The Research Experience: My Co-op Work Term at the Live Work Well Research Centre

Sakhi Sanghvi completed her winter 2024 Co-op Work Term with the Live Work Well Research Centre. This was her experience.   

Being a second-year undergraduate majoring in Psychology, I was looking for co-op positions that would provide me with research experience relevant to my field and interests, while also teaching me valuable skills along the way. My Winter 2024 co-op semester was quite well-spent at the Live Work Well Research Centre (LWWRC) and lived up to the goals I had in mind in terms of establishing meaningful connections and learning practical skills. I had enthusiastically accepted the position with the hopes of learning about research, community-engagement, and informational literacy, all of which I can say I successfully gained exposure to. Throughout my term, I was a part of weekly team meetings, giving me a chance to get to know other members at the Centre consisting of a wonderful team of warm and helpful people, as well as monthly Advisory Committee meetings that I coordinated with the help of my supervisor, Lenore Latta. Working as a Research and Content Coordinator, my primary focus was the Reimagining Livelihoods Project: developing a Multimedia Platform, creating content to go on the website, and putting together an Advisory Committee to provide us with valuable feedback and insight on our monthly progress. 

My supervisor provided me with materials necessary to orient and acclimatize myself with useful resources and past content in the first week of my term, so I could gain an idea of the content I was expected to create and what it could look like. She was extremely kind and helpful throughout, answering any doubts, queries, and questions I had about the course of action on any tasks I was required to complete.  

The work term with LWWRC also helped me realize the importance of the work they are committed to: collaborating with organizations whose goals and beliefs coincide with the Centre’s and who place a strong emphasis on care and reciprocity, lived experiences and community, and equitable and intersectional research. My realization of the significance of our common goals and values—which form the basis of much of LWWRC's work—grew as a result of my research into these organizations. Through this effort, I have been reminded of the potential that community support has to offer in advancing initiatives and the significance of intentionally developing mutually beneficial partnerships. I now recognize that this sense of care is crucial to me and my future endeavours in earning a living and a life, and I intend to bring that sense with me wherever I work going forward.  

I am really grateful to the LWWRC and all of the incredible members I have had the pleasure of working with. I'm grateful, especially, to Deborah Stienstra and Lenore Latta in helping me throughout my work term with the LWWRC, and the valuable educational and professional development they provided me with by giving me a chance to be part of the Centre. Thank you!  

- Written by Sakhi Sanghvi