In this episode, Dr. Barbara Lee and Michelle O’Kane, course instructor for UBC School of Social Work, are joined by Shea Karst, Research Coordinator at MCFD, and Dr. Peter Rudiak-Gould, Manager of Research at MCFD. Together, they discuss the innovative partnership between the UBC School of Social Work and the Ministry of Child and Family Development (MCFD) which is centred around a Masters of Social Work research and evaluation course that engages students in meaningful applied social research.

This University-Ministry partnership is based on mutual benefit: students gain hands-on experience in research processes by conducting projects that address timely, relevant, and actionable issues, while MCFD benefits from enhanced organizational research capacity tailored to their priorities and needs. The discussion highlights the collaborative efforts involved in course delivery and the impactful, actionable research that students produce through their work, bridging academia and practice to drive meaningful change.