Current Partnership Opportunities
We have upcoming partnership opportunities with university faculty and students that might suit your community’s needs
Winter 2026
| Program Description | During Alternative Reading Week (ARW), hundreds of U of T students immerse themselves in four days of volunteering with local community organizations. Students make meaningful contributions, build relationships and learn more about the City of Toronto. |
| Timing | Alternative Reading Week (ARW) will be held from February 17-20, 2026. |
| Student Contributions to the Community/Organization | ARW students work in groups of five or more and are led by a peer facilitator on a project of your choosing. Projects must be able to be completed by the group over a 3-day period. You do not have to supervise the students. We prepare them to work in your context and a peer leader coordinates project logistics, in liaison with you. In previous years, students have worked on virtual projects that: · Developed resources & conducted research for organizations · Planned a social media marketing campaign · Developed workshops and learning guides for high-school students Students have worked on in-person projects that supported: · Community kitchens and food bank activities · Youth anti-bullying curriculum delivery at an after-school program · English conversation circles and resource development |
| Contact Information | Please complete this form and a staff member will be in touch: uoft.me/ARWinterest |
| Program Title | Consult for Impact – Rotman Commerce |
| Timing | The Program runs both Fall (September to December 2025) and Winter (January to April 2026) semesters. Apply for Winter semester collaboration by November 16, 2025. |
| Program Description | Consult for Impact is an experiential learning opportunity where Rotman Commerce students apply their theoretical knowledge of business to real-world scenarios. Students experience first-hand the operation of providing consulting services to a client organization in a structured learning environment. Students in the Consult for Impact program will engage in a team-based consulting project, typically working in groups of 4–5 students. Each team is matched with a community partner and collaborates over the course of the academic term to address a defined organizational challenge or opportunity. This is a volunteer-based initiative and not part of a for-credit academic course. The engagement is project-based, not a placement, and students are expected to contribute approximately 25–30 hours each over the term. This includes time for client meetings, research, analysis, strategy development, and final deliverables. Teams are supported by Rotman Commerce staff and mentors, and they maintain regular communication with the partner to ensure alignment and impact. |
| Student Contributions to the Community/Organization | Through the Consult for Impact program, Rotman Commerce students contribute to not-for-profit organizations, social start-ups or university-affiliated organizations by offering pro bono consulting support. They conduct research, analyze data, and develop tailored, strategic recommendations that address real organizational challenges. Their work helps build capacity within the organization while giving students hands-on experience applying business skills to create meaningful social impact. |
| Student Skills and Experience | Students participating in Consult for Impact bring a strong foundation in business knowledge, including marketing, strategy, operations, and finance. They apply research and analytical skills, problem-solving frameworks, and effective communication techniques learned in class. Many also have prior experience from case competitions, internships, or extracurricular leadership roles. Together, these skills enable them to think critically, work collaboratively, and deliver thoughtful, actionable recommendations to client organizations. |
| Student Goals for Learning | Through the Consult for Impact experience, students will ideally learn how to apply business concepts in real-world settings, especially within the social impact and nonprofit sectors. They will develop practical skills in client communication, project management, teamwork, and problem-solving. Additionally, students gain a deeper understanding of community needs, the challenges faced by mission-driven organizations, and the importance of using business tools to create positive social change. This experience also helps strengthen their adaptability, empathy, and professional confidence. |
| Contact Information | Bhavya Dhawan: bhavya.dhawan@utoronto.ca Consult for Impact |
| Course Title | Engineering Strategies and Practice II: APS112 |
| Timing | To provide our students with real-life scenarios, we are seeking volunteers to act as clients with a specific project or problem in mind. Community Partners have until December 2025 to submit their project/problem. The course runs in Winter 2026. The students start working on the projects in early February 2026 and complete them by the end of March 2026. |
| Program Description | Engineering Strategies and Practice II is a course that builds upon the foundational design process, problem-solving, and project management skills introduced in Engineering Strategies and Practice I. It emphasizes real-world design projects, team-based work, and communication skills, preparing students for a career in engineering. |
| Student Contributions to the Community/Organization | The students work in teams of six members to propose a solution for their client. They work from early February 2026 until the end of March 2026. Community partners are invited to attend the final presentation in early April (attendance is optional). As a volunteer client, you can expect our students to take this project very seriously and bring a lot of enthusiasm, energy, and creativity to solving it. You can also expect the students to come prepared for client meetings and calls and to be respectful of your schedule when contacting you. Previous projects have included: Space optimization Inventory control systems Sound proofing spaces Building accessibility Food waste reduction Food sorting systems for food banks Heating and cooling solutions Green space design |
| Student Skills and Experience | Our first-year engineering students bring creativity and enthusiasm as they work to find a solution for their client’s project or problem. |
| Student Goals for Learning | Students learn to problem-solve with creativity, methodology and credibility. They practice independent learning skills and consider a wide variety of problems, including technical, environmental, societal, and human factors. |
| Contact Information | Martha Muraira martha.muraira@utoronto.ca |
| Course Title | Experiential Learning, Canadian Studies Program |
| Timing | Community-engagement placements run from January 26 to March 16, 2026. Organizations should contact the instructor by end of October to connect, discuss, and co-design activities that can meaningfully benefit the partner and students. |
| Program Description | CDN320 Experiential Learning partners with not-for profit and public sector organizations in community engaged learning, experiential learning, and/or project-based initiatives. Placements are made with partners active in community-led initiatives, with an emphasis on local Canadian change-makers, grassroots, not-for profit and public initiatives. Each is co-designed to advance partner priorities and to enhance student learnings, navigating organizational day to day challenges and long term planning. Canadian Studies students bring a diverse range of skills and expertise in interdisciplinary research, communication, and project management, and a commitment to social change and active citizenship. Past partners: Artscape, BIAs, Butterfly: Asian and Migrant Sex Worker Support Network, Digital Justice Lab, City of Mississauga Smart City MasterPlan, Native Earth Performing Arts, Ontario MPs, Square Circle, StoryPlanet, StreetArtTO, and more |
| Student Contributions to the Community/Organization | Students, often working in teams, can contribute meaningfully to advancing and/or completing projects and organizational goals that may be currently on hold and students can support diverse community activities and initiatives as defined by community partners. Students could engage solo or as teams, usually 2-4, with 45 hours over roughly 9 weeks. Past partnerships have been both on-site with direct community engagement (meetings TBD) and remote project-based formats with meetings at the start, middle, and completion of the project. |
| Student Skills and Experience | Canadian Studies is a highly interdisciplinary program and students bring a range of skills, interests, and experience, including prior volunteering, academic research and project completion skills, administrative competencies (grants to events), analytical skills across disciplines, summary reports and presentations to stakeholders, knowledge dissemination, community building, social media, and a shared commitment to social change. |
| Student Goals for Learning | Students will gain an enhanced understanding of the complexities not-for-profit and public sector organizations navigate, and of the dynamic interrelationships between organizations, communities, and the many agencies and entities that can impact day to day operations and long term sustainability. Real word experience can provide students with the opportunity to juxtapose academic perspectives with community insights and best practices. |
| Contact Information | Siobhan O’Flynn s.oflynn@utoronto.ca |