Community Capacity Building

Summary of approved projects 2000/2001

The following projects have been approved under the community capacity building component of CBCI during 2000/2001.

National Networking Project Part III

The project sponsor, the Canadian Breast Cancer Network (CBCN), is a survivor-directed national network of organizations and individuals, whose mission is to provide a link between all groups and individuals concerned about breast cancer and to represent the concerns of all Canadians affected by breast cancer and those at risk. The CBCN has 140 member groups, including breast cancer support groups and advocacy and affiliated groups across Canada, and hundreds of individual members, advisors and supporters representing local support groups, the medical and research community, regional networks, and provincial and national organizations.

Over 30 local, regional, national and international organizations have committed to work in partnership with the CBCN on this project.

The primary goal of this project, Part III of a National Networking Project, is to develop and extend its programs to rural women, including young rural women, with breast cancer. The objectives are to conduct regional consultations to develop a national strategy to reach rural women with breast cancer and to extend information, programs and services to them; to offer community capacity building workshops; and to establish a teleconferencing pilot project in one province or territory.

Secondary project goals include: facilitating education and skill development activities; strengthening the organization's ability to represent under-served groups and increasing its capacity to serve as a link between groups; adding new partners; and assuring a stable future for the Network.

The main outcomes of the project include: increased opportunities for rural women to express their views regarding their needs for breast cancer information and support; more knowledgeable volunteer leaders of rural breast cancer support groups; the establishment of a psycho-social support teleconference network as a pilot project; an increase in the number of survivors trained to participate on peer review committees; an increase in the skill levels of the volunteer leaders and staff attending education and skills development programs; an updating of the Community Capacity Database; an evaluation of the CBCN Website's Bulletin Board; increased community education through the dissemination of Network News and additional Current Issue Papers; increased linkages to municipal websites; and the development of new partnerships.

A Community Contact Network for Newfoundland and Labrador

The Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland is the sponsor of this project.. The Faculty has a mandate to conduct research and training in the health sciences in Newfoundland and Labrador, and has taken an active role in community capacity building activities in the area of breast cancer for several years.

Partners in the project include the Canadian Cancer Society, Newfoundland and Labrador Division, the Newfoundland Cancer Treatment and Research Foundation, the Breast Screening Program for Newfoundland and Labrador, Health & Community Services, the Health Care Corporation, the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, the Canadian Breast Cancer Network, the Women's Institutes, Status of Women Councils and representatives of both physicians and surgeons and women living with breast cancer in this province. This project represents the shared concerns and goals of partnership members and builds on work previously funded by the Canadian Breast Cancer Initiative.

The goal of the project is to adapt and reproduce the Community Contacts Program, a program suitable for rural and aboriginal communities which was developed by Breast Cancer InfoLink in Alberta with Canadian Breast Cancer Initiative, Community Capacity Building project funds, for use in Newfoundland and Labrador communities. The Community Contact program was developed as a community-based initiative which trained individuals to link women looking for breast cancer information and support with local resources, experts and services. The Community Contact program does not duplicate or replace the need for support programs and/or information, but links clients to these services and enhances existing programs. A trained and experienced Community Contact facilitator/trainer from Alberta or Manitoba will be invited to facilitate the initial train-the-trainer session for Newfoundland and Labrador regional Community Contact information coordinators.

The main outcomes of the project will include the development and distribution of resource manuals for the Community Contact Program specific to Newfoundland & Labrador, a full coterie of trained regional community contact trainers, and pilot community contacts in four communities/regions of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Breast Cancer Partnership Initiatives to Provide Information and Support in PEI

The Canadian Cancer Society, PEI Division is the sponsor of this project. The Canadian Cancer Society is a well established national, not-for-profit, community- based organization of volunteers that offers information, support and assistance to all Canadians affected by cancer. The PEI Division has been an active partner in Canadian Breast Cancer Initiative (CBCI) initiatives since 1993 when it began sponsorship of the Atlantic Breast Cancer Information Project.

Partners in the project are represented by the PEI Breast Cancer Information Partnership (developed from the former Atlantic Breast Cancer Information Project). Its mission is to increase public access to breast cancer information and support by initiating and implementing collaborative projects. Members include the Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology, the Canadian Breast Cancer Network, the PEI Breast Cancer Network, PEI Health & Social Services, the PEI Breast Screening Program, and the Canadian Cancer Society's Reach-to-Recovery program.

The goal of the project is to build on previous initiatives funded by the CBCI to develop the capacity of survivors, organizations and institutions to work collaboratively to meet the breast cancer information and support needs of Islanders. The initiatives proposed represent a logical extension of the work accomplished to date. The partnership will continue to strengthen its capacity to work collaboratively to meet information and support needs of newly diagnosed women through the provision of comprehensive information kits.

The main outcomes of the project will be strengthened collaborative relationships, and increased attendance at the support group meetings of the PEI Breast Cancer Network. Information kits will be offered to more women at the time of diagnosis, and the information kits and distribution methods will be modified as necessary. In addition, the information needs of women outside the newly diagnosed period will be identified and materials acquired, a PEI minority community will be offered information through a forum tailored to its needs.

Networking, Information-Sharing and Resource Distribution Across New Brunswick's Seven Health Regions

The New Brunswick Breast Cancer Network Inc, and the New Brunswick Breast Cancer Information Partnership are joint sponsors of this project. The mission of the New Brunswick Breast Cancer Network Inc. is to provide a voice on breast cancer issues through partnership, support, education and awareness. The mission of the New Brunswick Breast Cancer Information Partnership (developed from the former Atlantic Breast Cancer Information Partnership) is to empower every woman diagnosed with breast cancer to take an active role in making decisions on her own treatment and care.

Other partner organizations are the St. Joseph's Breast Screening Clinic, Saint John; NB Division of the Canadian Cancer Society; Breast Screening Services, Charlotte Country Hospital; Saint John Breast Cancer Support Group; Reach-to-Recovery; Atlantic Chapter Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation; Katherine Wright Family Wellness Centre, Moncton; Dr. Leon Richard Oncology Centre, Dr. George Dumont Hospital; and the Union of NB Indians. There are also eight survivors on the Partnership.

The initiatives proposed represent a logical extension of accomplishments to date of projects previously funded by the Canadian Breast Cancer Initiative. The Partnership will strengthen its capacity to work collaboratively to meet the needs of New Brunswickers. The distribution system for the Purple Violet Information Kits will be assessed, and improved. Kit contents will be evaluated and a new supply of kits assembled. The kits will be promoted more vigorously. Efforts to meet needs in remote areas and in Native and Francophone communities will be expanded.

The main outcomes will include strengthened collaborative relationships, increased awareness about sources of information and support in Edmundston, Bathurst and Miramichi, three currently under-served areas and the groundwork laid to form additional support groups in this area if required, the availability of information kits with a Native focus, an increase in the demand for kits from surgeons and others involved in breast cancer, the completion of 700 new English and 300 French kits, and results on the effectiveness of the kits in terms of content and delivery.

Consolidation des partenariats pour la lutte contre le cancer du sein au Québec

L'organisme parrain du projet est le Réseau d'échange d'information du Québec sur le cancer du sein (REIQCS), un organisme entièrement autofinancé. Le REIQCS est l'unique rassembleur des partenaires de la lutte au cancer du sein au Québec. Son comité consultatif multidisciplinaire est composé de près de 40 représentantes et représentants d'organismes locaux, régionaux et provinciaux, dont le rôle est d'informer le Comité des projets ou des nouveautés de leur organisme, de réagir face aux diverses initiatives proposées par le REIQCS et de transmettre à leur organisme les informations pertinentes à l'amélioration de la lutte au cancer du sein.

Parmi les partenaires de ce projet, il y a plusieurs groupes d'entraide communautaire (par exemple, Action cancer du sein de Montréal, la Fondation québécoise du cancer, la Fondation du cancer du sein de Montréal, le Réseau québécois d'action pour la santé des femmes, le Réseau québécois pour la santé du sein et la Société canadienne du cancer) ainsi que des associations de professionnels de la santé et des représentants de 13 directions de la Régie régionale de la Santé et des Services sociaux.

Les objectifs du projet sont : connaître les réalisations et les besoins des régions, identifier avec les membres du Comité des priorités d'actions d'envergure provinciale, développer des projets, services ou publications qui répondent à ces priorités, encourager la mise sur pied de Comités consultatifs régionaux qui travailleront avec les groupes de leur territoire sur les aspects locaux de ces priorités, réunir les forces vives des groupes d'entraide afin de leur permettre de se faire connaître et de connaître les autres, développer des stratégies et des pistes d'actions qui concerne l'entraide au Québec, et mobiliser les groupes d'entraide autour d'un projet commun.

Promoting Regional/Local Capacity for Breast Cancer Information Dissemination and Provision of Support in Ontario

The Ontario Breast Cancer Information Exchange Partnership (OBCIEP) is the sponsor for this project. OBCIEP is a coalition of 38 organizations who have a stake in the provision of information and support for breast cancer survivors. Its mandate is to ensure access to information about breast cancer for people in Ontario through co-operative problem-solving and co-ordinated action concerning issues related to breast cancer information dissemination.

The OBCIEP will work with two partner organizations on this project, the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) (Ontario Division), and Willow Breast Cancer Support and Resource Services. The CCS is a national community-based organization of volunteers whose mission is the eradication of cancer and the enhancement of the quality of life of people living with cancer. Willow is a survivor-directed, non-profit organization that provides information and emotional support to individuals diagnosed with breast cancer, their families and caregivers, as well as to health care professionals dealing with the psycho-social needs of their patients.

The project builds on work previously funded by Health Canada. The goal of the project is to enhance the capacity of regional and local communities to respond to and meet the information and support needs of women with breast cancer and their families by fostering regional and local collaboration. To achieve this goal, 12 regional and local steering committees will design and hold Community Conversation Gatherings where communities will have the opportunity to work together to assess their capacity to meet information and support needs in their community, plan strategies to increase their ability to meet identified gaps, and increase their access to existing resources.

The main outcomes of this project will be the establishment of 12 regional and local steering groups and the holding of 12 Community Conversation Gatherings; the development of resource kits to aid in community capacity building; the preparation, for each community, of needs assessments and action plans to resolve identified gaps in meeting information and support needs; and the production of several new on-line resources for easy access by breast cancer survivors and groups.

Phase II: Collaboration and Partnership: Planning for Manitoba's Breast Cancer Information and Support Needs

Breast Cancer Centre of Hope, a program of CancerCare Manitoba, is the sponsor of this project. The Centre has a mandate to provide breast health and breast cancer information, support and referrals for all residents of Manitoba. This is achieved by offering the combined expertise of nurses and peer support persons, a lending library, a newsletter, a web-site and linkages with other agencies.

The partners in this project include: the Manitoba Breast Cancer Advisory Council, the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority Comprehensive Breast Health Program, and 12 Regional Volunteer Networks. The Manitoba Breast Cancer Advisory Council is comprised of volunteer representatives from agencies and groups, researchers, clinicians, fundraisers and survivors, and has a mission to develop and oversee a comprehensive breast cancer program for Manitoba. The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority's Comprehensive Breast Health Program has a mandate to facilitate equitable access to a comprehensive, integrated program that maximizes breast health services for the people of Manitoba and incorporates best practice and community expectations. The program is directed by multi-disciplinary professionals and breast health/breast cancer consumers. The Regional Volunteer Networks include volunteer survivors, interested and concerned citizens, health care professionals, community contact volunteers and support groups members, and have a mandate to address the breast cancer information and support needs of citizens in their local communities.

The project builds on work previously funded by Health Canada. The project goal is to increase the capacity of the Regional Volunteer Networks to identify and address breast cancer priorities. To achieve this goal, the project will increase the community capacity building skills in the 12 regions of Manitoba, and sustain a provincial dissemination information and support strategy by addressing issues identified as provincial needs.

The main outcomes of the project will be increased participation from the regions in breast cancer activities, the identification of local information needs and the development of plans to address them, and improved community investment in the process of needs identification, solution implementation and resource dissemination.

Saskatchewan Breast Cancer Network Phase 2

Breast Cancer Action Saskatchewan (BCAS) is the sponsor for this project. BCAS is a survivor-driven, non-profit organization dedicated to making the lives of Saskatchewan breast cancer patients and survivors, and their families and friends more manageable. BCAS achieves its mission to empower those affected by breast cancer through education, advocacy, networking, and caring support. BCAS was the sponsor for Phase 1 of this project.

Partners in the project include the Canadian Cancer Society (Saskatchewan Division), the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, the Hope Cancer Help Centre Inc, the Saskatchewan Association of Social Workers, the Saskatchewan Population Health Evaluation and Research Unit, the Saskatchewan Women's Agricultural Network, and the University of Saskatchewan (Continuing Medical and Nursing Cancer Education Program). Other key organizations assisting the project include the High Risk Breast Cancer Clinic, the Saskatchewan Seniors Mechanism, the Canadian Breast Cancer Network, the Allan Blair Cancer Centre, the Prairie Women's Health Centre of Excellence, the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations, the Ministry of Health and the Prairie West Health District.

The project builds on work previously funded by Health Canada. The goal of the project is to strengthen and build the recently-founded Saskatchewan Breast Cancer Network and provide direction for an effective communication pathway for partners and stakeholders affected by breast cancer.

The main outcomes of the project will be the development and agreement on a collaboration framework, and development of a comprehensive action plan, an expanded network as well as increased stakeholder involvement, the development and implementation of a comprehensive communication strategy, implementation of new community-based activities to ensure timely and relevant information and support to those affected by breast cancer and their families, and the development of an information and support access "roadmap".

Building Supportive Communities in Alberta: Strength in Knowing, Support in Sharing

Breast Cancer Infolink/Alberta Cancer Board is the sponsor of this project. Breast Cancer InfoLink, one of the five regional information exchange projects funded by Health Canada under Phase 1 of the Canadian Breast Cancer Initiative, is now a program affiliated with the Alberta Cancer Board, Division of Epidemiology, Prevention and Screening. Breast Cancer InfoLink's mandate is to improve access and availability of breast cancer information and support services in Alberta.

The project will be an intersectoral partnership with a core Project Advisory Group. Potential partners include: Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (Alberta Chapter), Canadian Cancer Society, Alberta/NWT Division, Breast Health Education Coalition of Calgary, the Grace Women's Breast Health Program, Reach to Recovery Breast Cancer Support Program, and Screen Test.

The project builds on work previously funded by Health Canada. In March 2000, an environmental scan was completed in the province. Breast cancer stakeholders throughout the province validated the recommendations from the environmental scan. These recommendations formed the foundations for a strategic plan and guided the development of this proposal. The project aims to further enhance the existing network by: developing the capacity of communities, at a local level; improving information access and the provision of support for breast cancer survivors and their care providers; facilitating the development of local networks; providing training and mentoring opportunities for women, and putting in place community -based structures to support community initiatives.

The main outcomes of this project will be the increase in community capacity through stronger community relationships, the identification of an increased number of community-based opportunities, the enhanced ability of community members to share their ideas on a course of action, the increased competency in setting and realizing common goals, the enhanced respect for limited resources - including people - so that shortages, duplications or waste are minimized, and more trained community leaders.

This project strongly supports the Canadian Breast Cancer Initiative's efforts to increase community capacity to respond to the needs of those affected by breast cancer.

Breast Cancer in the Northwest Territories: Building a Network of Support and Information

The NWT Breast Health/Breast Cancer Action Group and the Status of Women Council of the NWT are joint sponsors of this project. The Action Group is a survivor-led volunteer group knowledgeable about breast cancer issues, with a mandate to increase or improve the breast health/breast cancer information, services and support available to NWT women and women affected by breast cancer. The Status of Women Council is a territorial organization whose mandate is to promote the equality of women and address women's concerns across a range of issues including health. The Council has been involved with breast cancer issues since 1992.

The CCB Project Advisory Panel, currently the foundation for increased networking and collaboration on breast cancer information and support in the NWT, provides guidance to the project and is the core networking group. Advisory Panel members include representatives of the sponsor organizations, Community Health Centres, Public Health Units, Inuvik Regional Health and Social Services Board, the Canadian Cancer Society (NWT Division), the NWT Medical Association, the NWT Registered Nurses Association, Stanton Regional Hospital Screening Mammography Program, Yellowknife Public Library, and the Native Women's Association of the NWT.

The project builds on previous work funded by the Canadian Breast Cancer Initiative. The goals of the project are to facilitate increased networking and collaboration among organizations related to information and support, and to facilitate the availability of information and support for survivors and their families at all stages of breast cancer. Objectives include increasing community/regional involvement in the Advisory Panel and strategic planning process, and working with survivors, the health system and other organizations to develop needed information and support for women and their families.

The main outcomes of the project will be collaborative initiatives by network members to support community capacity, more information and access to peer support for women and families at every stage of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, and increased health system and community understanding of information and support needs.

Meeting the regional and provincial needs for breast cancer information and support in British Columbia and the Yukon.

The Canadian Cancer Society, BC and Yukon Division, and the British Columbia Cancer Agency are the co-sponsors of this project. The Canadian Cancer Society is a national, not-for-profit community-based organization of volunteers, whose mission is to eradicate cancer and enhance the quality of life of people living with cancer. The British Columbia Cancer Agency's mission is to reduce the incidence of cancer, reduce the mortality rate of people with cancer, and improve the quality of life of people living with cancer.

A coalition of individuals and organizations (the Alliance for Breast Cancer Information and Support) are partners in this project, including the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, the Canadian Breast Cancer Network, the BC Women's Hospital and Health Centre, the First Nations Breast Cancer Society, the Breast Reconstruction Program, the Women's Health Bureau (BC Ministry), Life Quilt for Breast Cancer Society, Vancouver Hospital and Health Sciences, Abreast in a Boat Society, and the 7 BC and Yukon Regional Advisory Groups.

The project builds on work previously funded by Health Canada in 1998/99 & 1999/2000. The community capacity building process last year established the Regional Advisory Groups (the majority of whom are persons living with breast cancer) for all regions of BC and the Yukon, who identified priorities for their region and suggested activities. A Provincial/Territory Advisory Committee meeting in March 2000 allowed all partners to develop the activities proposed for this project. The goals are to establish and maintain and effective network between individuals and organizations concerned with breast cancer in BC and the Yukon, to ensure that people living with breast cancer receive accurate and current information in a timely manner, and that they have access to support services.

The main outcomes of this project will be an increase in the number of larger communities represented in the Alliance, with each regions initiating a new community-based information or support initiative according to its priorities, the development of lists of local resources for distribution to people living with cancer, and increasing the support available for Support Group facilitators.

Nunavut Women's Conference on Breast cancer

Nunavut Status of Women's Council Qulliit, is the sponsor of this project. The mandate of the newly formed Nunavut Status of Women's Council (Qulliit) includes developing public awareness of issues affecting women.

The partners in this project are the nursing station in Rankin Inlet (for Kivalliq region) and the women's section of the Baffin Inuit Association (for Baffin Region).

Most communities in Nunavut are small and very isolated. Health services are provided at nursing stations staffed by one or two nurses. The nurses are very busy with daily duties and emergencies, allowing little time to address the information and support needs of women and their families related to the early detection , diagnosis and treatment and survival of breast cancer.

The goal of this project is to increase awareness and support to breast health information and support for women, with respect to early detection, new diagnosis and survival. It centres on the organization of facilitated meeting of stakeholders in Baffin, one of the three regions of Nunavut. One representative of each of the other regions, Kivilliq and Kitikmeot, will also be invited in order to facilitate their understanding of the process and aid in the development of a proposal to convene similar meetings in their regions next year. Participants will be asked to develop resources and gaps in breast cancer information and support and to develop a strategic plan for addressing the concerns in Baffin.

The target population for this project is the women who reside in Baffin. Representatives from women's groups and health care organizations in Baffin Region will be invited to attend a meeting to discuss the breast cancer information and support needs in Baffin region and to develop a plan to address these concerns.

The main outcomes of the project will include: a working committee in Baffin region, with a spokesperson, and a regional representative from each of the other two regions; an assessment of resources and gaps in Baffin region, and a plan of action; a set of priorities for Baffin region; and a Nunavut Breast Cancer Committee.