In the weeks leading up to the upcoming municipal election, pairs of students from both the Master of Public Policy and Master of Global Affairs programs will step out of the classroom and into the community, venturing to all corners of the city to explore and report on key issues and concerns in each of Toronto’s 25 electoral districts.
For more information and to register, visit urbanpolicylab.ca/munkinthecity
FAQ for Students
What does Munk in the City entail?
Essentially there are four components of Munk in the City…
- Attend the Kick-off workshop Friday Sept 24th
- Explore your ward and record your experience (on a day of your choosing)
- Produce creative dispatches to share your experience and findings from the field (more details to come)
- Attend the Election Viewing Party Monday Oct 24th (details to come)!
What is the time commitment?
Munk in the City is not meant to be a significant time commitment, but it’s really up to you and your group how much time you would like to spend on your final deliverable! Your group has up until Election Day (Oct 24) to pick a day to explore your ward and speak with residents/local businesses. Before Election Day, you will submit your creative dispatch to share your findings.
How many events are involved in Munk in the City?
We have organized two in-person events for participants. First, the Kick-off workshop Friday Sept 24th where we will provide more information about the logistics of the initiative, and our guest facilitator, Adam Hasham, will lead a workshop to prepare us for our day in the field.
We will also host an Election Viewing Party on October 24th (more details to come) where we will get to know each other, share your creative dispatches with everyone, keep an eye on election results, and enjoy some food! The team with the most creative dispatch will get a prize!
What will we be doing out ‘in the field’?
The Kick-off workshop will help prepare you for your day in the field. We will also hand out Participants Guides at the Kick-off event with more information on logistics.
On a day of your choosing, you and your teammates will travel as a group to your assigned Ward. Once there, we encourage you to speak with local residents and businesses (i.e. Mom&Pop shops, stalls at Farmers Markets, malls, public libraries, etc.), take pictures/videos (with consent).
Which part of Toronto / Ward will I have to travel to?
We will do our best to keep your preferences in mind when we assign out the Wards to each group. Ward profiles can be found on the City of Toronto website here. We will also share this information at the Kick-off event so don’t worry if you aren’t familiar with any of the Wards yet.
Do we visit Wards every Friday over the month?
You’ll visit your assigned Ward on your own time, whatever works best for you and your group. Normally groups set up a weekend afternoon to go out into their assigned ward.
Do we come up with our own questions to ask residents or should we focus on particular issues within a Ward?
This Friday’s workshop will help you and your group form good questions to ask residents in their Ward. Ward profiles will also be shared about demographics and perhaps, there will be information that might suggest or highlight Ward-specific issues. That being said, something will likely come up from your conversations with local residents so we suggest staying open to what you discover in the field.
Can I sign up with a friend?
Yes, as part of the registration form you will be asked if you are signing up with 1-2 friends or if you are signing up individually in which case we will assign you to a group. Groups will be confirmed at the Kick-off workshop.
Will I be subsidized for transportation?
Yes! Students will be eligible for a refund of up to $35 per group for Wards accessible by public transit and up to $80 per group for Wards NOT accessible by public transit. More details on this will be shared at our kick-off workshop!
Will there be food at these events?
Yes!