Project: Strengthening Emergency Management Education through Collaborative Work-Integrated Learning
Principal Investigator: Nina Bennett, Work Integrated Learning Program Manager, Office of Applied Research & Graduate Studies.
Research Team: Bettina Williams (Program Director, Program Development and Credential Programs, Emergency Management Division); Student Research Assistant.
Project Dates: April 15, 2026 – November 18, 2026
Project Funding: $6,690
Project Summary: This project investigates how Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) can be more effectively incorporated into Emergency Management (EM) education at JIBC. The knowledge mobilization activity is a two-hour interactive workshop at the Building Resilient Communities (BRC) Conference (November 16–18, 2026, Nanaimo, BC), engaging community partners working in emergency management to collaboratively shape meaningful WIL opportunities for students. Using facilitated small-group dialogue and participatory methods (Art of Hosting, Liberating Structures, or World Café format), the workshop invites partners to explore student project types, competencies, and WIL models — including virtual placements, community-based projects, and co-operative education — that best support community resilience. A student research assistant will document the session visually. The research addresses challenges of integrating experiential learning in EM programs and aims to generate transferable guidance for curriculum design and practice-ready graduate development.
Outcomes and Benefits: Expected outcomes include: (1) generating community-driven insights on meaningful WIL in emergency management that directly shape JIBC's WIL models; (2) strengthening existing partnerships and cultivating new relationships with emergency management organizations, local governments, Indigenous Government Bodies, and community groups; (3) producing a visual record of community perspectives to support ongoing collaboration and knowledge transfer; (4) providing students with professional development and research presentation experience; and (5) contributing to broader conversations about high-quality WIL in applied disciplines. Emergency management practitioners, community organizations, and future EM graduates stand to benefit most directly, with broader impacts on community preparedness and resilience across BC.
Funding and Support: SSHRC Institutional Grant (SIG) - Exchange Stream
Project Status: Active
Deliverables: TBA
