QES 2025 Scholars

QES 2025: Our Changing Climate: Community Resilience and Education is a collaborative initiative exploring the relationship between climate and community. We spoke with four students from the programme to get their thoughts and experiences.

“I chose to participate in this exchange programme because it offered a rare opportunity for me, as a doctoral student, to engage in international experiential learning that involved research mentorship, leadership development, and participation in community-based projects at the University of Calgary and within the wider Calgary community. 

“The programme’s theme, which was about climate education and resilience building for communities, particularly resonated with me, as I was eager to explore how climate change intersects with community-based adaptation strategies and how these insights could inform my own research on rural maternal health literacy promotion among Northern Ghanaian communities. I was also interested in understanding how organisations working with Indigenous communities operate and was excited about the opportunity to learn from and participate in some of these community initiatives.

“My time at the University of Calgary has deepened my understanding of what it truly means to centre communities in research and advocacy. The opportunities I had to interact with and work alongside community practitioners and leaders, through attending events and volunteering, emphasised the importance of intentional collaboration, active listening, and building trust when addressing community issues. These experiences reflected what I had observed during my fieldwork in rural Northern Ghana earlier in the year. Seeing similar community dynamics in such different contexts helped me appreciate even more how crucial these factors are for making community work effective and meaningful.

“Another key learning came from the research mentorship component of the programme. Through discussions and literature reviews with my mentor, I identified a major gap in rural maternal health literacy research, specifically around climate awareness and resilience in rural communities in Ghana and across Africa. This has really changed the way I think about my work on promoting critical maternal health literacy in Northern Ghana. It made me see how important it is to integrate environmental considerations into maternal and child health work, especially since maternal health is so closely connected to water and sanitation, food security, and the livelihoods of farming communities like those in rural Northern Ghana and similar contexts.

“I had the privilege of spending time with postgraduate students from the Werklund School of Education, and I was really impressed by how active and empowered their Postgraduate Students Association was. They organised a range of meaningful and engaging events that fostered a strong sense of community among the School’s postgraduate students. Within two months I easily noticed that students are independent, very confident and actively involved in one community event or another. Attending networking events and volunteering seems to be a big part of student life, and it’s clear that many faculties and departments encourage these connections. It was inspiring to see how students can balance their academic work with such engagements. I personally think these make the student experience here very dynamic and purposeful.

“I participated in several community initiatives and volunteer activities focused on climate education, community development and building connections with Indigenous communities. For example, I joined the Mini Forest Planting project with the Rocky Ridge Royal Oak Community Association, organised by the Calgary Climate Hub in Northwest Calgary. I also took part in the Genesis Weaving Community Project in Northeast Calgary, which used collaborative weaving to raise ecological awareness. Additionally, I attended the Land of Dreams Harvest Festival Celebration, an urban farming initiative led by the Calgary Catholic Immigration Society in the Southeast Mohkinstsis which partners with refugees and newcomers to cultivate a community garden and also creates a space for building connections between Indigenous peoples and newcomers.

“Don’t be afraid to seize good opportunities. Every opportunity, whether it seems good or bad, has lessons in it that will teach you skills, broaden your perspective, and open doors you never imagined. The more you challenge yourself to trying new experiences, the more you grow, both personally and professionally.”

“I was drawn to Aotearoa for its beauty, its culture, and visible commitment to Indigenous knowledge and decolonial practice. As someone whose academic and professional work is grounded in decolonial social work, I wanted to learn directly from Māori perspectives on community, care, and collective wellbeing. I was also fascinated by how a small island nation with a colonial past similar to Canada’s has charted its own course in reconciliation, equity, and environmental stewardship. 

“I wanted to understand how social work, migration, and climate justice are approached here, and to reflect on what lessons can be carried back to the Canadian context. This exchange offered the rare chance to learn from both the land and the people, while exploring how creative and community-based practices can strengthen belonging and resilience.

“My time in Aotearoa has been incredibly eye-opening. I’ve had the chance to meet migrants from all walks of life and hear stories that felt both familiar and completely new. Those conversations reminded me that while our contexts differ, the feelings of starting over, finding home, and carrying multiple identities within us are often shared. I also made time to connect with the Indian community here in Aotearoa, which was both grounding and moving. Many of their stories echoed what I’ve heard in Canada.

“I was genuinely inspired by the calibre of international students at the University of Auckland. Many had left so much behind to study in Aotearoa, yet they brought incredible passion, focus, and generosity to their work. As a masters student, it was inspiring to be in those spaces and learn from my colleagues and mentors. I found myself absorbing not only their knowledge but also their approach and generosity of spirit. 

“One of the most special experiences for me was attending two pōwhiri ceremonies in my first week. On Monday, I was welcomed as a manuhiri (guest), it was my first time witnessing a Māori welcome, and I remember feeling both deeply moved and humbled by the sense of respect and connection in the space. Just a few days later, on Wednesday, I had the chance to be part of another pōwhiri, this time standing on the other side to help welcome new guests. That shift from being welcomed to taking part in the welcoming felt incredibly symbolic. Like belonging here isn’t about where you come from, but about how you show up for others.

“Community engagement was one of the most meaningful parts of my time in Aotearoa. We supported Matipo Primary School both with their visit to the Marae, and with their art week, helping students create art projects that reflected their experiences visiting the Marae and Mount Eden. It was such a joy to watch the kids express their learning through colour, movement, and story. I cherished the evenings I spent, washing dishes with the other parents, and learning so much from them. I also got to spend time at HomeGround, the Auckland City Mission’s integrated care and housing facility and their Mission Grocers food programme. Coming from a professional background in housing and homelessness work in Canada, being there felt both familiar and humbling. 

“I was impressed by how intentionally Māori values are woven into education in Aotearoa, especially within Māori divisions in schools. There’s a strong focus on relationships, care, and community. It was moving to see classrooms that prioritize connection and collective wellbeing, and how much the managerial staff, the teachers and the parents came together to make that happen.”

“At first, my opportunity to come to Canada was simply to attend a conference. However, when the chance to apply for an exchange programme arose, I decided to take it. At that time, I was in the middle of writing a chapter of my thesis, and after reviewing the theme and details of the programme, I realized that it was closely related to my PhD research. One of my key findings focuses on children’s sense of belonging and their connection to the land. The exchange programme’s theme, “Our Changing Climate: Community Resilience and Education,” aligns perfectly with this, as children’s well-being is deeply tied to how they and their communities care for and preserve their environment.

“Another personal reason behind my decision is that Canada has always been one of the countries I considered before deciding where to pursue my PhD abroad. When I explored literature on Indigenous issues and knowledge, the CANZUS countries (Canada, Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand, and the United States) frequently appeared. Eventually, I chose to pursue my PhD in Aotearoa because I was drawn to the programme here, and I have never regretted that decision. Therefore, when the opportunity to take part in an exchange in Canada arose, it felt like a serendipitous moment. It offered me a chance to learn about education and Indigenous knowledge within the Canadian context as well.

“Since my research focuses on Indigenous knowledge and ways of life, what excited me most about Canada’s education system was how the University integrates Indigenous strategies into classes and the broader education system. I was inspired by the safe spaces available for Indigenous students, or anyone who needs it, to perform smudging in the building. I was also fascinated by how Elders are actively involved in classes, serve as advisors, and even hold academic positions. Learning about this, especially after reading The Story of ii’taa’poh’to’p, truly left a strong impression on me.

“A particularly memorable experience was participating in Truth and Reconciliation Day activities. I volunteered with the Education Students’ Association (ESA) to help prepare for the “Kokum Calls You…” event. During the event, I worked at the Kids Desk, sharing Indigenous artefacts and books with children and adults, and even played the Indigenous game double ball with attendees. It was a wonderful opportunity to see how land-based teaching and Indigenous knowledge are shared in an interactive way. I was also able to learn about research on Indigenous knowledge across different faculties at the University, which gave me new insights into decolonising the curriculum and supporting Indigenous perspectives in education.

“I was really excited to participate in ceremonies with Elders from the Indigenous communities in Calgary. During my time there, I took part in several ceremonies, including sage picking, the Grandmother’s Tea Ceremony, and a rock painting session. These experiences gave me a deeper understanding of Canadian culture, and because my research focuses on Indigenous children’s well-being, they were especially meaningful. I also saw how Indigenous ways of life connect to preserving and nurturing nature, which ties into my interests in climate change and community resilience.

“Being able to join these ceremonies at the University of Calgary was particularly special. For example, during sage picking at Nose Hill, I learned not only how to perform the ceremony but also the deeper meaning behind it. Elder Kerri Moore taught us to respect the sage by never taking it from the roots so it could regrow, and to offer tobacco back to the land, a practice that shows the reciprocal relationship humans have with nature. A few days later, I participated in the Grandmother’s Tea Ceremony, where we drank tea and shared our thoughts and worries. This ceremony emphasised the importance of listening, respect, and healing through mindful connection. These experiences taught me that cultural humility allows us to connect meaningfully with others and with the land, while gaining insights that are deeply relevant to my research on Indigenous knowledge and children’s well-being.”

“Aotearoa New Zealand has been on my list of places to visit for over a decade; not only for its beauty, but for its reputation as a global leader in progressive, preventative, and inclusive policy. I was drawn to the opportunity to learn in a country where climate resilience, ecological awareness, and Indigenous knowledge systems are interwoven into education and governance. The possibility of engaging directly with Māori culture, language, and relational worldviews offered a way to deepen my understanding of Indigenous ways of knowing and being that resonate with the work I do in Canada through Critical Disability Studies and inclusive education. 

“My research explores how disabled athletes and coaches in Canadian high school wrestling experience and negotiate inclusion, and what these stories can teach us about building more inclusive schools. Through narrative inquiry and a Critical Disability Studies framework, I aim to challenge traditional notions of inclusion that treat it as policy compliance rather than lived relationship. The insights from this work seek to inform both educational and athletic contexts, showing how relational, embodied, and community-based practices can foster belonging. My experience in Aotearoa has deepened this goal: I now see inclusion through a broader ecological lens that connects body, land, and culture, reinforcing that inclusive practice must be sustainable not only for people but for the systems and environments that support them.

“The doctoral community at the University of Auckland is vibrant, collaborative, and deeply interdisciplinary. What stood out most to me were the informal spaces of dialogue; the hallway conversations, the cross-faculty seminars, and the openness of academic staff to mentorship and intellectual exchange. I appreciated the accessibility of the research commons and postgraduate workshops, which supported both scholarly writing and wellbeing. Conversations with students and faculty often extended beyond academic boundaries, touching on environmental ethics, decolonial practice, and global collaboration. Those dialogues reinforced that doctoral study here is not only about producing research but about belonging to a community of inquiry grounded in mutual care and curiosity.

“I was struck by how genuinely welcoming and relational the culture is in Aotearoa, both in academic and everyday settings. People take time to connect, to listen, and to build community. I was also surprised by how familiar many landscapes felt; parts of the North Island reminded me of my home province in Canada, creating a sense of both distance and belonging. What most impressed me, though, was the integration of Indigenous values within education and public life, an approach that Canada continues to work toward. Aotearoa demonstrates that inclusion, when grounded in reciprocity and respect, can be more than aspiration; it can be lived practice.

“I connected with local education and inclusion networks through informal gatherings and seminars on accessibility and community engagement. I was particularly drawn to initiatives that explored intersections of environment, education, and social justice, mirroring the relational ethos that shapes my research in Canada. Participating in these discussions allowed me to share perspectives from the Canadian context while learning from New Zealand educators and advocates working at the nexus of Indigenous knowledge and sustainability. These experiences deepened my understanding of inclusion as both a local and transnational practice, shaped by shared commitments to justice and care.

“My time in Aotearoa has reframed my understanding of inclusion by extending it beyond human-centered frameworks. I have begun to think more in terms of eco-inclusion, a notion that recognizes how people, environments, and systems are interdependent. Engaging with academic staff and local communities has challenged me to see inclusion not as a static endpoint but as an evolving relationship between bodies, spaces, and ecologies. Conversations about climate, resilience, and Indigenous perspectives have helped me think about wrestling, disability, and education in new relational terms: as movements within broader ecosystems of belonging. This experience has reminded me that inclusion is not only about who is in the room, but how the room itself is built and what values shape the space.”