Centre for
Health Promotion
University of Toronto
Public Health Sciences
155 College Street,
Suite 400
Toronto, ON
M5T 3M7
Tel: 416-978-2182
Fax: 416-971-1365
http://www.utoronto.ca/chp
E-Info Update Spring 2008
Contents
The Last Straw! A Board Game on the Social Determinants of Health ©
Developed by Kate Rossiter and Kate Reeve
Copies of The Last Straw! are now available for sale. For more information, visit http://www.thelaststraw.ca/
Director's Remarks
From October to April is essentially the time that I teach two major courses for the second year MHSc health promotion students and the core course for the global health concentration in public health sciences. Despite the heavy workload, I think it is important for the Centre to be so closely connected to these academic programs. Students have contributed every year to the ongoing work of the Centre and the Centre’s projects and contacts have been an asset for the students. Our partners, CAMH, Health Nexus and Toronto Public Health, have benefited from this arrangement.
Students at the Centre for Health Promotion have been the workforce behind the development of the Mental Health Promotion Best Practices Guides put out by CAMH, CHP and Toronto Public Health. These students have come from nursing, European exchanges, and most recently Centennial College. Over the past 6 months, we have been putting the finishing touches on the Guide for Adults 55+ and started work on two guides for Mental Health Promotion Best Practices for Immigrants and Refugees (thanks to Erinn McCauley and Kristin DeMaeyer). Every winter from January to April, a Masters student has worked with me to provide evaluation assistance to the Early Parenting Programs in delivered in north Toronto by Better Beginnings Now, Building Brighter Futures and Toronto Public Health. Over the years, we have worked on a number of difficult evaluation issues for that program. This year, Suzannah Bennett is following a realist evaluation technique to explore the middle range theories that underpin the use of community parents in early parenting programs. The Centre is in an ideal position to be a bridge between the training aspects of a University program and the applied health promotion needs of our partners.
It can take months to get a community partnership project underway. Over the last 6 months, discussions have started with Sick Kids Hospital around evaluating a Medical-Legal partnership directed at the determinants of health, with The Canadian Diabetes Association about evaluating their education and awareness workshops, and with ICA Canada about evaluating their community development projects around HIV/AIDS prevention in Africa.
A big focus for the Centre has been mental health promotion. In the last 6 months, the partnership between the Centre and CAMH has led to the following exciting initiatives: development of a best advice paper on health promotion for Ontario Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs), planning for a Think Tank on MHP with the Mental Health Commission in the fall of 2008, the Best Practices Guides mentioned above, advice to plans by the Stafford Beers Foundation for a conference in Toronto in 2009, working with the Toronto Central LHIN to add health promotion programs and services into their inventories around mental health and seniors, and work on a mental health promotion vision for policymakers in Ontario. There are many other partners involved in most of these initiatives - OHPRS, Health Nexus, Canadian Mental Health Association, and other associations and foundations across Canada.
International work continues to be a focus of the Centre’s work and that is described in more detail in this newsletter. Some of the biggest activities have been working on a discussion paper for PAHO on mainstreaming health promotion in that organization, continuing our involvement in the development of youth friendly primary health services in Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, and ongoing support to PAHO work in building up evaluation capacity in Latin America.
As always, it has been a pleasure to be Director of the Centre for Health Promotion over the last six months since the last newsletter!
All the Best,
Suzanne F. Jackson, Ph.D.
Director
CENTRE FOR ADDICTION AND MENTAL HEALTH
As in past years, the results of the successful partnership between the Centre for Health Promotion and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) aim to improve the overall health of Ontarians, & contribute to the knowledge and practices within the field of health promotion and allied sectors.
Mental Health Promotion Initiatives
Resource Development
- Best Practice Guidelines for Mental Health Promotion Programs: Older Adults 55+
- Second in a series of mental health promotion e-guides developed by CAMH, CHP and Toronto Public Health, this resource is being prepared for web publication and scheduled for release in Spring 2008
- Best Practice Guidelines for Mental Health Promotion Programs: Immigrants and Refugees
- The third and fourth e-guides are currently under development with contributions of subject matter expertise from the partnering organizations, and Masters students who are undertaking literature reviews to adapt the Guidelines specific to these populations
Vision and Knowledge Exchange for Mental Health Promotion
- A Vision for Mental Health Promotion for Ontario
- CHP and CAMH, in collaboration with CMHA Ontario, Health Nexus and the Ontario Public Health Association, are developing a vision paper to influence the emergence of a coordinated strategy aimed toward achieving positive mental health for all Ontarians.
International Initiatives re: Mental Health Promotion
- CHP and CAMH are members of planning committees for two key events:
- Think Tank for the Canada’s Mental Health Commission re: mental health promotion, scheduled for Fall 2008, and
- Clifford Beers Foundation (UK) Conference, “Expanding Our Horizons: Moving Mental Health Promotion into the Mainstream” to take place in Toronto in Spring 2009
Health Promotion in LHINs
CAMH and CHP continue to collaborate with Health Nexus to develop tools that will facilitate the infusion of health promotion into LHIN strategic plans and activities. Over the past several months, some key inroads toward the overall goal have been made, including:
- Presenting on health promotion with OHPRS to the LHIN Planning Directors, and showcasing the tools and best advice developed by the LHIN/HP Working Group
- Currently organizing a webinar on health promotion for LHIN community engagement & planning and integration consultants, including the application of the tools to LHIN planning processes
- Successful completion of a project for the Toronto Central LHIN with respect to populating a data base inventory with health promotion services, programs and resources
The other key partner of the CHP is the Health Nexus (formerly Ontario Prevention Clearinghouse). We worked together to co-lead the Health Promotion Affiliate of the Canadian Health Network. Sadly, PHAC stopped the operations of the Canadian Health Network as of March 31, 2008. Although the Health Promotion Affiliate friends mounted an effort to lobby and stop the closure, it was unsuccessful. The resources of all of the Canadian Health Network Affiliates have been moved to the PHAC website.
ONTARIO HEALTH PROMOTION SUMMER SCHOOL
Coordinator: Lisa Weintraub
Ontario Health Promotion Summer School (HPSS) is organized each year in collaboration with a number of standing planning subcommittees, whose members are recruited from all over the province. The Chair of HPSS and the Director of the Centre for Health Promotion, Suzanne Jackson chairs the Steering Committee, with Chairs of each subcommittee and the HPSS Coordinator who also participates as a liaison at the subcommmitee level. This year’s Co-Chair, Olga Michie, from Emergency Preparedness at the Public Health Agency of Canada, has made a significant contribution to envisioning the theme, developing curriculum, and identifying funding. Ms. Michie will be offering the Opening Plenary this year to help contextualize the theme within health promotion. The Steering Committee supports the Chair in overarching planning, including logistical, financial, promotion and evaluation.
The Aboriginal curriculum is organized by the First Peoples’ Subcommittee and this committee is responsible for creating programming for Series 1 and a number of Toolbox sessions that are open to all. This subcommittee is also responsible for organizing extracurricular events, such as the annual Aboriginal Feast, which features traditional cuisine and cultural entertainment (dancing, drumming and singing) and Personal Development workshops . The committee has also invited two Elders to be present throughout the week, to lead Cultural Ceremonies, and for a tipi to be set up on the grounds of the hotel. The Committee has also been actively recruiting participants, with articles and distribution of the poster. T his year the Committee has been chaired by Bernice Downey, of Mino a ya win Consulting, in Ottawa. The First Peoples’ Committee has met as often as twice a month to plan curriculum and cultural activities.
The French-language curriculum is organized by the Francophone Subcommittee, which is responsible for creating programming for Series 2. This subcommittee is also responsible for organizing extracurricular events, including the Francophone dinner, which features international Francophone cuisine, and this year music, prizes and special presentations featuring Francophone culture. The Committee will also be featuring a slide show and presentation about Francophones in Ontario at the Opening Session of HPSS 2008. The Committee continues to be chaired by Denise Hebert, of Public Health in Ottawa. The Francophone Committee has met monthly to plan curriculum and cultural activities.
Finally, another series (3) is organized by the Chair of HPSS, and this year’s Co-Chair, Olga Michie from Emergency Preparedness at PHAC. The General Subcommittee, led once again by Charna Gord, of Public Health in Toronto, has been active in creating a significant roster of Toolbox sessions.
This year’s theme explores a highly relevant topic for those passionate about or interested in learning more about a holistic approach to preventing, managing and responding to health crises from a health promotion perspective. HPSS 2008 will focus on strengthening community action while exploring what it means to work under pressure, using a multi-level, multi-strategy, holistic approach. The Closing Plenary will be offered by Member of Parliament, the Honorable Carolyn Bennett, long-time health advocate, an inspiring speaker who will focus on putting Health Promotion back in Health Promotion.
Registration has been open since March, and to date, over 60 people have registered. For the first time ever, health professionals can access a subsidy for their registration fees (NB: access information on the HPSS website). And as usual, those attending Series 2 (French-language series) can take advantage of a travel and lodging subsidy. The HPSS web site: www.utoronto.ca/chp/hpss provides information about registration, curriculum and speakers, committees and subsidies.
Promotional activities are ongoing, and all efforts at spreading the word are appreciated. (Electronic versions of our poster are available in French or in English.) Two promotional consultants have been contacting agencies around the province to help recruit interest. The HPSS Coordinator is available for any questions at 416-469-4632 or hpss@rogers.com.
INTERNATIONAL HEALTH PROMOTION UNIT
Manager: Fran Perkins
IUHPE
The IUHPE Board of Directors meeting will take place in Cairo in the first week of June 2008. Suzanne Jackson will attend as a Board Member and Fran Perkins as the North American Region’s Co- Director.
For those interested in conferences, go to the web site below to find more information on the 8th IUHPE European Conference on Health Promotion and Health Education Sept. 10-13, 2008 Turin, Italy www.hp08torino.org
Canadian-European International Health Promotion Exchange Program
Winter 2008, we had one exchange student from Brighton University, Jacqueline Nagawa in February and March. University of Victoria (Marcia Hills) and the CHP resubmitted a proposal in April 2008 to continue funding an exchange with Europe (Brighton and Magdeburg) and to focus on developing an international health promotion curriculum.
Youth and Health in Serbia and Bosnia
The Canadian Society for International Health coordinates this project with funding from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). All of the Centre’s senior staff (Fran Perkins, Larry Hershfield, Charlotte Lombardo, and Suzanne Jackson) are involved as consultants. Work is progressing well. Larry spent 3 weeks in the field in November building capacity in Health Communications. Fran and Charlotte visited in March to work with the 7 sites towards developing their priorities for the next year and building capacity for youth voices and youth engagement. The needs are great and each Local Action Site has chosen their own outreach priorities, most focus on mental health-violence, substance abuse and vulnerable youth. Even though this is a primary health project there has been a big uptake on Healthy Schools training and approach. This May, Fran will visit primarily to guide and direct a Forum on Youth Violence and Prevention which will guide work in the schools particularly bullying. Also in May, Suzanne is supporting a Spring School Training in both Bosnia and Serbia where participants in last years Summer School will be training workers in Youth Friendly Services. Charlotte will return in June to work with youth in public exhibits to engage young people.
WHO/PAHO
As a WHO Collaborating Centre, our main partner is PAHO. The following activities happened between October and April:
a) The Guide to Economic Evaluation in Health Promotion is still waiting for a second printing to correct some of the errors and to be put on-line. Discussions about the kind of next steps in capacity-building on this topic have been held between Ligia de Salazar, Suzanne, Alan Shiell, Sylvie Desjardins (PHAC) and Marilyn Rice (PAHO). Mounting a training course for Latin America is the next step.
b) Suzanne with help from Lia De Pauw (MHSc grad) produced a discussion paper and a couple of other documents as part of the work she was doing with PAHO to “mainstream” health promotion across the whole organization. Another meeting will be held at PAHO on April 30 to discuss the next steps.
e) A meeting of Collaborating Centres in the Americas interested in evaluation was held in Washington in November and a template was created in order to begin to create a database of health promotion best practices in Latin America. Members of the team have been pilot-testing this template and are meeting May 1 and 2 to revise it before trying it out more widely.
THE HEALTH COMMUNICATION UNIT
Manager: Larry Hershfield
THCU Workshops
Watch for:
Skills for Health Promotion . This popular set of four half-day workshops includes the following sessions:
- Planning Health Promotion Programs
- Evaluating Health Promotion Programs
- Influencing Policy Change and Development
- Developing Health Communication Campaigns
We will offer this series four times in the upcoming fiscal:
- October 15/16, 2008 – Toronto
- November 12/13, 2008 – Northern Ontario
- December1/2, 2008 – Central East Ontario
- January 14/15, 2008 – Central South Ontario
Watch for announcements about exact locations and registration details at www.thcu.ca
Recent events:
- THCU held two Skills for Health Promotion series of workshops in the past six months. One event occurred on January 29 & 30, 2008 at the Wheels Inn, Chatham, Ontario. This two-day event was facilitated by Nancy Dubois and Robb MacDonald. Another was held in Kingston on March 5 & 6, 2008, facilitated by Nancy Dubois.
- Health Promotion 101, a three-part online workshop, was facilitated by Robb MacDonald and Nancy Dubois in February, 2008.
- Obesity Messaging was facilitated online by Jodi Thesenvitz and Nancy Dubois on February 29 th. An OHPE article with the highlights is forthcoming.
- THCU’s Online Interactive Campaign Planner. Jodi Thesenvitz and Nancy Van Boxmeer, demonstrated how to use the online planner (http://www.thcu.ca/infoandresources/ohc/myworkbook/login/login.asp) in an web-assisted teleconference. Two sessions were offered in March.
- THCU French Language Services, Resources and Partnership Opportunities , an online event, included participants from the Ontario Health Promotion Resource System. Jodi Thesenvitz highlighted THCU’s recent efforts to increase French language service offerings. . Health Communication Message Review Criteria was facilitated for the first time in French, in Thorold, March 2008 by Helen McCuaig.
In addition, THCU facilitated 14 regional (upon request) workshops in various locations across the province. Topics included:
- Making the Case
- Health Promotion Program Planning
- Media Relations
- Behaviour Change
- Health Communication
- Social Norms, Health Communication
- Situational Assessment
- Logic Models
- Focus Groups
- Evaluating Health Promotion Programs
New Resources
- THCU contributed an article to the OHPE bulletin, from Strategic Plan to Program Plan and Back again, based on our popular webinar offering by the same name. It can be viewed at: http://www.ohpe.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9186&Itemid=78
- We conducted the following literature searches for clients:
Ethical issues related to private sector sponsorship of public health programs and interventions - November
Internet Use Statistics – November
Messages About Obesity and Healthy Weights – Part 2 - December
Evaluation of Fight BAC Campaign - December
Effectiveness of Exhibits, Events and Kiosks for Behaviour Change in Youth – January
Physicians and Their Use of the Internet - January
Resiliency, Youth, Substance Abuse and Mental Health -February
Using pamphlets for STI education of adolescents - February
Health promotion in childcare facilities - March
Impaired Driving – Messages and Promotional Material - March
Psychographics Profile of Parents (no publishable results) - March
Audience profile of students in trade schools, apprenticeship programs and community colleges - March
Communication Campaigns - Expected Levels of Awareness - March
Cost-effectiveness of social marketing - March
Effectiveness of combined messages - March
- Our resource Health Communication Message Review Criteria is now available in French
- Messages about Obesity-Making them Stick , based on our Obesity Messaging webinar event will be published in the OHPE bulletin in May 2008.
New Initiatives
THCU is working on a partnership with Ottawa Public Health to train 3-4 staff members to provide some of THCU’s health communication services with their own health unit, including workshops and guided process consultations. This Train the Trainer pilot project will begin in spring 2008.
Workplace Project
THCU’s Workplace Project is concluding its 8th year of promoting comprehensive workplace health promotion to intermediaries across Ontario. The Workplace Project team, consisting of Larry Hershfield, Nancy Dubois, Tricia Wilkerson, Nancy van Boxmeer and Giovanna Ferrara welcomed Jessica Elgie who replaced Ali Kilbourn as Project Coordinator.
Ontario Healthy Workplace Coalition
We continue to facilitate the development of the Ontario Healthy Workplace Coalition (OHWC) by providing Secretariat support to the Steering Committee. Four Standing Committees were created for the OWHC’s four core functions; Advocacy, Capacity Building, Communications and Resource Integration. As well, the March 18-19 Symposium “Healthy Workplaces Make Good Business Cents: Assessment to Action”, provided in partnership with THCU, was a great success and was attended by over 130 workplace health stakeholders in Ontario. The OHWC has been very busy and is making exciting progress. A membership strategy is underway and coming this summer will be the launch of the OHWC’s website.
E-learning
We have offered a successful series of comprehensive workplace health promotion webinars from January to April 2008. Two styles of webinars were presented this year 1) a longer, interactive version and 2) a shorter, presentation version. Both have, once again, been well received. This year’s topics included: Influencing the Organizational Environment, Mental Health in the Workplace, the National and International Perspective and Working with the Ontario Hospital Association.
Resources and Website
The online Well-Regarded Intervention Catalogue continues to be in development and contains a variety of accessible, useable and well-regarded workplace interventions. We will continue to add interventions to the Catalogue as they are nominated. This year we are also working on creating new and improved information packs.
We have also been working this year to update our resources and website (www.thcu.ca/workplace). Check back soon to see the updated website, as well as new resources, including:
- The Virtual Community where you can view and post news articles, resources, stories and more on workplace health promotion, visit the link at http://www.thcu.ca/workplace/vc/index.cfm
If you have Workplace Project questions, comments and/or requests for materials, please contact Jessica Elgie at workplace_admin@thcu.ca.
Youth Tobacco Vortal Project
The Youth Tobacco Vortal Project is now in its 8 th year of encouraging and supporting community public health agencies to make use of web-based technologies to communicate with and engage young people in tobacco control issues. The project’s central website, Smoke FX (www.smoke-fx.com), provides local agencies a gateway to information and resources targeting young people.
Since its inception, the Youth Tobacco Vortal Project has grown to include 47 community-based affiliate sites. The majority of these affiliates are Youth Action Alliances representing the various regions throughout Ontario. The YTVP supports its affiliate base by assisting them in developing their own regional websites that focus on tobacco control and youth. All of the YAAs are affiliates of the project and over half of these YAAs worked with the YTVP web development team to create their regional site(s).
The second part of the 2007/08 fiscal year has been busy for the YTVP. The SmokeFX website’s content was completely re-written and design and navigation improvements were made to make it more user-friendly and appealing to the target audience. The new and improved site went live in March 2008. The new site was translated into French and a new francophone version of the SmokeFX site has been constructed and is currently being tested in preparation to go live.
A webinar/teleconference was offered and attended by all Option 3 affiliates in January 2008. The webinar was specifically designed for all the Youth Tobacco Vortal Project (YVTP) / SmokeFX Option 3 affiliates, that is, those who had created a website using Action Apps. One of the features of ActionApps is that it allows for content pooling. Content pooling is the exchange of articles with any number of partner sites. In this case the "partner sites" are the other YTVP affiliate sites created using ActionApps. The main purpose of the webinar was to discuss content pooling between the Option 3 sites and also to provide training on how to use it. An Action Apps project slice was also created to provide information and resources to all project affiliates.
A number of promotional activities have occurred in order to increase awareness of the YTVP, SmokeFX and its partner sites. In November, a full page advertisement was included in a magazine published by Brant County 5,000 magazines were distributed to all regional high schools. All project affiliates received approximately 1,000 SmokeFX bookmarks to distribute within their respective regions. In addition, there have been recent conversations with Media Network to partner on some promotional campaigns. There have also been ongoing discussions with Stupid.ca to devise ways to strengthen the partnership and to cross promote both sites.
Comments and/or questions about the Youth Tobacco Vortal Project can be directed to Julie Duda (SmokeFX.Julie@thcu.ca).
YOUTH VOICES: YOUTH ENGAGEMENT UNIT
Manager: Charlotte Lombardo
Youth Voices seeks to promote Youth Engagement, Expression, Empowermentand Exchangethrough youth-driven media and participatory research.
Current Projects
The 5 E’s for Health: Understanding eLiteracies for eLearning in Electronic Educational Environments
Data collection is complete on the evaluation of our eLearning resources developed with the Gendering Adolescent HIV/AIDS Prevention Project and TakingITGlobal: “TIG Xpress HIV/AIDS” and the “Virtual Classroom for Tobacco Control”. We are currently in the process of data analysis, and anticipate some interesting findings on the role of “innovation-promoting schools” for championing these types of resources into the curriculum. Stay tuned for information on research outputs.
Youth Engagement in Ontario: Towards a Community of Practice
In October 2007, we held a very successful youth engagement forum, bringing together youth leaders and youth workers from across Ontario to share learning, expand networks and explore collaboration. A detailed report from the forum is now available on our website at www.youthvoices.ca.
To Our Good Health: Youth Leadership for Healthy Communities
Youth Voices collaborated with the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair (RAWF) to engage youth in discussion on issues of agriculture, food security, healthy living and the environment. Rural and urban youth used the Photovoice methodology to explore these issues in their daily lives; resulting photographs were displayed at last year’s Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, from November 2 nd to 11 th, 2007. We are currently in the process of developing a curriculum-based educator’s toolkit based on this material. In addition to providing a valuable health education resource to the Fair, nearly 1000 people completed a survey looking at food priorities and health. The data collected is being used to develop a province-wide program at engaging young people on food systems issues with Alex Jadad from the Centre for Global eHealth Innovation and Rob McLaughlin from the RAWF.
Balkans Youth and Health Project
This CIDA-funded project seeks to develop capacity for responsive and accountable youth-friendly primary health care in the Balkans. Youth Voices is serving as youth outreach consultant for this initiative. Drawing on the Photovoice methodology, Youth Voices projects are being implemented at BYHP Local Action Sites in Serbia and Bosnia Herzegovina, with current exhibits of this work in Novi Sad, Novi Pazar and Banja Luka.
For more information on any of our initiatives please contact Youth Voices project manager, Charlotte Lombardo at 416-978-2201, c.lombardo@utoronto.ca.
Current Gambling Projects
Generation G: New YouthBet.net (19-24) Website Development
Recent research indicates the growing prevalence of problem gambling among young adults. The current YouthBet.net website is designed for youth ages 12-17. As part of our ongoing funding from the Ministry of Health Promotion, the Youth Voices Gambling Project is currently developing a new gambling prevention/education website directed at youth ages 19-24. The site will designed by youth for youth, and based on public health strategies of health promotion, harm reduction and problem prevention. We are expecting to have the site completed by Spring 2008!
For more information on any of our gambling initiatives, please contact Jennifer Reynolds, project manager at (416) 978-8498, jennifer.reynolds@utoronto.ca.
“Deal Me In” – Youth-Made Documentary on Youth Gambling Issues
Deal Me In" is a youth-made documentary about gambling among people between 16-30. The goal of this educational documentary is to raise issues of youth gambling amongst teens, youth and young adults. We are currently looking for people who have had experiences with gambling either personally or through someone they know who would be willing to share their stories and experiences with us for possible use in our film. We are expecting to have the documentary completed by December 2008.
If you are interested or know someone who might be interested, please contact us at: info@dealmeinmovie.ca.
Circumpolar Health
Suzanne is a Co-Investigator on a Team Grant on Chronic Disease Prevention in the Circumpolar Regions of Canada with Dr. Kue Young at University of Toronto. Her role is to work with residents of the three Territories, especially the First Nations, to help them take the data and research results related to their communities and turn this into disease prevention and health promotion actions at the community level. After the successful Spring School in the Yukon in May 2007, Suzanne has been meeting by telephone with a planning committee in Nunavut to organize a similar event there in October 2008. Meetings have also started towards organizing a second training event in the Yukon in October 2008. A video of the Yukon Spring School was created and presented at the CHP AGM. Along with a beautiful report of the results of the participants’ work, the video will be used to talk with First Nations chiefs and others and recruit appropriate participants for the fall events.
Multiple Interventions Project
Under the leadership of Nancy Edwards at the University of Ottawa, Suzanne was invited to be a respondent at the second symposium in a series about multiple intervention programs (MIP). In 2007, the meeting was about how these MIPs are affected by context. In February 2008, the meeting was about equity.
Canadian Consortium for Health Promotion Research
The Centre for Health Promotion is one of the members of the Canadian Consortium for Health Promotion Research. Although its main interest is research and training, the Consortium was focused on planning the IUHPE Conference that was held in Vancouver in June. Since the Conference, much of the work of the Consortium has been about handling the financial fallout from the conference.
CANCER PREVENTION INTEREST GROUP
Report by: Dorothy Goldin-Rosenberg
Once again, members of the CPIG group continue their involvement in numerous programs and activities:
We are pleased that after many years of major campaigns, both the Ontario and Federal governments are being forced into action by an aroused public on some environmental health concerns - the Federal on Bisphenol A and the provincial on a province-wide pesticide ban by law (as in Quebec instead of the previous city by city by law struggle). The province has even awakened to the need for allowing clotheslines again - the best solar and wind method of drying clothes outdoors for most of the year! Now we need to see action on banning asbestos and nuclear power expansion.
In the previous report, it was noted that several in the CPIG group contributed to the important study: Gap Analysis: Cancer and the Environment in Ontario: Gap Analysis on the Reduction of Environmental Carcinogens as members of the The Cancer and the Environment Stakeholder Group with Cancer Care Ontario and the Canadian Cancer Society (published July 20, 2007). It is now available on the Canadian Cancer Society website www.cancer.ca
It appears that Community Right to Know legislation at both the municipal and provincial levels will be enacted soon ~ see Toronto Cancer Prevention Coalition website www.tcpc.toronto.ca. Please support and encourage these initiatives by letting your Toronto city councillor (if you are in that city ) and your MPP know that you do.
The documentary, Toxic Trespass on children's health and the environment (an NFB co production, (Dorothy Goldin Rosenberg Executive Producer) has been screened at many festivals and conferences in recent months. The film writer and director, Barri Cohen was honored with the Best Writer (Documentary) Award of the Writers Guild of Canada in April , 2008. In February, 2008, a Training Trainers workshop was held by the Women's Healthy Environments Network (WHEN) to educate volunteers in leading discussions with the film and education guide. Further workshops are planned. The short version of the film will be featured on TVOntario May 14th, 10pm and in a "Toolbox" at the 2008 Health Promotion Summer School with Ada Lockridge, Chair of the Aamjinawaang Environmental Committee and in the film, in attendance.
The documentary investigates the growing evidence that we are conducting a large-scale toxicological experiment on our children and illustrates what some parents, doctors, scientists and activists are doing about it. The DVD and a companion resource guide, Taking Action on Children's Health and the Environment, will be available from WHEN ( www.whenvironments.ca ) and the NFB in the near future.
CPIG members in the Toronto Cancer Prevention Coalition (TCPC) continue to focus on concerns about the health implications of the planned refurbishment and expansion of nuclear power in Ontario with regard to tritium and other radionuclides - known carcinogens, mutagens and teratogens (cross the placental barrier to cause harm) routinely discharged into the drinking water of millions of Ontarians. As noted earlier, as a result of the intervention of the TCPC (environment and occupational working group) and the resulting letter from the Medical Officer of Health to the Ontario Minister of the Environment, the provincial government included tritium in the Ontario Drinking Water Council (ODWAC) deliberations.
In March, 2008, several CPIG members presented deputations at ODWAC hearings on Tritium in which they called for a reduction in the allowable amount of tritium to the level of the Advisory Council on Environmental Standards (ACES) recommendations (1994) and to zero discharge as soon as possible. The standard now stands at 7,000 bq/l, ACES called for 100bq/l and then 20bq/l. California and other jurisdictions are at 15 and 18 bq/l.
CPIG members have also participated in the Citizens Inquiry on proposed uranium mining in Ontario- almost all of which is on First Nations land. Uranium is at the front end of the nuclear fuel chain and very problematic in terms of health and the environment. Please see the NFB film "Uranium" and the Report Summary by Mark Winfield on the fuel chain: "Clearing the Air About Nuclear Power: Pemboina Institute's Life Cycle Study of Nuclear Power "at www.pembina.org.
Immediate Action to Take on Cancer Prevention
The Cancer Prevention Challenge
This year Run, Walk and Roll has turned into The Cancer Prevention Challenge!(CPC). A three-month fundraising campaign for prevention where any means goes! Some still love the thrill of the race and we are getting together once more to run or walk during the Ottawa Race Week end May 24 -25th. But you can do it where you are at any time..
Join the WHEN TEAM and/or raise funds for another cancer prevention project Whether in Ottawa or not, whether you are running, walking or rolling, you can help raise funds for cancer prevention that weekend by tracking a route somewhere and getting your friends to sponsor you! If you are interested in joining us in Ottawa, contact Marie Lorenzo as soon as possible for more information at office@womenshealthyenvironments.ca, 416 928 0880 see www.womenshealthyenvironments.ca
ONTARIO HEALTHY SCHOOLS COALITION
Report by: Fran Perkins
This has been another important year for the Ontario Healthy Schools Coalition (OHSC). Highlights included:
- Four meetings/teleconferences were held, with an average of 62 in attendance. The average number of sites teleconferencing in has increased from 24 to 31 in the past year.
- A Strategic Planning process has taken place over this last year and agreement was made to strengthen partnerships for Healthy Schools and to support the Ministry of Educations
- Our vision, mission and strategic directions/activities were examined closely in a Strategic Planning Day this last fall facilitated by Barbara Ronson who is back in Toronto from Nova Scotia.
- . Funding has been approved by the Ministry of Health Promotion to help with the cost of teleconferences and some administrative support.
- Four working groups have been formed
- Integration of Messages: currently a small workgroup involving OHSC, Ophea, and OASPHE is in place. This is to ensure that there is a common understanding of the healthy schools concept and clarity to all of the various terms.
- Service Delivery Models: a rep from Toronto Public Health to take the lead.
- Capacity-Building: OHSC will advocate for funding first to enable the creation of education/awareness-raising opportunities.
- Physical Environment of Schools:
Ontario Healthy Schools Coalition 7 th Annual Forum May 29, 2008 Chestnut Hotel, Toronto http://www.opha.on.ca/ohsc/forum.html. Blake Poland, an international expert on Settings-based Health Promotion, will be the keynote speaker. Cost likely $75. Location Chestnut Hotel—Toronto.
As always, the Ontario Healthy Schools Coalition welcomes anyone interested in promoting healthy schools and working towards the optimal health and learning of Ontario’s children and youth. See www.opha.on.ca/ohsc for more information.
2007 HEALTHY U OF T AWARDS
Chair: Geraldine (Jody) Macdonald
Each year in December, the Centre for Health Promotion presents the Healthy U of T Awards. These awards recognize an individual or a group of students, staff, and/or faculty members at the University of Toronto that have made a substantial and long lasting healthy difference to the campus community. The 2007 Healthy U of T Awards selection committee was impressed by the nominations and nominators who took the time to recognize their colleagues’ contributions to the University of Toronto community. All those nominated are to be congratulated as all have made an impact on supporting health.
In 2007 two candidates were chosen to share the individual award. The first was Rachelle Pascoe-Deslauriers, Executive Director of the University of Toronto Sexual Education and Peer Counselling Centre. Rachelle has been involved with the Centre since 2002, and has refined the image of the Centre as an accountable and highly professional organization that is becoming a centre of expertise for inclusive sex-positive education. She has dramatically increased the number of volunteers at the Centre, and is in great demand for her expertise in developing workshops, talks, and events, across campus and beyond. In doing so she has consistently pushed to de-stigmatize sex, creating the well known and appreciated ‘Porn and Cookies’ event. Her holistic approach and emphasis on areas of commonality rather than division has also diversified the centre’s reach across campus to include St Michael’s College, whose views were previously considered incompatible with the Centre. All of this has been achieved as a volunteer and a student, a remarkable achievement. Her work is an excellent example of the health promotion strategies of “developing personal skills” and “creating environments conducive to health.”
The co-winner of the individual award was Dr. Michael Evans. Michael is a faculty member of the Department of Family and Community Medicine. Michael has shown a very high level of commitment to educating people from the campus outwards to create healthy and aware communities. In addition to the vast number of clinical projects he has innovated and led to develop expertise and best practice, he has also shown his dedication to promoting health awareness in the wider community through numerous media outlets. The Healthy U of T Awards Committee was particularly impressed by his work in launching the renowned Mini-Med School at the University of Toronto. This innovative idea of pooling the University’s expertise on health and using it to educate and engage the community through interactive sessions, graduates 1000 laypeople annually, and has now been launched at 5 other universities. It is an incredible achievement that showcases the wonderful work done at the University of Toronto to a wider audience and is an inspiration to those who are working to develop and promote the expertise fostered by the University. This work exemplifies the health promotion strategy of “developing personal skills.”
The 2007 nomination review committee included representatives from the faculty, staff and student body. The Centre for Health Promotion would like to thank the Healthy UofT committee chair, Geraldine (Jody) Macdonald, and committee members Myra Lefkowitz, Glenna Hilborn, Uitsile Ndlovu, Nadjlaa Barnawi and Kate Thorpe.
Connections to the University of Toronto
Suzannah Bennett completed her practicum at the Centre as part of her MHSc in Health Promotion at the University of Toronto. During this time she began a Realistic Evaluation project with the Early Parenting Program in North Toronto, studying the role of community parents. Suzannah also researched the capacity for economic evaluation of non-communicable and chronic disease programs in the Americas, and tested a PAHO framework for reporting evaluations of health promotion programs.
Jacqueline Nagawa from Brighton University in the UK came on exchange to the Centre from February until March 2008. She attended some classes, met with people in Toronto on her research interest of HIV and issues of migration, and helped to evaluate the TIG express project on HIV education on vulnerability with Dr. June Larkin.
Erinn McCauley from Centennial College did a placement at the Centre part-time from January to April 2008. Her project was to work on the next Best Practice guide for mental health promotion focusing on new immigrants.
In early April we hosted a delegation from The Health Promotion Board of Singapore, comprising of: Dr Annie Ling, Director, Research and Strategic Planning; Dr Chan Mei Fen, Deputy Director, Research & Evaluation; Dr Hong Ching Ye, Deputy Director, Strategic Planning; Mr Erwin Teo, Manager, Research & Evaluation; Ms Chng Chee Yeong, Deputy Director, Monitoring & Surveillance Department. During their time in Toronto we arranged an itinerary for them with representatives from all CHP Units, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, the Ontario Tobacco Research Unit, the Ministry for Health Promotion, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Toronto Public Health, Health Nexus and The Ontario Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance.
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