Category: Weekly

Dr. Helene Berman and Dr. Nadine Wathen will be leading an interdisciplinary team of researchers on a new initiative: Health Equity in Context: Local Solutions for Global Problems.

Health Equity in Context is an Interdisciplinary Development Initiative, which is an internal Western University seed funding program that initiates research endeavours that involve the participation and collaboration of individuals across disciplinary boundaries.

This exciting new project, catalyzed by CRHESI, will be conducted in collaboration with the University of Rwanda and Rwanda’s University of Global Health Equity.

Abstract for Health Equity in Context

Rising inequity has been identified as perhaps the most pressing challenge facing humanity. It is a “wicked” social, political and economic problem impacting individuals, communities, nation-states and broader societies. No region or country is immune, and solutions must be sought collaboratively, from a diversity of perspectives, geographies and social locations. Disparities in health status are an immediate manifestation of rising inequity, and the site for the present proposal, which is a direct response to a convergence of inter-related challenges and opportunities arising in London, Canada, and in Kigali, Rwanda. Catalyzed by the Centre for Research on Health Equity & Social Inclusion (CRHESI), the proposed interdisciplinary development initiative (IDI) will launch new activities for CRHESI’s community and academic members, in partnership with the University of Rwanda and Rwanda’s University of Global Health Equity, to: 1) develop cross-national education and research opportunities specific to local and global health equity, and pre- and post-migration trauma and health; and 2) global/local knowledge mobilization pathways to ensure that best practices in addressing health inequities are shared bilaterally. This proposal’s strength is its people and the formative work we’ve done building partnerships. Projects will be led by teams of Canadian and Rwandan faculty, community and organizational leaders, and students. To enable community-engaged learning, we will create a CRHESI Student Fellowship Program, providing a range of opportunities for Western and Rwandan students to work with organizations to gain valuable experience and provide their time and skills in places where this kind of help is needed. Students will also have the opportunity to participate in student-led sessions linked to conferences and a Summer Institute. These educational endeavours will be supported through partnerships with Western International, the two Rwandan Universities, and enhanced graduate and undergraduate offerings at Western, which specifically focus on health equity.

CRHESI Community Co-Director Steven Goodine spoke on a plenary panel at the Health Equity Action and Transformation conference in Toronto on June 13 and 14. The session was titled Opioids, Overdose and Harm Reduction. Video is available here.

From the Alliance for Healthier Communities (formerly the Association of Ontario Health Centres):

While policy makers have at times been slow to respond to Ontario’s opioid and overdose crisis, our members have demonstrated great leadership in working with communities to reduce harm to people who use drugs through de-prescribing, supervised consumption, overdose prevention and much more. In this plenary, we explored how to build local support and find the right strategy for your community. Speakers include: Rob Boyd of Sandy Hill CHC; Frank Crichlow from South Riverdale CHC; Jackie Harris from Central CHC in St. Thomas, and Steven Goodine, Board member of the London InterCommunity Health Centre.

Monday, May 7, 2018, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Central Library, Flex Space, 251 Dundas Street
Full event details and optional RSVP

Do you want to see reconciliation in Canada? What actions are you taking personally? London Public Library is hosting a panel discussion about the question of how non-indigenous Canadians might take practical steps towards reconciliation — with a careful, critical analysis of some of the potential pitfalls and unintended consequences that emerge along the way.

• If reconciliation ultimately involves political activity, how could and should settlers engage politically on issues that affect First Nations, Inuit, and Métis?
• How do non-indigenous people strike a balance between advocating for indigenous rights without speaking on behalf of indigenous people? And how do settlers avoid speaking on behalf of indigenous community without imposing the burden of endless consultancy or ‘tokenizing’ indigenous participation?
• How do non-indigenous people support the vision and ethos of ‘reconciliation’ without turning it into yet another tool of colonization?

Panelists

• Joe Anton
• Summer Bressette
• Cindy Smithers Graeme
• Luke Nicholas
• James Shelley

Congratulations to our Academic Director, Helene Berman, for being named a Distinguished University Professor by Western University.

“The Distinguished University Professorship Award acknowledges sustained excellence in scholarship over a substantial career at Western. The award includes a citation, the right to use the title, an opportunity for a public lecture and a $10,000 prize to be used for scholarly activity at any time.”

Helene Berman is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences and a recipient of the prestigious Excellence in Research Award of the Nursing Network on Violence Against Women International. She and her colleagues have attracted more than $7 million in research funding from Tri-Council agencies and Status Women Canada. Berman, who publishes and presents her work nationally and internationally, has held continuous support from external agencies since she joined Western in 1996. Her research has focused on the subtle and explicit forms of violence in the lives of women, girls, and youth. Using arts-based and narrative approaches, her findings have been used to influence the development of programs and policies. Berman is the inaugural Academic Director of the Centre for Research on Health Equity and Social Inclusion in downtown London Ontario, which represents a new and important community engagement initiative for the advancement of knowledge-informed solutions through participatory community action.

Read more at Western News