(2026W) Towards Thriving Rural Communities: Provincial Coalition Building and Agricultural Land Policy

Application Deadline: September 13th, 2026 (11:59PM)

Review project details (please contact ubc.orice@ubc.ca with any questions you may have).
Next, fill out the ORICE program application form (Qualtrics Survey) below.
Successful applicants will be contacted by email to continue the selection process through a 15-minute individual interview.
After interviews, you will be notified of a decision; successful candidates will be sent an offer letter with further details on the program and detailed instructions on how to accept. Your selection into the program includes meeting eligibility requirements, as well as your initial application and your performance in the interview. The student project team will comprise 8-10 students, overall, including an embedded Psychology Research & Knowledge Mobilization team of three to four students.

Be an undergraduate (domestic or international) at the UBC Vancouver campus with 60 or more completed credits, or a graduate student as of August 31st, 2026. Undergraduate students not meeting 60 credits,, can apply but preference will be given to undergraduate students with 60+ credits.
Demonstrate the ability to think critically and creatively and be willing to take responsibility and initiative to meet project deliverables.
Have knowledge of, coursework related to, or a demonstrated interest in agricultural land-use policy, rural development, food systems, or related areas
- Be confident contacting farmers, community members, local leaders, and organizational representatives to request and conduct interviews
Prior experience with program evaluation and analysis, policy analysis and knowledge translation is an asset, but not necessary.
Flexibility with availability to ensure that training and preparation meetings can occur between 9-5pm PST once a week (during the work week) - while also being flexible for occasional coalition meetings or interviews that may occur outside standard class or working hours.
Have access to a reliable internet connection and computer to collaborate with peers & partners and attend meetings remotely if online meetings are required.

Project Dates: October 2026 - April 2027

Weekly Meetings (Oct- April): TBD - applicants will be asked to be flexible as we will be seeking a weekly standing 2-hour meeting block during M-F, 9 am - 5 pm.

Timeline
Applications Open	August 17, 2026
Deadline	September 13, 2026 @ 11:59pm
Short Interviews	September 16 - 23, 2026
Offers Made by	September 25, 2026
Acceptances Due	September 28, 2026
First Meeting	To be scheduled between October 1 - 7

Applications for the Dunster Engagementship are now open.

Funding available for this program: ORICE Experiential Education Accessibility Award.

Note: Students may only hold one award at a given time. Please visit our funding page for more information.

APPLY NOW

Deadline: September 13th, 2026 (11:59PM)

Scholars in Prison (2026W)

This program is part of the Global Experiential Education Program (GEEP) and is informed by ORICE values. GEEP aims to strengthen the bridge between classroom learning (theory) and application (practice) to address pressing global issues, in this community-based praxis initiative. Students who participate in GEEP can participate in experiential education projects designed and led by global community partners.

Details at a Glance

First Round Application Deadline: September 13th, 2026 (11:59PM)

Program Type: Co-curricular (Not-for-credit)
Engagement Type: Scholars at Risk Research & Advocacy Engagementship (two participation streams)
Engagement Location: 2026W In-person, UBC-Based
Duration: 7 months starting October 2026
Eligibility: Open to UBC-V Undergraduate (60+ credits) & Graduate students (more details below)

Applications for this program are open!

Program Description

Background

This co-curricular engagementship is a collaboration between the UBC Human Rights Collective (HRC), housed within the Office of Regional and International Community Engagement (ORICE), and the international Scholars at Risk (SAR) Network.

Scholars at Risk is an international network of institutions and individuals dedicated to protecting scholars and promoting academic freedom. Through SAR’s Scholars in Prison initiative, students contribute to research-informed advocacy supporting scholars who have been wrongfully imprisoned because of their academic work or peaceful expression.

This engagementship is guided by ORICE and Dr. Jenny Peterson (Department of Political Science and Academic Advisor to the UBC Human Rights Collective), in collaboration with the Scholars at Risk Network. Students across both project streams participate in a shared learning community under this team leadership. Students in the embedded Psychology Research & Knowledge Mobilization Stream will also receive additional academic mentorship from Dr. Sunaina Assanand (Department of Psychology) during the second semester as they develop their applied research deliverables.

Students will develop practical skills in collaborative research, policy analysis, advocacy, critical reflection, and community-engaged scholarship while contributing to meaningful work that supports academic freedom and human rights internationally.

Organization Details

Scholars at Risk (SAR) is an international network of institutions and individuals whose mission is to protect scholars and promote academic freedom. SAR provides advisory services for scholars and hosts, campaigns for imprisoned or silenced scholars in their home countries, monitors attacks on higher education communities worldwide, and leads in deploying new tools and strategies for promoting academic freedom. SAR also offers safety to scholars facing grave threats by arranging temporary academic positions at member universities and colleges so scholars’ ideas are not lost and they can keep working until conditions improve in their home countries.

The UBC Human Rights Collective (HRC) housed under ORICE has partnered with Scholars at Risk (SAR) for many years on various collaborative projects to support SAR’s learning and advocacy goals, including academic courses, co-curricular research projects, directed studies, and student advocacy seminars. In the Spring of 2022, UBC HRC hosted the first Canadian Student Advocacy Days to bring together students who participated in SAR Student Advocacy Seminars and other SAR-related student-focused learning and advocacy activities.

Current Project: Two Participation Streams

Students will participate in one of two complementary project streams.

Most students will join the Scholars in Prison Advocacy Stream, working directly on the case of an individual wrongfully imprisoned scholar.

A smaller embedded team of three to four undergraduate Psychology students will participate in the Psychology Research & Knowledge Mobilization Stream. Rather than focusing on a single scholar, this team will undertake a collaborative applied research project that contributes knowledge and practical resources intended to strengthen advocacy efforts across the Scholars at Risk Network more broadly.

Although the two streams have different second-semester deliverables, all students participate together throughout the year in a shared learning community. Weekly seminars, workshops, discussions, and collaborative meetings provide common learning in human rights, academic freedom, research ethics, advocacy, and community-engaged practice while fostering collaboration across the entire cohort.

This year, the program strengthens its Canadian advocacy focus by building upon work completed by previous student cohorts, including the development of a Canadian advocacy handbook. All students, regardless of project stream, will collaborate in planning and hosting a Student Forum on Academic Freedom and Democracy in February 2027. The forum will bring together students, scholars, practitioners, and community organizations from Canada and internationally to strengthen networks of collaboration, solidarity, and advocacy around academic freedom and the protection of scholars at risk.

Together, these initiatives deepen students’ understanding of Canadian advocacy pathways while contributing practical resources that will support future human rights advocacy.

Students need to plan to be available on campus for the first half of reading week for this event.

Participation Stream 1: Scholars in Prison Advocacy Stream

Students in this stream will focus their efforts on an individual imprisoned scholar identified through Scholars at Risk.

Students will spend the first semester developing a nuanced understanding of their assigned scholar, including the political, legal, historical, and human rights contexts surrounding their detention.

Initial research activities include documenting previous advocacy efforts undertaken by governments, academic institutions, civil society organizations, and other organizations engaged in the case, as well as developing media monitoring protocols that contribute to SAR’s ongoing monitoring and reporting.

Building upon this research, students will work with Scholars at Risk, Dr. Jenny Peterson, and ORICE staff to design and implement an evidence-informed advocacy initiative. Previous student projects have included submissions to the Canadian government’s Subcommittee on International Human Rights, formal petitions, public awareness campaigns, webinars, film screenings, letter-writing initiatives, and collaborative advocacy projects with students at other universities.

Students will also engage in monitoring and evaluating the impact of their advocacy activities throughout the project.

Participation Stream 2: Psychology Research & Knowledge Mobilization Stream

Students in the embedded Psychology stream will participate fully in the shared learning community while contributing to a collaborative applied research project that supports advocacy across multiple Scholars at Risk cases.

Rather than advocating for an individual imprisoned scholar, this team will develop a research-informed knowledge resource intended to strengthen future advocacy efforts on behalf of wrongfully imprisoned scholars more broadly. The specific focus of the project will be developed collaboratively with Scholars at Risk, ORICE, Dr. Jenny Peterson, and Dr. Sunaina Assanand before the beginning of the second semester.

During the second semester, students in this stream will receive additional academic mentorship from Dr. Sunaina Assanand while remaining fully integrated within the broader Scholars at Risk cohort.

Critical Learning

Throughout both semesters, students will engage critically with questions of power, positionality, ethics, representation, and solidarity within international human rights practice.

Students will explore critical perspectives on international human rights, including debates surrounding Western-centred approaches to human rights, the ways in which colonial histories and contemporary power relations shape advocacy, and approaches that foreground reciprocity, partnership, context, and locally grounded forms of knowledge and action.

Reflection is an integral component of the engagementship and encourages students to critically examine both the possibilities and limitations of international advocacy while considering their own roles and responsibilities as emerging practitioners.

Deliverables

Shared Cohort Deliverables

Participation in weekly seminars and collaborative learning
Critical reflection activities
Planning, implementation, and hosting of the Student Forum on Academic Freedom and Democracy
Contributions to shared program knowledge mobilization activities

Scholars in Prison Advocacy Stream

Human rights monitoring
Advocacy mapping
Media monitoring protocols
Evidence-informed advocacy initiative
Monitoring and evaluation of advocacy activities
Contributions to scholar case files maintained by Scholars at Risk

Psychology Research & Knowledge Mobilization Stream

Collaborative applied research project
Literature review and evidence synthesis
Research-informed knowledge mobilization resource for Scholars at Risk
Presentation of findings to project partners

Learn more about previous students’ experiences working with SIP on page 19 of ORICE’s 2025/2026 Annual Report.

Project Timeline

Between October 2026 to April 2027, the selected team of students will spend 3-5 hours weekly working collaboratively to complete the project. Students will be required to participate in weekly scheduled in-person meetings (on the UBC Vancouver Campus) to ensure collaboration and accountability goals are defined and met. However, the remainder of the allotted time will be self-directed or in small work teams as per agreements with teammates.

More Information

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Application Deadline: September 13th, 2026 (11:59PM)

Review project details (please contact ubc.orice@ubc.ca with any questions you may have).
Next, fill out the ORICE program application form (Qualtrics Survey) below.
Successful applicants will be contacted by email to continue the selection process through a 15-minute individual interview.
After interviews, you will be notified of a decision; successful candidates will be sent an offer letter with further details on the program and detailed instructions on how to accept. Your selection into the program includes meeting eligibility requirements, as well as your initial application and your performance in the interview. The student project team will comprise 8-10 students, overall, including an embedded Psychology Research & Knowledge Mobilization team of three to four students.

Be an undergraduate (domestic or international) at the UBC Vancouver campus with 60 or more completed credits, or a graduate student as of August 31st, 2026. Undergraduate students not meeting 60 credits can apply but preference will be given to undergraduate students with 60+ credits.
Applicants interested in the Psychology Research & Knowledge Mobilization Stream must be current psychology undergraduate majors.
Demonstrate the ability to think critically and creatively and be willing to take responsibility and initiative to meet project deliverables.
Prior knowledge about academic freedom, arbitrary detention, human rights, diplomacy, and civil society activism is an asset, but not necessary.
Flexibility with availability to ensure that training and preparation meetings can occur between 9-5pm PST once a week (during the work week).
Have access to a reliable internet connection and computer to collaborate with peers & international partners and attend meetings remotely if online meetings are required.

Project Dates: October 2026 - April 2027

Weekly Meetings (Oct- April): TBD - applicants will be asked to be flexible as we will be seeking a weekly standing 2-hour meeting block during M-F, 9 am - 5 pm.

Timeline
Applications Open	August 17, 2026
Deadline	September 13, 2026 @ 11:59pm
Short Interviews	September 16 - 23, 2026
Offers Made by	September 25, 2026
Acceptances Due	September 28, 2026
First Meeting	To be scheduled between October 1 - 7

Applications for the SIP Engagementship are now open.

Funding available for this program: ORICE Experiential Education Accessibility Award.

Note: Students may only hold one award at a given time. Please visit our funding page for more information.

APPLY NOW

Deadline: September 13th, 2026 (11:59PM)

Scaling Inclusion with Basic Needs Basic Rights (2026W)

This program is part of the Global Experiential Education Program (GEEP) and is informed by ORICE values. GEEP aims to strengthen the bridge between classroom learning (theory) and application (practice) to address pressing global issues, in this community-based praxis initiative. Students who participate in GEEP can participate in experiential education projects designed and led by global community partners.

Details at a Glance

First Round Application Deadline: September 13th, 2026 (11:59PM)

Program Type: Co-curricular (Not-for-credit)
Engagement Type: Community-Engaged Research Project in collaboration with Basic Needs Basic Rights Kenya (BNBR)
Engagement Location: 2026W In-person, UBC-Based
Duration: 7 months starting October 2026
Eligibility: Open to UBC-V Undergraduate (60+ credits) & Graduate students (more details below)

Applications for this program are open!

Program Description

Background

BNBR’s five-year strategic plan identifies strengthening organizational research capacity and evidence-based programming as an important priority. Since Summer 2024, BNBR and ORICE have worked with successive teams of UBC students on a connected series of projects supporting this goal.

The initial student team worked with BNBR to identify organizational research priorities and develop a preliminary research agenda. During the 2024/25 academic year, students examined how social inclusion is understood within BNBR’s work and developed a database of Kenyan policies and implementation mechanisms related to social inclusion.

In Summer 2025, a small group of students travelled to Kenya to deepen their understanding of BNBR’s organizational and community context and contribute to planning the next phase of the work. In the 2025/26 academic year, an engagementship team supported the development of educational and research tools intended to explore how social inclusion is understood and practiced within BNBR and across the local mental health system.

During a seven-week immersive placement in Summer 2026, students completed staff interviews, analyzed them thematically, explored patterns across the data, and prepared a report documenting how social inclusion is conceptualized and put into practice across BNBR’s organizational, community, and systems-level work. The findings were intended to support BNBR’s continued organizational development, inform the potential articulation of a BNBR social inclusion model, and identify directions for future research.

Together, these successive projects have moved the collaboration from identifying organizational research priorities and examining the meaning of social inclusion toward the development of a broader research initiative. The next phase will extend the inquiry beyond BNBR staff to examine how social inclusion is understood, experienced, and practiced by people and organizations across a local community mental health system.

Organization Details

Basic Needs, Basic Rights (BNBR) is a vibrant registered national non-governmental organization located across seven counties in Kenya. One of BNBR’s core programmatic areas is to support people with mental health conditions, those at risk, and their caregivers to live and work successfully in their communities. BNBR strives to ensure that those with mental health concerns can access basic rights by empowering their communities to provide care and social support.

Current Project

BNBR is now developing a research project in Kilifi County focused on its community-based social inclusion approach and its relationship to local health-system strengthening. Building on the prior social inclusion project work, this next phase will consider the perspectives and experiences of people with lived experience of mental health conditions or psychosocial disabilities, community-based intermediaries, health care providers, and health-system administrators.

The project will explore how social inclusion is understood, experienced, and practiced across different parts of the community mental health system. It will also consider how BNBR-supported activities—such as training, awareness raising, referral and linkage processes, resource support, group strengthening, and engagement with county health systems—may shape attitudes, relationships, decisions, and practices related to social inclusion.

From October 2026–April 2027, a team of students will work remotely with BNBR, ORICE, and collaborating Kenyan researchers to support the project at different stages of the research process. Depending on the project timeline and priorities identified by the research team, student activities may include:

Conducting literature reviews, document reviews, and environmental or policy scans;
Reviewing research frameworks, methodologies, and measures related to social inclusion and health-system strengthening;
Supporting the development and refinement of qualitative and quantitative research tools;
Preparing background materials and documentation for research ethics applications;
Supporting data organization, cleaning, and management;
Assisting with qualitative and quantitative data analysis;
Synthesizing findings and contributing to research reports;
Developing presentations, educational resources, or other knowledge-sharing materials; and
Contributing to additional research activities identified collaboratively with BNBR and the research team.

The particular responsibilities of the student team will depend on the stage the research has reached during the engagementship. Students should therefore be prepared to be flexible within an evolving community-based research process and to contribute to different phases of the project as needs emerge.

Learn more about previous students’ experiences working with BNBR on pages 21-22 of ORICE’s 2025/2026 Annual Report.

Project Timeline

From October 2026 to April 2027, the selected team of students will spend 3-5 hours weekly working collaboratively to complete the project. Students will be asked to participate in weekly scheduled in-person meetings (on the UBC Vancouver Campus) to ensure collaboration and accountability goals are defined and met. However, the remainder of the allotted time will be self-directed or in small work teams as per agreements with teammates.

More Information

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Application Deadline: September 13th, 2026 (11:59PM)

Review project details (please contact ubc.orice@ubc.ca with any questions you may have).
Next, fill out the ORICE program application form (Qualtrics Survey) below.
Successful applicants will be contacted by email to continue the selection process through a 15-minute individual interview.
After interviews, you will be notified of a decision; successful candidates will be sent an offer letter with further details on the program and detailed instructions on how to accept. Your selection into the program includes meeting eligibility requirements, as well as your initial application and your performance in the interview. The student project team will comprise 5-6 students.

Be an undergraduate (domestic or international) at the UBC Vancouver campus with 60 or more completed credits, or a graduate student as of August 31st, 2026. Undergraduate students not meeting 60 credits can apply but preference will be given to undergraduate students with 60+ credits.
Demonstrate the ability to think critically and creatively and be willing to take responsibility and initiative to meet project deliverables.
Prior experience with community based research, literature reviews, research tool development and data analysis is an asset, but not necessary.
Flexibility with availability to ensure that training and preparation meetings can occur between 9-5pm PST once a week (during the work week).
Have access to a reliable internet connection and computer to collaborate with peers & international partners and attend meetings remotely if online meetings are required.

Project Dates: October 2026 - April 2027

Weekly Meetings (Oct- April): TBD - applicants will be asked to be flexible as we will be seeking a weekly standing 2-hour meeting block during M-F, 9 am - 5 pm.

Note: Team members need to be available for occasional meetings with the community partner at 8 am due to time zone differences.

Timeline
Applications Open	August 17, 2026
Deadline	September 13, 2026 @ 11:59pm
Short Interviews	September 16 - 23, 2026
Offers Made by	September 25, 2026
Acceptances Due	September 28, 2026
First Meeting	To be scheduled between October 1 - 7

Applications for the 2026/27 BNBR Engagementship are now open!

Funding available for this program: ORICE Experiential Education Accessibility Award.

Note: Students may only hold one award at a given time. Please visit our funding page for more information.

APPLY NOW!

Community Mental Health Nursing: Evaluation and Policy Impact with Kamili Organization (2026W)

This program is part of the Global Experiential Education Program (GEEP) and is informed by ORICE values. GEEP aims to strengthen the bridge between classroom learning (theory) and application (practice) to address pressing global issues, in this community-based praxis initiative. Students who participate in GEEP can participate in experiential education projects designed and led by global community partners.

Details at a Glance

First Round Application Deadline: September 13th, 2026 (11:59PM)

Program Type: Co-curricular (Not-for-credit)
Engagement Type: Community-Engaged Research Project in collaboration with Kamili Organisation
Engagement Location: 2026W In-person, UBC-Based
Duration: 7 months starting October 2026
Eligibility: Open to UBC-V Undergraduate (60+ credits) & Graduate students (more details below)

Applications for this program are open!

Program Description

Background

For more than 12 years, Kamili Organisation has provided scholarships for qualified general nurses across Kenya to pursue specialized training in community mental health nursing through the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC). As part of the scholarship, nurses participate in an intensive orientation to the Kamili model – a community-based approach that integrates mental health care into primary health care settings to make services more accessible, affordable, and sustainable.

Following their training, nurses return to their home communities where they apply their specialized knowledge in diverse health care settings across Kenya. They also become part of a growing national network of Kamili-trained mental health nurses who receive ongoing mentorship, professional development opportunities, peer support, and periodic site visits from Kamili staff. The network now includes more than 150 nurses working across 44 of Kenya’s 47 counties.

Since 2024, ORICE and Kamili have partnered on a multi-year community-engaged research initiative to better understand the experiences of these scholarship-supported nurses and the influence of the program on mental health service delivery. Previous student cohorts have conducted a comprehensive literature review, collaboratively designed the evaluation framework and survey instrument, prepared and cleaned the dataset, analyzed the first cycle of survey data, and completed the inaugural evaluation report. Together, these contributions have established a strong foundation for ongoing organizational learning and evidence-informed program development.

Organization Details

Kamili Organisation provides affordable community mental health services through more than 30 clinics across Kenya. Its model clinic in Nairobi offers diagnosis, treatment, psychosocial support, family education, and community outreach aimed at increasing awareness of mental health and reducing stigma. In addition to direct service delivery, Kamili invests in strengthening Kenya’s mental health workforce through education, mentorship, and ongoing support for nurses delivering community-based mental health care throughout the country.

Current Project

The 2026-2027 engagementship represents the next phase of this long-term partnership by focusing on knowledge translation, dissemination, and continuous evaluation.

Working collaboratively with Kamili staff and previous project materials, the student team will help translate the findings from the first survey cycle into practical resources that support organizational decision-making, education, and future program development. Students will also contribute to refining the evaluation process in preparation for subsequent rounds of data collection, ensuring that the evaluation remains responsive to Kamili’s evolving priorities while maintaining consistency to allow for year to year analysis.

Over the course of the seven-month engagementship (October 2026-April 2027), students will work as a collaborative research team to:

Review previous project outputs, including the literature review, survey instrument, evaluation report, and supporting documentation.
Develop knowledge translation materials for different audiences, including organizational reports, presentations, educational resources, and other dissemination products identified collaboratively with Kamili.
Support the preparation and refinement of survey tools and implementation materials for future evaluation cycles.
Contribute to data management protocols, evaluation documentation, and project planning resources that strengthen the sustainability of the evaluation.
Assist with communicating findings that may inform community mental health programming, organizational learning, and broader policy discussions related to community-based mental health care in Kenya.

This engagementship provides students with an opportunity to experience how community-engaged research extends beyond data collection and analysis to include collaborative knowledge mobilization, organizational learning, and long-term partnership development.

Learn more about previous students’ experiences working with Kamili on pages 21-22 of ORICE’s 2025/2026 Annual Report.

Project Timeline

More Information

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Application Deadline: September 13th, 2026 (11:59PM)

Review project details (please contact ubc.orice@ubc.ca with any questions you may have).
Next, fill out the ORICE program application form (Qualtrics Survey) below.
Successful applicants will be contacted by email to continue the selection process through a 15-minute individual interview.
After interviews, you will be notified of a decision; successful candidates will be sent an offer letter with further details on the program and detailed instructions on how to accept. Your selection into the program includes meeting eligibility requirements, as well as your initial application and your performance in the interview. The student project team will comprise 5-6 students.

Be an undergraduate (domestic or international) at the UBC Vancouver campus with 60 or more completed credits, or a graduate student as of August 31st, 2026. Undergraduate students not meeting 60 credits can apply but preference will be given to undergraduate students with 60+ credits.
Demonstrate the ability to think critically and creatively and be willing to take responsibility and initiative to meet project deliverables.
Prior experience with program evaluation and analysis, policy analysis and knowledge translation is an asset, but not necessary.
Flexibility with availability to ensure that training and preparation meetings can occur between 9-5pm PST once a week (during the work week).
Have access to a reliable internet connection and computer to collaborate with peers & international partners and attend meetings remotely if online meetings are required.

Project Dates: October 2026 - April 2027

Weekly Meetings (Oct- April): TBD - applicants will be asked to be flexible as we will be seeking a weekly standing 2-hour meeting block during M-F, 9 am - 5 pm.

Note: Team members need to be available for occasional meetings with the community partner at 8 am due to time zone differences.

Timeline
Applications Open	August 17, 2026
Deadline	September 13, 2026 @ 11:59pm
Short Interviews	September 16 - 23, 2026
Offers Made by	September 25, 2026
Acceptances Due	September 28, 2026
First Meeting	To be scheduled between October 1 - 7

Applications for the 2026/27 Kamili Engagementship are now open!

Funding available for this program: ORICE Experiential Education Accessibility Award.

Note: Students may only hold one award at a given time. Please visit our funding page for more information.

APPLY NOW!

SOWK 440J/571: Global Mental Health (2025S)

This program is part of the Global Experiential Education Program (GEEP) and is informed by ORICE values. GEEP aims to strengthen the bridge between classroom learning (theory) and application (practice) to address pressing global issues, in this community-based praxis initiative. Students who participate in GEEP can participate in experiential education projects designed and led by global community partners.

Details at a Glance

Program Type: 3-Credit Curricular Program (Academic Course) taught by Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim
Placement Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Duration: 5 weeks beginning in May 2025 + Pre-departure Program & Post-placement Activities
Eligibility: Open to UBC-V BSW or MSW students (exceptions outlined below)

Course Description

This course is eligible for Arts Research Abroad (ARA) funding. Arts courses that are designated as ARA courses will provide an award which will cover up to 70% of program costs and flight for eligible students. In cases of demonstrated financial need (determined by Enrolment Services), ARA may fund up to 100% of the program costs and flight. See below for More Information on Funding Opportunities or check out our Funding page here.

According to the Global Burden of Diseases report, mental illness is considered to be among the leading conditions causing disability globally. Health and social service providers practicing in international settings can play a role in policy development, health education and promotion, direct provision of psychosocial interventions, assessment, referral/linkage, and mobilization of self-help, mediation, advocacy, community development, public education and research.

SOWK 440J/571 Global Mental Health: Praxis Course introduces students to an emerging and important global mental health field. Global mental health is an area of study, research, and practice that places a priority on improving mental health and achieving equity in health for all people worldwide (Patel, 2012). This elective will introduce students to advanced competencies in global health practice and research, such as the global burden of mental health, social and economic determinants of mental health, the globalization of biomedical psychiatry, global mental health governance and leadership, human rights, and equity. Students will discuss practical and ethical challenges in delivering care in low-resource settings, describe tools, and strategies to address the needs of specific vulnerable populations, especially urban refugees in resource limited countries. They will also examine cultural awareness and its importance in caring for a diverse population.

This premier global mental health course provides learners the opportunity to gain the necessary knowledge and skills required to work as a mental health practitioner in a global context. This course is located in Kenya to ground the concepts of global mental health in a specific non-western context. Students will be partnered with local health organizations to observe and learn from local experts.

This course will be taught by Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim PhD, MSW, RN, an Assistant Professor at UBC’s School of Social Work and an internationally trained scholar and clinician. He has expertise in the content, lived experience in the area, and a strong network of local human service organizations and professional colleagues to assist in the facilitation of the course content.

Program Overview

Student enrollment in SOWK 440J/571 requires full participation in:

ORICE Pre-departure Learning Program (January – April 2025)

The pre-departure learning program is designed to prepare you for an international placement. This will include:

Pre-departure learning sessions taking place over the academic term leading up to departure led by staff and community development professionals.
Creation of a learning and development plan
Participant-led events/presentations
Facilitated meetings with your placement team to explore learning topics
Advance team-building and learning with students from Kenya Medical Training College that UBC students will meet and learn with in Kenya
Post-Placement overview

5-Week Academic Course (starting May 2025)

1 week online intensive course with Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) students prior to departure (Starting last week of April)
1 week in-person intensive course hosted at KMTC Nairobi.
3 weeks of community-based learning & placements in Nairobi and Isiolo, Kenya for the remainder of May/early June 2025
Includes: In-Placement Orientation and Workshops facilitated by ORICE

Re-entry Debrief Session + Final Course Work On-Campus (June/July 2025)

Public Engagement Presentation (October 2025)

More Information

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Review course and program details (please contact ubc.orice@ubc.ca with any questions you may have).
Next, fill out the ORICE international programs application form for this course below.
Successful applicants will be contacted by email to continue the selection process through an individual interview and a group interview.
After interviews, you will be notified of a decision; successful candidates will be sent an offer letter with further details on the program and detailed instructions on how to accept. You will have approximately one week after receiving the offer letter to accept. Your selection into the program includes meeting eligibility requirements, as well as your initial application and your performance in the interview.
Students who have been selected to participate in SOWK 440J/571 will be automatically registered for the course by the department.

Note: Although there are rounds of multiple deadlines scheduled, applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and we can not guarantee the number of spots remaining in the following round of deadlines. We encourage interested students to apply as soon as possible.

Open to BSW or MSW students registered with the UBC Vancouver School of Social Work. Students who are entering their 4th year in September 2024 are encouraged to take this course but please note that students who enrol in this course will be unable to officially convocate until November 2025, as they will still be active students during the May 2025 convocation period.

A program completion letter can be provided when graduating students complete the course, which can be used for employment purposes prior to formal graduation in November.

Students in other health professions, such as Nursing and Public Health, are also encouraged to apply. Strong applications from students who are not in a health professional program may also be considered.

Preference will be given to 4th year and Masters level students.

In addition to its academic requirements, SOWK 440J/571 students must also participate in a number of activities to ensure their preparedness for their international placement.

Date	Activity
August 12, 2024	Program application is open and will close when full. Applications will be considered in the order they are received.
September 22, 2024	Application Deadline #1
October 27, 2024	Application Deadline #2 (if spaces remain)
November 24, 2024	Application Deadline #3 (if spaces remain)
January 12, 2025	Final SOWK application Deadline (if spaces remain)
January 20 – April 11, 2025	Orientation and pre-departure learning sessions. All successful applicants will be expected to be in attendance at all sessions. Sessions include some remote connections with KMTC.
April 28 – May 4, 2025	SOWK 440J/571 (Summer Term 1), Course begins with an intensive seminar week prior to departure. (online course with KMTC)
May 9 – 11, 2025	Orientation in Nairobi
May 12 – June 6, 2025	4 week course including community-based attachments in Nairobi, Kenya
June 2025	SOWK 440J/571 Final assignments due and post-placement reflection session
Post-placement October 2025	Public engagement presentation related to course-based research

Living Environment

In Kenya, you will live in hostel-style accommodations with modest living conditions.

Program Fees

There are program fees, outside of tuition, for this course. The finalized cost per student is yet to be confirmed, but will be within the range listed below. A program deposit fee of $685.00 is payable upon acceptance of an offer to secure your spot in the program. The deposit fee will be deducted from the overall balance owing. The prices listed below are in Canadian Dollars (CAD).

Cost	Cost with ARA Funding
Program Fee: $3,800 -$4000	Program Fee: $1140-$1200
Estimated flight cost: $2,250	Estimated flight cost: $675
Program fees do not include the cost of tuition.

*Note: Program fees may be adjusted before the offer. Program costs vary primarily due to cost of living expenses.

Program cost includes:

Pre-departure learning sessions at UBC
Room and board
Transportation from the airport to your placement site
Orientation in host country
In-session debrief and workshop part way through your placement
Reflection materials
Community partner management fee
Program management fee

Note: Additional expenses not covered in program costs are the responsibility of the student. Costs not included are airfare, visas, vaccinations, tuition, local transportation while in country, transportation from the site back to the airport at the end of the placement, personal items, and daily incidentals.

Please see the Funding Opportunities section below for information on ARA funding eligibility and awards that are available to cover some of the cost of the program.