Public Engagement
Don't forget to visit the other sections!
Why are you doing public engagement? Resettlement pathways for young refugees!
You need a strong team to successfully engage the public!
Public Engagement Sub-pages
What is Public Engagement?
Public engagement consists of activities that enable individuals and organizations to understand an issue, which can lead to their own engagement in informed action to make a positive contribution.
Public engagement is an important part of our approach to achieve WUSC’s vision, and contributes to strengthening the messages we believe are important to share with Canadians. WUSC believes an engaged Canadian public is essential to maintaining and improving Canada’s commitments to global development. Through public engagement efforts, we aim to enhance Canadians’ understanding of global issues and forced migration, and increase their participation in Canada’s development efforts through strategic and targeted outreach activities to fellow Canadians.
The role of Local Committees in engaging the public
Local Committees are some of the most powerful ambassadors for global development in Canada. Being a member of a Local Committee also means being part of a larger family and becoming a WUSC Ambassador and a WUSC representative. We cannot repeat it enough:
Local Committees are the faces, voices and representatives of our organization on the ground. This is why the work you do is so important and valuable to WUSC!
WUSC's Guidelines to Public Engagement
Your role in WUSC Public Engagement comes with responsibilities towards your fellow Local Committee members, the people you interact with in the name of WUSC, and WUSC itself.
WUSC’s Campaigns
ALL Public Engagement (PE) activities must be related to at least one of WUSC's three campaigns:
Building Welcoming Communities
Her Future
Interconnexions
Fundraising & Financial integrity
Local Committees that are coordinating or participating in fundraising activities on behalf of WUSC are obligated to be transparent to donors (and to WUSC) regarding how their donations will be used. This includes the development of financial partnerships with stakeholders, such as those related to waivers for the Student Refugee Program.
Ethical Public Engagement
All WUSC Local Committee members who engage the public or communicate about WUSC's work must be respectful and mindful of the cultures, stories and realities of the communities and people WUSC’s programs work with. Local Committee members should act as allies of the populations we work with, and not as representatives or spokespersons of those communities. All communications, whether they are verbal, written, visual, in-person or online must be inclusive and empowering, and contribute to creating lasting positive change.
Non-partisan political engagement
Local Committee members who communicate or engage the public about WUSC or on behalf of WUSC must follow standards to ensure that messages inspire and empower individuals to contribute to lasting, positive change in an inclusive and non-partisan manner.
Social Media
Local Committees should make sure that what they publish online is consistent with the principles of this Code. Local Committees and their members are not authorized to speak on behalf of WUSC, unless explicitly given permission; when a Local Committee member posts online, they must make it clear that they are speaking as an individual and not as a representative of WUSC. Content shared on the Local Committee online platforms must be related and relevant to WUSC's work.
Photo & Video protocol
WUSC Local Committees must have copyright owner’s permission to use the photo/video and whenever possible, obtain a model release/permission from any identifiable person in a photo.
Public Engagement Activities*
*Please remember to review the WUSC COVID-19 guidelines before holding in-person Public Engagement events and activities.
The options for public engagement activities are endless! Here are some activities that Local Committees have hosted in the past:
Movie nights
Cultural / artistic gatherings
Halloween trick or treat events
Webinars / panel discussions / podcasts on themes from the three WUSC campaigns
Fundraising event
Hosting a class (e.g. yoga, art, dance)
Galas or dinner events
Trivia nights
Collaborations with other clubs or organizations on your campus or in your community
3 Ways to Fundraise
Your role is vital in keeping the Student Refugee Program alive on your campus, including supporting students who come through the program, ensuring the continued availability of placements for refugee students and increasing awareness of global issues in your community. Fundraising plays an important role in this and your Local Committee can fundraise for these three programs:
For the SRP on your campus your Local Committee
Local Committees are responsible for raising the funds necessary to sponsor refugee students and cover the costs of their living and academic expenses during their first year in Canada. Funds are raised through waivers (where school administrations waive the cost of tuition or housing for example); levies (where each student pays a small fee to support the SRP each year, implemented and increased by a referendum campaign); and individual fundraising events.
Register your Local Committee page here.
For the SRP in general
The SRP is a unique program that does not receive government funding to operate, but instead relies on the generosity of individual people in Canada and academic institutions. Local Committee members are on over 10090 campuses across Canada and have powerful firsthand experiences with the positive impact of the SRP - if all Local Committee members spread the word about the SRP in their communities, that’s a loud and far-reaching collective voice! You can help raise awareness and raise funds for the SRP as a national program during your Local Committee’s own initiatives throughout the year, or at WUSC-wide events such as Ride for Refuge.
Register a fundraiser for the SRP here.
For Her Future
Increasing access to education for girls in refugee camps and host communities has always been a cause close to the hearts of Local Committee members. WUSC has created the HerFuture campaign to put powerful public engagement materials in your hands, and the Girls’ Education Fund so that donors know that their dollar is impacting this issue directly.
Register a fundraiser for Her Future here.
Resources
Does your Local Committee want to share a resource you developed? Please fill out this form!
Fundraising FAQs
Donation Details & Tax Receipt FAQs.pdfWUSC Brand Guide
WUSC-Visual-Identity-Guide.pdfRaising Awareness Responsibly
Local-Committee-Raising-Awareness-Responsibly.pdfSetting up Raisin
Local-Committee-Setting-Up-Raisin.pdfGirls' Education Letter Exhibit
Girls-Education-Letter-Exhibit.pdfGuide to Planning a Successful Referendum
SRP-Student-Refugee-Program-Referendum-Guide.pdfWUSC Local Committee Logos
Always use the official WUSC Local Committee logo when designing swag and materials, such as pamphlets and posters.
WUSC General Poster
WUSC-Blue-Poster.pdfWUSC Button Template
WUSC-Button-Template.pdfLocal Committee Recruitment Pamphlet
The recruitment pamphlet is shared with you as a Canva template, where you can add your own QR code (that links to your email, social media, website, file, video, etc.) before printing.
Don't know how to create a QR code or use Canva? No problem! Check out this 'How-to' Guide for step-by-step instructions.
Local Committee Recruitment Poster
The recruitment poster is shared with you as a Canva template, available in 2 different sizes:
1. 8.5x11 Poster (standard paper size)
2. 11x17 Poster (large poster size)
In the template, you can add your own QR code (that links to your email, social media, website, file, video, etc.) before printing.
Don't know how to create a QR code or use Canva? No problem! Check out this 'How-to' Guide for step-by-step instructions.
Event Planning Guide
Event Planning - A Guide for Local Committees.docxBuilding welcoming communities pamphlet
Welcoming communities Two_Pager.pdfFairtrade and economic empowerment pamphlet
Halloween resource.pdfFace-to-Face Fundraising
(EN) Face-to-Face Fundraising Tips - Structuring the MeetingULeth Coffee Shop Partnership - Outreach Email
03.b. Post-training resource_ ULeth Coffee Shop Partnership - Outreach Email - LC Hub.docxTraining
Introduction to WUSC
Are you familiar with WUSC's vision and mission? Before jumping into any other trainings, it's important for you to start with an introduction to WUSC! In this training, you will learn about WUSC's work in Canada and internationally. You will also learn about WUSC's three public engagement campaigns.
Click here to download the slides.
Building Welcoming Communities
Explore how Local Committee members can become allies to building more welcoming communities for newcomers to Canada.
Click here to download the slides
Building your Social Media Presence: Tips for WUSC Local Committees
Presentation by WUSC Local Committee alumni Norah Nowarah
Special thanks to Ontario Tech WUSC Local Committee alumna Norah for sharing some of her top tips in running a succesful Local Committee social media account! Click the icon on the top right corner of each slide listen to her explanations, or watch in presentation mode.
Questions? Contact us at campus@wusc.ca.