UBC Community Engagement recently published an engagement story featuring UBC Learning Exchange, EMBERS Eastside Works and partners across Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside (DTES) as they collaborated to deliver immediate relief from extreme heat during last summer’s hottest days.
Students from the Urban Ethnographic Field School were deeply involved in this project, starting in May 2024 when they worked with community partners to help identify critical locations for cooling stations in the DTES. Deployed during heat waves, advocates at these stations distributed cooling kits and informed community members about accessible climate research and the effects of climate change on DTES residents.
Telka Pesklevits (Anthropology Undergraduate Student): It was a privilege to participate in a project that allowed for meaningful community interaction through reciprocal learning and working together to make sure that cooling resources could have the greatest reach. I’m thankful that I could apply the knowledge and skills I gained through field school with the help of UEFS faculty, staff at the Learning Exchange, my peers, and members of the DTES community to provide truly impactful social outreach.
Danielle Cosco, Anthropology Undergraduate Student: UEFS stands out as one of the most impactful courses I’ve taken during my time at UBC. What made this course so unique was that, while we were learning about ethnographic theory, we were simultaneously conducting hands-on fieldwork through our community placements—all within the same timeframe. I believe it’s not uncommon, particularly in the humanities, to feel a slight disconnect between one’s work and its tangible implications within the real world. That’s in part what made UEFS so refreshing— the course’s structure truly served to help bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. I am deeply grateful for all of our instructors and leaders for creating such an inspiring, rewarding, and dynamic learning environment.
Dr. Amir Shiva (UEFS Instructor) : The Urban Ethnographic Field School is built on the principle that learning is most meaningful when it is reciprocal. Through their community service and research, students not only gain firsthand experience in ethnographic methods but also contribute to the community in tangible ways. Partnering with the UBC Learning Exchange and advocates in the Downtown Eastside allowed students to engage with pressing social and environmental issues while supporting grassroots initiatives that foster climate resilience. We deeply appreciate these partnerships, which have been integral to the field school over the years and have enabled students to learn from and contribute to the communities they work with. This project—among many others over years—exemplifies how community-engaged learning creates meaningful connections and real-world impact.
A number of media outlets were present when UEFS students’ materials were used to collect information at a DTES community event last June , including CityNews (see video below). The student’s work, including a map of cooling stations, was prominently featured.
