The UBC School of Social Work is delighted to announce an exciting new partnership in the course “Communities, Social Development and Community Organizing: Debates, Approaches, and Fields of Practice” (SOWK440C/529A). This collaboration introduces Lama Mugabo, a prominent community leader, into the course, alongside Antoine Coulombe. Antoine’s Queer and Quebec perspective and Lama’s Vancouver black community perspective will enrich our understanding of community organizing. Together, they will guide us in addressing societal challenges, promoting social equity, and creating positive transformations in our communities.
Lama has collaborated with this course for over three years as a community partner. This year, with the support of the Centre for Community Engaged Learning, we are pleased to invite him into the classroom to share his experiences, engage in discussions, and contribute to our learning about community organizing.
SOWK440C/SOWK529A is open to all students and will start in September 2024 on Mondays from 6 PM to 9 PM.
In this course, we will delve into the knowledge and skills necessary for community organizers to address oppression and build healthy communities through activism, social development, and social change. Through Project-Based and Community Engaged Learning, you will develop projects with a community-organizing perspective to tackle social and environmental issues, allowing you to apply theory directly and gain knowledge from experience. We will also explore different frameworks, methods, and tools and discuss their applicability in various contexts. This course critically examines community organizing and social development as components of a broader set of critical social praxis and processes.
Meet Our Teaching Team:
Antoine Coulombe, Instructor: Antoine brings over 12 years of experience as a Social Worker and Community Organizer in Quebec. His journey includes working with diverse populations, such as youth, families, adults, sexual minorities, and the homeless. Antoine has been instrumental in advancing 2S/LGBTQ+ rights, developing queer youth services and was part of the committee responsible for creating Quebec’s first policy against homophobia. His approach emphasizes empowerment, inclusion, and social justice, inspired by Quebec’s rich history of community organizers.
Lama Mugabo, Community Collaborator: Lama Mugabo is a dedicated community planner and founder of Building Bridges with Rwanda (BBR), a non-profit organization promoting sustainable development through collaboration between international volunteers and Rwandan communities. Mugabo has devoted his career to community service, raising awareness about the impact of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis. In Canada, he is a founding director of the Hogan’s Alley Society, advocating for the rights of people of African descent in British Columbia. In March 2024, Mugabo received an Honorable Mention at the B.C. Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Awards for Breaking Barriers. Lama brings his vision and experience of organizing black communities and diverse groups in Vancouver and abroad and highlights the importance of civil rights movements.
If you want to learn more about Lamal Mugago’s vision and work, watch this TED talk.
