Please join us on Wednesday, October 25, 2017 at UBC Robson Square for our annual Fall Research Expo. Our Fall Expo is an opportunity for HELP faculty and staff, friends, partners and collaborators from across the province to connect, network and explore new research and practice in children’s health.
This year’s theme, ‘Building Connected Communities,’ will focus on innovative research and interactive practices that draw on systems-level approaches to promote equity in children’s health outcomes within the context of BC.
We have more than fifteen years of EDI data that indicate persistent differences in young children's development across BC communities, which can have lifelong impacts on their health and well-being. What factors contribute to these vastly different circumstances and environments in which children grow and develop? We know there are a mix of biological and social factors, important individual child, and family factors, and diverse service/program interventions that contribute to differences in children's health and development. Yet, at this juncture we know relatively little about the types of actions and contexts at a community-level that could also be making a difference.
This year’s Expo will explore issues and questions related to this emerging area of community systems research and practice:
- How are citizens and leaders in BC communities - local government, businesses, not-for-profit organizations, social service agencies, health and education - interacting to support children's healthy development?
- To what extent are there coordinated and integrated efforts to achieve shared goals?
The Research – Dr. Brenda Poon, Assistant Professor, HELP
Brenda Poon will explore insights emerging from HELP's latest research on community systems and the similar and different ways that BC communities are working to promote the best possible start for young children and their families.
The Practice - Joanne Schroeder, Max Bell Foundation Policy Fellow, and Panel
Joanne Schroeder will moderate a session that highlights specific examples of communities that have taken cross-organizational and sector action to foster systemic change. The session will emphasize personal leadership, interdependent relationships, and patterns of interactions over time as key components of these efforts.
Registration will open September 14th. Watch our blog and social media channels for more information. This event is one of our most popular so be sure to register early.