Publication Papers

By: Bob Gardner
On: Sep. 2, 2010
Advancing Health Equity in Tough Times

There is a serious chill within governments at all levels as the economy has declined and public finances have become constrained.  This policy briefing sets out how to keep equity high on the agenda in the current fiscal climate.

By: Wellesley Institute
On: Aug. 16, 2010
Precarious Housing in Canada (2010)

Precarious Housing in Canada (2010) is a powerful, new research and policy report from the Wellesley Institute. Using the most comprehensive and current data, research and analysis, Read the rest of this entry »

By: Bob Gardner
On: Jul. 23, 2010
Primary Care as A Key Driver of Health Equity

Evidence from around the world shows that enhancing access to high quality comprehensive primary care for disadvantaged people and communities is one of them most important directions for addressing health inequalities.  Community health centres are a vital part of this direction in Canada and many other countries, and the recent AOHC conference on Health Equity: Pushing the Boundaries highlighted how to drive this into action on the ground (I spoke on how do this).  Read the rest of this entry »

By: Estelle Sun
On: Jul. 13, 2010
New Report & Policy Briefs from SJT Initiative – Neighbourhood and Newcomer Immigrant Health

This descriptive qualitative study examined both the “place-based” characteristics of St. James Town (SJT) and individual-level factors, including newcomer immigrants’ perceptions of the neighbourhood, their social relations, and their access to health and social services in the neighbourhood.  The study focused on ethno-racial newcomer immigrant populations: Tamil, Filipino, and Chinese (Mandarin speaking) and compared their experiences with those of Canadian-born residents in the neighbourhood.  The study also interviewed health and social service providers in SJT and the surrounding area. Read the rest of this entry »

By: Nimira Lalani
On: May. 14, 2010
Comprehensive Community Initiatives: Lessons Learned, Potential and Opportunities Moving Forward

Do comprehensive, collaborative place-based initiatives to reduce poverty “work”? This was the question posed by the Tamarack Institute, Vibrant Communities Canada, and The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation at a very productive Strategic Dialogue held May 10-11, 2010. The Wellesley Institute was commissioned to review research and experience in this field.   Our backgrounder  Comprehensive Community Initiatives: Lessons Learned, Potential and Opportunities Moving Forward, was distributed to participants beforehand and discussed at the sessions.  Read the rest of this entry »

By: Wellesley Institute
On: Apr. 26, 2010
Older women’s perceptions of and responses to abuse and neglect in the post-migration context

They are a minority within a minority and their very invisibility heightens their vulnerability to exploitation.  Older immigrant women are not a group one would normally think of being victims of abuse or neglect, and not much Canadian research exists on these women’s experiences in a post-migration context.  But new research, by Drs Sepali Guruge and Parvathy Kanthasamy on the experiences of older Tamil women, provides critical insight into these women’s experiences of – and their responses to – abuse and neglect.  The authors examine how factors at the individual, community and societal levels have shaped these women’s experiences. Key opportunities for prevention and intervention both within and across new communities are discussed.

Read the rest of this entry »

By: Wellesley Institute
On: Mar. 30, 2010
Working Together: The Paloma-Wellesley Guide to Participatory Program Evaluation

The need for rigorous program evaluation in the non-profit sector continues to grow as agencies and service providers strive to meet the needs of accountability to funders and clients about effective use of resources and improving program excellence and outcomes.

Participatory Program Evaluation (PPE) is a model that provides an opportunity to build an agency’s capacity to incorporate evaluation into its daily activities, engage a diverse range of stakeholders, and ensure that it is providing the most effective services for its clients. Read the rest of this entry »

By: Wellesley Institute
On: Mar. 29, 2010
Recovery through the Lens of Cultural Diversity 2010

Principal Organizations: Community Resource Connections of Toronto, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

Investigators: Nora Jacobson, Deqa Farah and Cultural Diversity Community of Practice

Participants: Mental health service users and family members in the Caribbean, Somali, and Tamil communities in Toronto Read the rest of this entry »

By: Wellesley Institute
On: Feb. 4, 2010
Ontario government: Improve SROI with strategic investments in innovation, housing and health

The Wellesley Institute calls on the Ontario government to take a multi-sectoral 10-year approach to maximizing its social return on investment. In a 15-minute presentation to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs of the Ontario Legislature (see the official Committee transcript) on Monday, February 1, Rick Blickstead outlined three major recommendations for strategic investment. Read the rest of this entry »

By: Wellesley Institute
On: Nov. 20, 2009
New Report – Integration of Concept Mapping & Photovoice: Understanding immigrant perceptions of neighbourhood influences on health

To date, community-based researchers have used a range of participatory research methodologies such as photovoice and concept mapping to explore the relationships between neighbourhood characteristics (physical, social, environmental, and economic) and health and wellbeing. However, the use of multiple participatory methodologies to fully involve disadvantaged populations in the process of collecting, organizing, consolidating and interpreting data in meaningful ways has received much less attention. Read the rest of this entry »