Buxton, on mitigation efforts and research being done at Carleton University.
CAFES would like to extend a huge thank you to all involved, with special thanks the community associations and Safe Wings volunteers who took time out of their autumn season to work and connect with the Carleton University students and Ottawa citizens around a significant environmental concern in the City of Ottawa. Learning and meaningful engagement was experienced by all involved.
This was the 3rd annual community engagement project conducted with the 2nd year Carleton course and local community associations. Check out our previous CAFES and Carleton University community engagement projects by clicking on the links below!
If you and/or your community association are interested in joining a future community engagement project please contact us at info@cafesottwa.ca
