Calling on their creativity and narrative skill, a team of four Durham College (DC) students have made it to the Top 25 in the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) 2020 Storytellers competition for their video There Is Hope, which they wrote and produced together.

The short film showcases the impactful research being done by Lorraine Closs, a professor in the Social Service Worker program within the School of Health & Community Services, as she works collaboratively with community organizations to re-design a housing hub support network for youth living on their own in Durham Region. The project, which is funded by the College and Community Social Innovation Fund, is in its second and final year and is being completed with support from DC’s Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

As one of 19 post-secondary institutions across Canada to make it to the Top 25, DC is proud of its student team, which includes research assistants Meagan Secord, Daniel Forsythe, and Brandon Ramphal, as well as Video Production student Ryan Beaton, who volunteered his time to lead the production of the short film.

As finalists, the team has been awarded a $3,000 prize and the opportunity to compete in the Storytellers Showcase at the 2021 Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences from May 29 to June 4, 2021 at the University of Alberta. The final five winners chosen at that event will be featured at SSHRC’s Impact Awards ceremony in fall 2021.

Held annually, SSHRC’s Storytellers competition challenges post-secondary students from across the country to tell a research story—in up to three minutes or 300 words—of how SSHRC-funded research is making a difference in the lives of Canadians.

Congratulations to Meagan, Daniel, Brandon, and Ryan and good luck!