Bonjour,

My name is Crystal Tremblay, I’m 30 years old and from Montreal, Quebec, Canada.  I currently live in Victoria, BC and in my final year of doctoral studies in the Community-based Research Lab (www.cbrl.uvic.ca) in the Department of Geography at the University of Victoria (UVic).  I have worked on projects in Canada and Brazil with the CBRL, focusing on participatory community development and livelihood enhancement.   My research explores Participatory Video (PV) as a tool within community development that builds the capacity and empowerment of informal recyclers (‘catadores/as’) in São Paulo, Brazil, and aims to enhance dialogue for public policy.  My research is linked to the larger capacity-building research program of the Participatory Sustainable Waste Management (PSWM) project, a six-year CIDA funded project.  My work will contribute by providing creative opportunity to build the capacity and empowerment of the project participants, while providing an evaluation framework using PV for local development.  I have worked on this project for the last five years, co-producing a series of short documentary and project evaluation videos, including ‘Cooperpires; The recycling of citizenship’, ‘Binning in Victoria’, ‘Participatory Video Practitioner Toolkit’, and the documentary “Beyond Gramacho”, documenting the socio-economic and environmental conditions, struggles and opportunities that are present in informal resource recovery.

Previously, I have worked for the Social Economy Research Hub of Canada at the University of Victoria on the public policy program and recipient of the Hubs PhD fellowship (2009), exploring conservation-based programs that are supporting the Social Economy in Canada.  In 2009 I worked with the Office of Community-based Research (UVic), compiling a publication on strengthening community-university partnerships.  This September 2011, I have the pleasure of working with the Centre of Co-operative and Community-based Economy at the University of Victoria as their PhD fellow.

I am an avid traveler, active and always game for an adventure.

“ Why do I want to be part of this opportunity?”

I would be thrilled to be part of the Student Communications Team with the Talloires Network.  I am particularly keen to network and participate in discussions on how to strengthen community-university partnerships and enhance civic engagement in my local community and abroad.  Responding to community needs and challenges needs to be approached in a way that embraces and enhances local assets, skills and knowledge.  Universities have a responsibility to engage in research that builds community ownership of knowledge, and to promote community engagement in a meaningful and productive way.  Participating in this conference will inspire new ideas, tools and resources to continue this dialogue at home and abroad.

“What inspires me the most about the global civic engagement movement?”

I am inspired to be part of a global community dedicated and passionate about making communities more livable, democratic and just.   I truly believe that by working collaboratively, where communities co-create research and decisions that are affecting their lives, they will be empowered, more engaged in community life and more capable of resolving conflict and promoting cooperation.

I am thrilled to be meeting you all and look forward to our time together,

Merci beaucoup,

Crystal Tremblay

University of Victoria

Canada