¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ

Host Organization

Westhaven Community Center, in collaboration with Walkley Community Center, Jeunesse Loyola, Saint-Raymond Community Center and NDG Youth Concertation Table

The Westhaven Community Center, alongside its partners, is committed to providing inclusive programs that address the recreational, educational, and social needs of vulnerable populations. We strive to create supportive environments for children, including those with special needs, by addressing gaps in service delivery and promoting community engagement.

Project Supervisor(s)

Emily Cuellar-Villeneuve,ÌýGeneral Director of the Westhaven Community Center

Project Description & Objectives

This project aims to identify and analyze the challenges faced by children with special needs, behavioral issues, or significant vulnerabilities within summer camps hosted at four community centers: Westhaven, Walkley, Jeunesse Loyola, and Saint-Raymond. A key concern is that staff members are not equipped with the necessary training or resources to effectively support children requiring specialized care. This leads to difficulties in providing inclusive and safe camp environments. The research fellow will conduct an in-depth needs assessment by collecting data through interviews, surveys, and observational studies with camp staff, families, and community leaders. The objective is to highlight the gaps in staff training and program resources and demonstrate the urgent need for enhanced funding and resources. By doing so, the project aims to strengthen the case for investing in more comprehensive support and infrastructure to accommodate children with special needs. This research aligns with the McBurney Fellowship’s mandate to improve social conditions for marginalized groups and advocate for more inclusive and well-supported programming.

Fellowship Responsibilities & Deliverables

The fellow will produce a comprehensive needs assessment report, including an executive summary, key findings, and as well as recommendations for the community centers. This report will substantiate the need for better resources and funding to enhance support for children with special needs. The fellow will also deliver a presentation to community leaders and stakeholders.

Project Team

The fellow will collaborate closely with Emily Cuellar-Villeneuve and afterschool and summer camp coordinators at each community center. In addition, interactions with youth animators and families of children with special needs will be essential for gathering insights.

Fellowship Location

The fellowship will be conducted in a hybrid format, with on-site visits to the community centers and remote data analysis and report preparation.

Technical Skills

Required:

• Experience in community-based research or program evaluation, data collection (interviews, surveys, and observations), and report writing.
• Bilingualism, written and spoken

Assets:

• Background in child development, social work, or education
• Knowledge of inclusive programming and sensitivity to the needs of children with special requirements

Transferable Skills

Required:

• Strong communication and organizational skills
• Ability to collaborate with diverse stakeholders
• Capacity for critical thinking
• Ability to work autonomously and collaboratively

Assets:

• Empathy
• Adaptability
• Cultural sensitivity
• Additional languages

Additional Application Materials

Applicants should provide a brief writing sample (maximum 3 pages) showcasing their ability to analyze data or assess community needs.

Host Organization

NDG Community Council (the Council)

The Council mobilisesÌýa wide variety of stakeholders and brings them together to collaborate on improving the quality of life in NDG.

Project Supervisor(s)

Halah Al-Ubaidi, Executive Director of the NDG Community Council

Project Description & Objectives

The NDG Community Council focuses their work on sectors that are identified as the most vulnerable, socially and economically. Recent statistics have revealedÌýnew sectors that are not well served. For this project, the Council needs to create door-to-door surveys and define the limits of the Snowdon priority sector and identify the partners that will work with the Council on this project.Ìý

Fellowship Responsibilities & Deliverables

The McBurney Fellow will create a survey and analyze the results, as well as analyzing other existing data (e.g., statistics and reports created by the Ville de Montreal and CIUSSS). In order to better serve this sector, the Council needs to understand the demographics, education and income of the people living in the sector. They also need to understand the housing conditions and rent, road safety, food security, and public security issues in the area. The Fellow will create a survey to collect this information, and through analysis of the results, will help work on an action plan to tackle the needs and improve the living conditions in the sector.Ìý

Project Team

The McBurney Fellow will benefit from the support and mentorship of 4 community organizers working in the other priority sectors. A committee of staff from the Council will be supporting them directly as well.

Fellowship Location

The McBurney Fellow will work in the NDG Community Council offices as well as conducting research on the ground in Snowdon sector.

Skills

• Able to read statisticsÌý
• Able to read mapsÌý
• Friendly, good interpersonal skillsÌý

Additional Application Materials

N/A

Host Organization

PAAL Partageons le monde

PAAL Partageons le monde (PAAL) is a social economy and innovation organization that educates and raises public awareness about cultural diversity, equity, and inclusion. Its aim is to prevent racism and exclusion by offering artistic and cultural activities.

Project Supervisor(s)

Pilar Hernandez Romero, Executive Director, PAAL

Rafael Benitez, Artistic Director, PAAL

Project Description & Objectives

The year 2026 marks the 150th anniversary of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce (NDG), a vibrant and diverse neighborhood with deep historical roots in Montreal. As part of the commemoration, the 150 NDG Anniversary Project will honor the rich history of the area while placing a strong emphasis on ethnocultural inclusion, celebrating the diverse communities that have shaped NDG into the inclusive, multicultural hub it is today.

This project will unfold over the year with a series of artistic, cultural, and educational events that highlight the many voices and stories of NDG’s past and present. From its early days as a small village to its development into a lively urban neighborhood, NDG has been home to a wide range of communities that have left their mark on its landscape, both physically and culturally.

Fellowship Responsibilities & Deliverables

• Visit community organizations in the neighborhood (e.g. New Hope, Eva Marsden Centre, YMCA-NDG) to ask community members if they would like to contribute stories, photographs, and/or documents about NDG. Collect and organize these residents' contributions.
• Work with two historians to conduct archival research about the history of the neighborhood.
• Create a virtual exhibition to showcase the resources collected through community member contributions and archival research.

Project Team

The fellow will work primarily with Luciana Guizan, the project manager, and Rafael Benitez, Artistic Director of PAAL.

Fellowship Location

NDG, Montreal

Technical Skills

Required:

• Audio, video recording and editing.
• Documentary research
• Outreach
• Writing

Assets:

• Bilingual
• Document Management

Transferable Skills

Required:

• Autonomy
• Interpersonal skills
• Interest in history and community work

Additional Application Materials

Please submit an edited audio or video file that you've created.

More About the Host Organization

You can read more about the project at this website:

Host Organization

Women on Web International Foundation (WoW)

Women on Web is a non-profit organization that aims to facilitate access to safe and quality abortion through telemedicine.

Project Supervisor

Venny Ala-Siurua, Executive Director of WoW

Dr. Jennifer Fishman, Associate Professor, ¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ University, Department of Equity, Ethics and Policy

Project Description & Objectives

This project aims to map the pathways that individuals in restrictive settings follow to access safe abortion services. Drawing on data from Women on Web, an online service providing abortion care, the project seeks to examine the patterns, challenges, and outcomes of accessing abortion services outside the formal healthcare system in regions where safe abortion is legally restricted or severely limited.

Little is known about abortion access in restrictive settings, as it largely occurs outside formal healthcare structures. Although individuals may seek care in formal healthcare settings when facing abortion complications or for post-abortion care, the specifics of these interventions are not well documented. By mapping these pathways, the project will provide critical insights into the realities of abortion access in these environments.

This project aims to:

• Map abortion access pathways: Visualize both online and offline pathways that individuals take to access abortion services, whether through formal or informal healthcare systems.
• Examine barriers to formal healthcare: Identify the legal, logistical, and structural barriers that prevent individuals from accessing abortion services through formal healthcare channels.
• Inform evidence-based policy and advocacy: Provide data-driven insights to support the development of policies, programs, and advocacy efforts aimed at improving comprehensive abortion care, especially in restrictive settings.

Fellow Responsibilities & Deliverables

The fellow will be assigned to analyze a dataset specific to specific countries. This dataset comprises demographic information of individuals seeking abortion services, with cross-sectional data on the causes of unwanted pregnancies, factors prompting them to seek abortion through Women on Web or any other way, and insights into their abortion experiences and if applicable post-abortion experiences.

The primary responsibility of the fellow will encompass conducting a thorough descriptive analysis of the dataset assigned. This analysis will involve synthesizing key trends and patterns within the data, such as demographic characteristics of abortion seekers, prevalent causes of unwanted pregnancies, reasons for seeking abortion services, and variations in abortion and post-abortion care experiences across different groups. The fellow can also perform qualitative analysis of the text messages (e.g., emails) exchanged between abortion seekers and the Women on Web helpdesk and may also conduct semi-structured interviews with them.

The main deliverable of this project is a report reflecting on the data analysis, including visual representations (maps and flowcharts) of online and offline abortion access pathways in restrictive settings. The report will highlight the legal, logistical, and structural barriers that prevent individuals from accessing formal healthcare for abortion services, illustrating how individuals navigate both formal and informal healthcare systems to access abortion. If applicable, the report will also include a qualitative analysis of the text messages (emails) exchanged between abortion seekers and the Women on Web helpdesk, offering insights into their challenges, concerns, and needs. The fellow will also contribute to creating advocacy-focused infographics and supporting the publication and public dissemination of the research findings.

Project Team

The McBurney Fellow will work locally with Venny Ala-Siurua and Jennifer Fishman as well as with other staff at Women on Web (located outside of Canada)

Fellowship Location

Montreal, Canada with meetings to be held both in person with Venny and Jennifer and online with the Women on Web team

Technical Skills

The fellow is expected to have basic data analysis skills, including proficiency in statistical analysis and data manipulation techniques both for quantitative and qualitative data. These skills will be essential for conducting the data analysis, identifying trends and patterns.

Familiarity with data visualization tools and software packages such as R, Python, or SPSS would be an asset for this role.

Transferable Skills

The fellow is expected to demonstrate strong critical thinking and analytical reasoning abilities to draw insightful conclusions from the data. Attention to detail is paramount for this task, as even minor nuances in the data can lead to significant findings.

We highly value teamwork and effective cross-cultural communication skills, given the collaborative nature of the work and the different partners involved. This is particularly important for qualitative research, conducting interviews and analyzing text-data.

The fellow should be aware that the topic of abortion is highly sensitive, especially in contexts where it is legally restricted or socially stigmatized. Analyzing data related to abortion requires not only methodological rigor but also an ethical sensitivity. The fellow must approach the data with respect for the privacy, confidentiality, and emotional vulnerability of abortion seekers. Ethical considerations, such as informed consent, safeguarding anonymity, and minimizing harm, are paramount.

Additionally, the fellow must remain aware of the potential risks to participants and researchers in restrictive settings, particularly when handling sensitive information related to abortion care. Understanding the local legal and cultural environment is crucial for ensuring that the research adheres to ethical standards and does not put anyone at risk.

Additional Application Materials

N/A

Host Organization

Equitas International Centre for Human Rights Education

Equitas works for the advancement of equality, social justice and respect for human dignity through transformative education programs. We provide knowledge, skills and tools to support the empowerment of groups that are subject to discrimination, exclusion and other forms of human rights violations, particularly women, children and youth. Equitas believes that a human rights-based approach (HRBA) is fundamental to achieving sustainable development & social change so that nobody is left behind. We educate people on how to claim their rights, hold decision makers, in particular duty bearers accountable, and take action to ensure respect, protection and the fulfillment of human rights.

Project Supervisor(s)

Dr.ÌýCandace H. Blake-Amarante, Knowledge Manager, Equitas

Dr. Claudia Mitchell, James ¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ Professor, ¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ University, Department of Integrated Studies in Education; Director, Participatory Cultures Lab (PCL)

Project Description & Objectives

Moving Images is located within the burgeoning body of participatory visual and arts-based work, especially with young people, in health and social research, human rights education, and more particularly in the context of issues of equity and social change. Building on the success of approaches such as digital storytelling, photovoice, cellphilming and drawing in engaging youth in projects addressing gender equity, climate justice and other rights-based issues critical to, researchers and community-based practitioners are increasingly interested in developing tools for studying the impact of images on various audiences (communities, policymakers) as well as on the participant/image-makers. How do images move audiences (to respond and to act) and participants themselves? While there are broad interdisciplinary bodies of literature dealing with audience research, this project seeks to make a specific contribution to deepening an understanding of knowledge mobilization through visual methods by delving into and synthesizing the literature on ‘studying impact’ in participatory work with young people. Of interest is how arts-based approaches are integrated to share and translate knowledge about human rights education approaches namely, the human rights-based approach, decolonization, trauma-informed and gender equality to youth human rights educators, defenders and activists.

Situated within a 5-year partnership grant, TRANSFORM, involving Equitas and ¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ, amongst other partners, Moving Images will explore questions such as the following: What frameworks for studying impact through arts-based methods already exist? Where are the gaps? Guided by the supervisory team, can the findings contribute to work that is underway in the Equitas-TRANSFORM network?

Fellowship Responsibilities & Deliverables

A user-friendly literature review on studying impact in participatory visual and arts-based projects: This work will be framed by the critical social issues being addressed by Equitas as a partner in TRANSFORM: Engaging with youth for social change, and guided by the supervisory team.

An infograph or short briefing document on ‘studying impact’.

Project Team

Dr. Candace H. Blake-Amarante, Dr. Claudia Mitchell, other RAs and a postdoctoral fellow in the PCL.

Fellowship Location

The fellow’s work will be conducted in Montreal, both at Equitas and the Participatory Cultures Lab.

Technical Skills

Required: The applicant should be able to engage in conducting critical literature reviews in social science research, and should have strong knowledge of qualitative research.

Assets: Knowledge of arts-based methodologies; ability to work with canva or other platforms for knowledge mobilization production.

While most of the review work will be conducted in English, competence in French would be an asset.

Transferable Skills

• Strong word and communication skills are required particularly since the successful applicant will be working with a team, and it will be key to periodical updates and check-ins.
• Creative skills will be important, particularly in designing knowledge mobilization tools coming out the review.
• Time-management: Although the successful applicant will be working as part of a team and with lots of support, good time management skills are important for carrying out the work in a timely manner.
• Data skills: The successful candidate will be working with different data platforms and will need to be selective.
• Social skills

Additional Application Materials

N/A

Ìý

Host Organization

Westhaven Community Center

Westhaven Community Center offers inclusive, developmental programs that address the social, recreational, and educational needs of marginalized youth and families. Through dedicated services, we bridge critical gaps, promoting community engagement and enabling youth, particularly those from under-resourced backgrounds, to develop leadership and life skills in supportive environments. This includes initiatives for youth leadership and skill-building that foster confidence, resilience, and community service.

Project Supervisor(s)

Emily Cuellar-Villeneuve, General Director,ÌýWesthaven Community Center

Project Description & Objectives

The Youth Leadership Pathway Program at Westhaven Community Center is a summer initiative aimed at teens aged 13-15, transitioning out of traditional summer camp but not yet eligible for formal work. The program provides foundational leadership development through workshops focused on communication, teamwork, and introductory work skills, complemented by volunteer placements in various summer camps and community organizations.

The selected McBurney fellow will coordinate and animate the program, developing modular training on communication, teamwork, and service skills that can be replicated in subsequent years. Fellows will also lead group outings, engaging participants with the broader Westhaven teen programs and facilitating valuable peer connections. This program aims to create a meaningful impact in marginalized youth by equipping them with skills that enhance their community engagement, social development, and work-readiness.

As a pilot, this program aims to foster valuable skills and a spirit of community service among marginalized teens, with long-term potential for replicability and scalability in future years. By building a sustainable framework for youth leadership, this initiative will bridge the gap for young teens, providing meaningful, age-appropriate engagement and skill-building.

Fellowship Responsibilities & Deliverables

• Create and facilitate a structured leadership curriculum with adaptable tools for future use.
• Establish partnerships with camps and community organizations for volunteer placements.
• Coordinate participants' involvement in larger group outings, integrating youth from Westhaven’s broader programs.
• Document program outcomes and areas for improvement for future iterations.

Project Team

The McBurney Fellow will work primarily with the General Director, Emily Cuellar-Villeneuve.

Fellowship Location

Hybrid in Montreal (combination of in-person activities and remote program coordination).

Technical Skills

Required:

• Experience or strong interest in youth program coordination - possibly studying special education, social work, human relations etc.
• Ability to create adaptable, structured training materials.
• Ability to foster partnerships within the community.

Asset

• Experience in youth engagement or community leadership.

Transferable Skills

Required

• Bilingual - Strong communication and organizational skills
• Flexibility and cultural sensitivity in working with vulnerable youth
• Ability to work collaboratively with various age groups and backgrounds
• Ability to work autonomously and good sense of initiative

Asset

• Additional language

Additional Application Materials

Note that no additional materials are required to submit with your application, but the successful candidate will have to pass a background check. The Westhaven Community CenterÌýencourages applications from candidates who reflect the diverse cultural backgrounds of the youth we serve. Representation is vital to fostering an inclusive environment where all participants feel seen, understood, and valued.

Host Organization

CIET Trust Botswana

Our aim is to move epidemiology’s centre of gravity from universities in rich countries toward places and situations where it is needed most: in developing countries, in emergencies and among marginalised populations. We want to see epidemiology used to make public services work better, reach more who need them, and be more accountable. In addition to medical epidemics, we want to see epidemiology used against social epidemics like gender violence and corruption.

Project Supervisor

Ivan Sarmiento, Research Coordinator, CIET Trust Botswana

Dr. Anne Cockcroft, ¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ University, Department of Family Medicine

Project Description & Objectives

The project is in Botswana, a middle-income country. It examines systematic and personal causes of gender violence and suicide among youth. Botswana has marked income inequality, a risk factor for gender violence and suicide. We work with disadvantaged youth to reduce their risks of gender violence and suicide. In 2023, they highlighted poverty and financial problems as leading causes of youth violence. The project aims to further explore with youth and other stakeholders in Botswana their perceptions of local causes of youth partner violence and suicide and support them in planning and implementing actions to tackle these causes. The research team is a partnership of more than a decade between ¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ researchers, a Botswana-based NGO, the Botswana Ministry of Health, and the National AIDS and Health Promotion Agency (NAHPA). The project will build capacities of government technical officers in data analysis and interpretation. Our study is among the first in Botswana to incorporate gender diversity into data gathering and analysis of youth experiences. We will convene separate groups of women and men for causal mapping sessions and focus groups and collaborate with an LGBTIQ+ advocacy group to seek participation of gender-diverse youth. Deliberative groups with stakeholders will co-design community-based actions, and we will measure incidence of violence before and after the interventions using anonymous household and school surveys. An additional narrative evaluation will explore impact of the pilot intervention from the perspectives of young men and women and specifically LBGTIQ+ participants.

Fellow Responsibilities & Deliverables

The fellow will support fuzzy cognitive mapping (FCM) scaling, including analysis and reporting. Based on the FCM findings, the fellow will be involved in designing and piloting a questionnaire for the surveys, which will involve some statistical analysis. They will also facilitate the planning of deliberative dialogue and prepare materials to share the evidence. Time permitting, the fellow will participate in the early stages of analysis and reporting of the results.

Project Team

The McBurney Fellow will work directly with Iván Sarmiento and Anne Cockcroft. They will coordinate the interaction of the fellow with the research team in the field.

Fellowship Location

The fellow will work remotely from Montreal.

Technical Skills

Required:

• Fundamental understanding of quantitative methods
• Basic computational skills

Assets:

• Experience in writing academic reports

Transferable Skills

Required:

• Strong organizational skills
• Reliability in meeting commitments

Assets:

• Experience in community-based initiatives

Additional Application Materials

N/A

Host Organization

Flemingdon Health Centre

Flemingdon Health Centre (FHC) was initiated in 1972 as a satellite clinic of the University of Toronto’s Sunnybrook Hospital. Initially, the centre served as a teaching site for the Sunnybrook Residency Program. In 1974, FHC was officially recognized as Toronto's first Community Health Centre (CHC), and by 1975, it became an independent not-for-profit organization with its own Board of Directors. As a registered charity and incorporated CHC, FHC provides a wide range of health-related services grounded in the social determinants of health and community engagement models. It is primarily funded by the Ministry of Health/Ontario Health (Toronto).

In addition to family medicine, FHC emphasizes addressing broader factors that impact community health, including poverty, employment, food security, isolation, and newcomer support. Its programs emphasize health promotion, disease prevention, community involvement, and collaboration with local agencies and organizations. Underlying its work is a commitment to improving health equity by providing accessible services to vulnerable populations and advocating for policies that address the social determinants of health. The organization embraces diversity and promotes inclusion through an Anti-Racism Anti-Oppression (ARAO) framework, fostering respect, equity, and belonging in its programs and services. FHC engages with clients, partners, and community stakeholders to identify health needs, strengthen communities, and deliver responsive, comprehensive health programs. The organization prioritizes accountability and transparency, ensuring optimal use of resources and reporting outcomes to stakeholders.

The organization continuously strives for excellence by fostering a culture of learning, innovation, and improvement in its interdisciplinary programs and services. Collaboration is key to FHC’s work, as it partners with academic institutions and supports community development, leadership, and resiliency. Since its founding, FHC has maintained a strong tradition as a teaching centre. It is affiliated with the University of Toronto’s Department of Family and Community Medicine and regularly host students from a variety of universities and community colleges.

Project Supervisor(s)

Neil Stephens, Senior Manager, Systems Transformation, Flemingdon Health Centre

Dr. Alayne Adams, Associate Professor and Global Health Director, Department of Family Medicine, ¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ University

Project Description & Objectives

The South Asian Diabetes Prevention Program (SADPP) is a long-running community-based, culturally tailored program developed by FHC to address the disproportionate burden of type-2 diabetes faced by South Asians living in the Toronto region. The program focuses on clients who face barriers to accessing healthcare and community services by conducting mobile clinics across the Greater Toronto Area where clients are screened for their risk of diabetes. This is followed up with workshops where clients are educated using culturally relevant resources on how to prevent diabetes.

FHC has indicated an interest in generating knowledge about the implementation of the SADPP useful to the development and implementation of similar programs for other ethnic minority populations who have a high prevalence of diabetes, such as Aboriginal Canadians, Black Canadians, and Chinese Canadians. At their request, the McBurney Fellow would focus their attention on research that explores the SADPP implementation, supported by faculty from ¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ The Fellow would design and conduct a qualitative program evaluation of the SADPP that examines program components and experiences of program staff along with service users in the community. The Fellow will facilitate the participation of service users in this research by engaging with community leaders.

The proposed implementation research project would provide the Fellow with an opportunity for hands-on yet supported learning about the conduct of community-engaged research grounded in values of health equity. Research results will contribute to FHC’s vision of creating stronger, healthier communities by improving diabetes outcomes for South Asians living in Toronto.

Fellowship Responsibilities & Deliverables

The Fellow will produce a Research Proposal at the beginning of the fellowship, an Interim Report of the preliminary findings from the qualitative analysis, and a Final Report summarizing the research, including lessons learned for FHC to further their diabetes programming and services offered. The FHC fully supports this work, and looks forward to its results as it develops a new diabetes program for the community it serves. Insights on crucial content and implementation components and processes are welcomed.

Project Team

The Fellow will report directly to Neil Stephens, Senior Manager of Systems Transformation at FHC, and they will collaborate with FHC staff on an ad hoc basis to facilitate the research project. The Fellow will get implementation research guidance and qualitative methodological support from Dr. Alayne Adams, Associate Professor and Global Health Director in the Department of Family Medicine at ¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ

Fellowship Location

The Fellow’s work will be conducted primarily on-site at the Flemingdon Health Centre in Toronto, but will also include working with clients and stakeholders in the community.

Technical Skills

The Fellow must possess skills in the design and execution of research projects under the guidance of faculty including the ability to develop a research question and methodology appropriate to the needs of the community organization. They must possess knowledge of qualitative methods and have experience analyzing interview or focus group data. They must be skilled in scientific communication including writing reports. Assets include the Fellow’s interest in implementation science and related theory.

Transferable Skills

The Fellow must be flexible and have the ability to problem solve to overcome challenges and facilitate research activities. They must demonstrate skills in team management including the ability to collaborate with diverse research and community partners. Assets include a South Asian background or ability to communicate in a South Asian language, which will facilitate the development of trust through mutual understanding with service users.

Additional Application Materials

Please submit a 1-2 page research proposal for a qualitative program evaluation of the SADPP. The proposal can remain high-level and does not need to include specific details of the program.

Host Organization

UNESCO International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNESCO IESALC)

UNESCO IESALC is mandated to contribute to improving higher education in UNESCO's Member States. The institute focuses on advancing the right to higher education through research, policy analysis, capacity building, and advocacy.

Project Supervisor(s)

Dr. Francesc Pedró, Director of UNESCO IESALC

Dr. Emma Harden-Wolfson, ¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ University, Faculty of Education

Project Description & Objectives

This project will contribute to UNESCO IESALC's ongoing work on the right to higher education by conducting a comprehensive literature review that builds on the institute's recent work in this field (). The project responds to a critical need identified in UNESCO IESALC's research: the need for stronger evidence to support collective advocacy for the right to higher education globally.

Building on the institute's recent analysis of 15 national case studies, the project focuses specifically on how higher education policies can better serve equity deserving groups who face significant socioeconomic barriers, including people with limited economic means, those from remote/rural areas, Indigenous peoples, and forcibly displaced people. This aligns directly with evidence that higher education access remains deeply unequal - while global enrollment has doubled in 20 years, students from disadvantaged backgrounds continue to face systematic exclusion.

The fellow will analyze academic and policy literature on how different countries approach the right to higher education, examining six key policy categories identified in UNESCO IESALC's framework: funding for students, information, infrastructure, pathways, quotas, and regulation. Particular attention will be paid to:

• Policy mechanisms for expanding access and ensuring student success
• Approaches to supporting equity deserving groups, including racialized people, Indigenous peoples, people with limited economic means, persons with disabilities, women, LGBTQ+ persons, forcibly displaced people, and people from remote/rural locations
• Implementation challenges and solutions across different national contexts
• Innovative practices and emerging trends, especially regarding technology use in expanding access

The review will help identify gaps in current knowledge, inform future research directions, and strengthen UNESCO IESALC's social justice framework on the right to higher education. This work directly supports the institute's mission to make a stronger case for collective advocacy when it comes to the right to higher education, ultimately contributing to UNESCO's vision of building a more peaceful, just and harmonious world through expanded access to quality higher education.

Fellowship Responsibilities & Deliverables

• A comprehensive literature review report (40-50 pages)
• An executive summary highlighting key findings (5 pages)
• A presentation to UNESCO IESALC staff and local higher education stakeholders
• A bibliography of relevant sources

Project Team

The McBurney Fellow will work with senior researchers involved in the national case studies project, including two visiting researchers; the institute's policy analysis specialists; and Dr. Emma Harden-Wolfson.

Fellowship Location

Onsite at the UNESCO Regional Office in Montevideo, Uruguay. A remote placement is possible for this position, but being based at UNESCO IESALC's office in Montevideo provides several strategic advantages:

1. Direct involvement in ongoing policy research, for example contributing to UNESCO IESALC's regional consultations on higher education policy
2. Access to unique regional expertise: Learning firsthand about Latin America's extensive experience with policies like quotas, targeted scholarships, and free public higher education, and (if applicable) accessing Spanish-language resources and regional data not readily available elsewhere
3. Practical policy experience: Attending meetings and policy dialogues between UNESCO IESALC and local stakeholders, observing how research translates into policy recommendations

Applicants should indicate in their personal statement whether they would prefer to be based in Montevideo or remotely for the fellowship. Applicants who are interested in a placement in Montevideo will be prioritized.

Technical Skills

Required:

• Advanced research and academic writing skills
• Proficiency in using academic databases
• Strong data analysis capabilities

Assets:

• Knowledge of higher education policy analysis
• Experience with qualitative research methods
• Spanish language research capabilities

Transferable Skills

Required:

• Excellent analytical and synthesis abilities
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to work independently and meet deadlines
• Clear written communication skills in English

Assets:

• Experience or commitment to working in international contexts
• Project management experience
• Presentation skills

Additional Application Materials

1. Applicants should submit a writing sample demonstrating academic research and analysis capabilities (15-20 pages)
2. The personal statement should include a brief proposal outlining the potential approach to the literature review.

More About the Project

This fellowship offers a unique opportunity to contribute to UNESCO IESALC's important work on advancing the right to higher education globally. The fellow's work will directly inform policy recommendations and advocacy efforts aimed at making higher education more equitable and accessible worldwide. The position would particularly benefit candidates interested in international education policy, educational equity, and social justice in higher education.

Host Organization

Ghana Mental Health Authority (MHA)

The Ghana Mental Health Authority (MHA), created under the 2012 Act, is tasked with providing culturally appropriate, quality mental health care across the country.

Project Supervisor(s)

Mr. Atim Daniel, Call Center Supervisor (MHA)

Mr. Emmanuel Okoe, Senior Administrative Manager (MHA)

Dr. Richard Appiah, Senior Lecturer (University of Ghana)

Dr. Evans Danso, Director of Policy Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (MHA)

Dr. Marilyn Ahun, Assistant Professor (¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ University)

Project Description & Objectives

Despite the centrality of mental wellbeing to the WHO’s definition of health, numerous barriers persist in promoting mental health globally. The world faces a mental health crisis, marked by high rates of mental health problems, insufficient investments in addressing the social determinants of mental health, and substantial treatment gaps. Ghana, a lower-middle-income country, is similarly affected. Although the 2012 Mental Health Act aimed to shift mental health services in the country from an institutional model to a community-based approach, challenges such as the lack of adequately trained mental health professionals remain. The Ghana Mental Health Authority (MHA), created under the 2012 Act, is tasked with providing culturally appropriate, quality mental health care across the country. As part of its mandate, the MHA established a mental health helpline in 2022 to connect individuals in crisis to appropriate services. This initiative aligns with the Lancet commission on global mental health and sustainable development’s call to embrace technological solutions to delivering mental health interventions to population groups in remote and low-resource settings. Yet there are no data on how the helpline is run, information that is crucial for improving its effectiveness. This project aims to map the MHA’s mental health helpline infrastructure and functionality. The McBurney Fellow will achieve this by conducting interviews with helpline attendants and management and analyzing the transcripts to identify strengths and areas for improvement in service delivery.

Fellowship Responsibilities & Deliverables

The McBurney Fellow will produce a 10-page report (not counting title, summary, and table of content pages nor any appendices) detailing their findings from the analysis of interview transcripts. This report will help the MHA better understand the functioning of the helpline and provide guidance on how the service can be improved to better address the mental health needs of the population. The McBurney Fellow will be offered the opportunity to collaborate as a co-author on any scientific publications resulting from their report.

Project Team

The Fellow will be directly supervised by Mr. Atim Daniel (Call Center Supervisor) and Mr. Emmanuel Okoe (Senior Administrative Manager) at the MHA. They will also have regular (weekly) meetings with Dr. Evans Danso, (Director of Policy Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation at the MHA), Dr. Marilyn N. Ahun (Assistant Professor at ¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ University), and Dr. Richard Appiah (Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana and Assistant Professor at Northumbria University).

Fellowship Location

The fellowship will be conducted in-person at the MHA office in Accra, Ghana.

Technical Skills

Required

• Ability to communicate fluently in English
• Experience conducting, transcribing, or analyzing qualitative in-depth interviews
• Basic understanding of psychopathology and how symptoms are expressed

Assets

• Experience working in or conducting research in mental health
• Experience volunteering or working at a mental health/crisis helpline
• Familiarity with Ghana’s cultural context, particularly regarding local perceptions of mental health

Transferable Skills

Required:

• Strong communication skills (oral and written)
• Ability to respond clearly, ask pertinent questions, think critically
• Willingness to work with a diversity of collaborators, ability to be flexible
• Prior experience working in a global health setting for at least one month

Additional Application Materials

Please submit a writing sample (at least 5 pages) that demonstrates your capacity for conducting research, analyzing data, and making policy-relevant recommendations. It can be from a course assignment or previous work/volunteer experience and must be just one document (not excerpts from multiple documents).

More About the Host Organization

The Ghana Mental Health Authority (MHA) is headed by a Chief Executive and structured into seven key divisions, each with specific responsibilities and roles:

1. Policy, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Division focuses on the creation and formulation of policies, standard operating protocols, and guidelines that guide all activities within the MHA. It also works closely with the Finance Division to establish clear guidelines for the budgeting across the MHA. Finally, it is responsible for overseeing the execution of policies and plans and ensuring that they are implemented effectively.
2. Finance Division is tasked with the management of all financial resources of the MHA.
3. Audit Division ensures the presence of strong internal control systems and compliance with both national financial management regulations and internal policies.
4. Administration Division is responsible for the day-to-day administrative operations of the MHA. Key areas under the Administration Division include human resources, general administration, transport, estate management, procurement, and security.
5. Regional and District Coordination Division plays a key role in coordinating mental health services, ensuring that mental health programs are effectively rolled out, and that patients receive the necessary care. Works closely with 16 regional and district mental health coordinators responsible for implementing community mental health care services in their respective regions.
6. QualityRights Initiative Division oversees the implementation of the QualityRights Initiative, a collaborative project between the MHA and the World Health Organization (WHO). The initiative focuses on building the capacity of mental health staff and patients to promote recovery while upholding human rights for people with mental health conditions and psychosocial or intellectual disabilities.
7. Technical Division focuses on providing expert advice, developing mental health interventions, and supporting the implementation of evidence-based practices across the MHA. This division also ensure that technical aspects of mental health care, such as the development and dissemination of treatment protocols, are handled efficiently.