Community Engaged Learning Placements

NEW495 Placements

Below placements with an active link are now live for 2026-27, and will close July 7th.

Click on the organization name for a full description of the role.

The Black Health Equity Lab (The BHEL) – a community-based social science research lab that brings together students, researchers, and community-based organizations committed to working with and for Black communities to conduct rigorous health research and develop advocacy tools, strategies, and programs to improve health outcomes, well-being, and success in Canadian systems. This placement offers a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of public health, racial justice, and community-led research. Students will gain real-world experience in knowledge mobilization, policy engagement, and equity-based advocacy. As a placement student at BHEL, you’ll support research, advocacy, and community initiatives aimed at addressing systemic health inequities affecting Black communities in Canada.

Davenport-Perth Neighbourhood and Community Health Centre (Case Manager Student Placement Volunteer) – DPNCHC supports people in its neighbourhood, especially those who face economic and/or social barriers, to enrich their lives and the life of our community. Students will work with DPNCHC staff team to assist and support in administrative tasks, client meetings and engage with community members during programs and special events.

The Migrant Farmworker Legal Clinic (Volunteer Student) – The Migrant Farmworker Legal Clinic is coordinated by Justice for Migrant Workers and the University of Windsor Faculty of Law. It is the first known Clinic in Canada that works almost exclusively with migrant agricultural workers. The Clinic is working to develop its social media profiles, particularly on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and TikTok to engage migrant farmworkers. Students would have the opportunity to develop content for these channels to provide information, debunk myths about Canada’s migrant worker programs, and foster solidarity.

The Ontario Clean Air Alliance (Outreach and Research Assistant) – The Ontario Clean Air Alliance is a small ENGO working for a shift to a renewable electricity future. We do energy policy and analysis, lobby governments, and build public support for a renewable energy system that precludes fossil fuels and nuclear power.

Parkdale Project Read (2 Positions – Community Literacy Worker) – PPR is an inclusive and culturally diverse community literacy program that provides access to learning from a social justice perspective by offering free literacy services in a supportive environment. This is an opportunity for a student with an interest in adult literacy from a social justice perspective. An academic background with anti-oppression and equity studies courses, and/or lived experience with these issues, is an asset.

TTCriders – a grassroots, membership-based advocacy organization that works to build a more just, affordable, and sustainable public transit system in Toronto. TTCriders brings together transit users from across the city to advocate for better service, lower fares, and greater public investment in transit infrastructure. Our campaigns focus on holding decision-makers accountable, influencing transit policy, and mobilizing public support to win improvements to the TTC and regional transit systems. TTCriders is seeking a motivated and passionate co-op student to support our campaigns and communications work. This is an excellent opportunity for a student interested in community organizing, communications, policy, and sustainable cities.

Between the Lines (Publishing Associate) – Between the Lines is a social movement press founded in 1977. We publish nonfiction books that expose and challenge oppression in our society. We aim to amplify the struggles of Black, Indigenous, and racialized communities; migrants; women; queer folks; and working-class people. The student will be introduced and integrated across the departments and portfolios of the press: including but not limited to editorial, production, design, marketing, distribution, and publicity. The placement will offer a holistic understanding of how a small publisher operates; how a politically vibrant organization endures; and the educational and material sector of social justice and progressive ideas.

Black Action Defence Committee (BADC) – is committed to battling brutality and systemic prejudice in the criminal justice system through community regulation, advocacy, and education, while empowering working-class youth of African descent through specialized skill-building and intervention programs. This role will support the Community Research and Outreach department by coordinating grassroots data collection efforts, analyzing systemic trends for legal and policy reports, and assisting with program evaluations to improve the effectiveness of community-led safety and youth initiatives.

U of T Campus Food Coalition – a student-led advocacy and mutual aid organization funded by the UTSU and UTGSU. The coalition is dedicated to tackling campus food insecurity and promoting food justice by establishing sustainable, culturally relevant, and anti-capitalist food spaces, hosting free community meals, and organizing educational symposiums. This role will support the Operations and Outreach team by coordinating grassroots logistics for a campus-wide food justice organization, assisting in the preparation and distribution of free community meals, and supporting organizational efforts for food justice campaigns and educational programming across the university.

The Federation of Metro Tenants’ Associations (FMTA) – a non-profit organization which advocates for better rights for tenants. At its heart, FMTA is rooted in tenant empowerment—helping renters come together, know their rights, organize collectively, and advocate for equitable, safe, and dignified housing. An ideal candidate for this placement is a student deeply committed to social justice, with a strong understanding of housing issues and tenants’ rights.

Little Jamaica Community Land Trust (LJCLT) – a Black-led, Black-serving and Black-focused ownership model, operating within Toronto’s Little Jamaica community. The LJCLT mission is to acquire property and steward resources to drive the heritage preservation and self-determination of diverse Black diasporic peoples in a sustainable way for residents and businesses. The focus of the work students would be involved with is advancing Black community ownership through the development of community land trusts (CLTs) and other ownership models. This experience is particularly valuable for students pursuing careers in urban planning, public policy, Black or Caribbean studies, law, social work, or community economic development.

The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) – a labour union representing nearly 230,000 workers in every province and territory in Canada and in locations around the world. PSAC strives to enhance its members’ quality of life and has been at the front of a variety of significant and successful campaigns for workplace and human rights, including the struggle for equal pay, enhanced workplace health and safety and the rights of same sex spouses. PSAC is working to achieve a compassionate and inclusive society free of sexism, racism, homophobia, and all other forms of discrimination. The PSAC placement student will work with Union Organizers, Regional Representatives, and the Education Officer to support workers’ rights campaigns through organizing, education and enforcing union contracts.

The Thorncliffe Park Women’s Committee (Community Programming Assistant) – The Thorncliffe Park Women’s Committee is a grassroots organization dedicated to creating and implementing public space enhancement projects in the community of Thorncliffe Park. We are looking for a Community Programming Assistant to help with our growing list of programs. This is an opportunity for student who is keen to deepen their understanding of the role of small community organizations (immigrant women led, volunteer run) having a transformative impact upon their neighbourhoods.

The Toronto Tenant Union – TTU (Community organizing placement) – The Toronto Tenant Union is a citywide organization of tenants and tenant associations in Toronto, Ontario. TTU is dedicated to protecting our homes from landlords and their allies, by organizing with our neighbours and providing them with the skills necessary to fight and win the right to live in affordable, clean and safe housing in the communities we call home. This placement offers a hands-on education in grassroots door-to-door organizing, tenant law, and campaign strategy; helping you build real tenant power while working alongside one of the city’s most effective housing justice organizations.

Visions of Science (Intern, Fundraising Operations) – Visions of Science exists to transform communities, society, and the planet through equitable access to STEM. We are committed to advancing STEM equity by engaging Black and other racialized youth from low-income communities across the Greater Toronto Area who experience significant barriers to participation. The placement student plays a vital role in maintaining the integrity and efficiency of the Visions of Science donor database. The student will focus on high-priority data hygiene projects, including record auditing, standardization, and gift processing, to ensure the database is optimized for daily use and future system transitions.

Jane and Finch Centre – a multi-service, community-led organization that has served as a vital anchor in Northwest Toronto for over four decades. Driven by a deep commitment to social justice, equity, and resident empowerment, the Centre works alongside community members to address systemic barriers and build a healthy, vibrant, and resilient neighbourhood. Working under the guidance of the Community Development team, the CEL Placement Student will support grassroots worker education and employment equity initiatives. This role focuses on lowering systemic barriers to good jobs and empowering local residents, particularly newcomers, racialized communities, and precarious workers, with knowledge regarding labor rights, health and safety, fair pay and workplace advocacy.

United for Literacy (Organizational Team (OT) member) – United For Literacy leads the effort in Canada to help people and communities achieve their goals through the power of literacy. United for Literacy believes any place can be a learning place. We deliver our programs in schools, community centres, shelters – anywhere we’re invited. All over Canada – in urbanized, rural, and remote locations – United for Literacy is there. We work with community partners to determine what is most needed in their region. We are seeking an enthusiastic and community-minded 4th-year university student to support local literacy programs as part of our partnership with Community-Engaged Learning (CEL) at New College.

Canadians for Tax Fairness – This role will support the Community-Engaged Learning program in partnership with Canadians for Tax Fairness (C4TF), a national organization dedicated to advocating for fair and progressive tax systems. This placement bridges macroeconomic policy with grassroots community education, demonstrating how progressive taxation, corporate accountability, and tax justice directly impact funding for public services, social equity, and community resilience. An ideal student for this placement is someone eager to see how economic policy, public advocacy, and grassroots organizing intersect on the ground.

Women’s Health in Women’s Hands (HR Assistant) – WHIWH-CHC is a community health centre that provides primary healthcare, community programs and wrap around supports for racialized women, trans and non-binary people from the African, Black, Caribbean, Latin American, and South Asian communities in the Greater Toronto Area. The HR Assistant position provides hands-on experience supporting a busy Human Resources department within a community health setting. This position offers an excellent opportunity to gain practical experience in core HR functions while developing professional skills in communication, organization, and confidentiality.

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (Strategy and Physician Engagement Support, 2 positions available) – CAPE is a charitable organization that works with partners across Canada and internationally to amplify impact and build collective power. We support physicians in advocating for healthier ecosystems and take action to advance health for all by engaging governments, leading campaigns, conducting research, and drawing media attention to key issues. CAPE is looking for two students to support both these processes, likely with a more significant focus on the engagement side complemented by some social change/social movement research or fundraising development. The jobs will include training development, research (literature and/or interview research collecting physician stories), and online event coordination/other administrative work.

The Mayworks Festival of Working People and the Arts – initiates and supports the creation and production of art that engages diverse artists and workers at the intersection of art, social justice and labour. This opportunity is for a student interested in labour justice and the role of cultural programming in community building and social action. The ideal candidate will be interested in film and how it can be used to explore issues of labour justice and social action. As well as research skills, the student should have the capacity to critically view a film and to effectively communicate their response to it.

Food Secure Canada – FSC works to amplify the power of diverse voices to transform the food system through dialogue, advocacy and capacity building. Our vision is of a just, healthy and sustainable food system, honouring our relationship to the earth and each other. This is a chance for a student who is passionate about food and who wants to make a sustained difference through public policy.

FoodShare – At FoodShare, we advocate for food justice by supporting community-based food initiatives and through ongoing advocacy and public education. Our vision is a Toronto where all people can feed themselves, their loved ones and their communities with dignity and joy. This is an opportunity for a student passionate about food justice – and its intersections with the right to food, racial and environmental justice, reconciliation, body liberation, and anti-poverty work – to gain skills and experience in community food programming with adults and seniors.

The Ontario Health Coalition – a non-profit public interest coalition whose mission is to protect and improve our public health care system. The Ontario Health Coalition fights cuts and privatization, and advocates for improvements to public health care in the public interest. The Ontario Health Coalition is looking for someone to assist in their health care advocacy work to protect and improve public health care in Ontario.

Burma Scholar – We are a group of activists based in Toronto, Canada, passionate about the political and educational situation in Burma. Learn about Myanmar, specifically the human rights issues there, and the role of the education sector in providing opportunities for young people there. Work with a small Toronto-based team to create educational program experiences, organize community-based events, and communicate with government agencies like IDRC (International Development Research Centre).

The Toronto Centre for Applied Buddhism (Program & Outreach Assistant) – TCAB aims to provide educational programming that focuses on the application of the Buddhist teachings in contemporary societies through collaboration with educational institutions and Buddhist communities locally and internationally. As a Program & Outreach Assistant, you’ll gain hands-on experience in nonprofit program development, community engagement, and administrative operations. This placement will offer exposure to the incredible work of Buddhist chaplains and volunteers, based on best practices in spiritual care and trauma-informed programming.

Homes First Society – Develops and provides affordable, stable housing and support services to break the cycle of homelessness for people with the fewest housing options. This role will collaborate with managers on database design and research tools and disseminate knowledge across different departments and staff to facilitate program analysis. Overall, the goal will be to support evidence-based decision making and program effectiveness through data collection, analysis, and research related to housing and homelessness-related issues and policies.

Previous Placements

Check out examples of NEW495 placement opportunities from previous years.

Please note: previous placements are currently inactive

NEW497 Available Placements

NEW497 will be offered at a later date – stay tuned for more details by visiting the Community Engaged Learning Program page.

Check out examples of NEW497 placement opportunities from previous years.

Please note: previous placements are currently inactive