Project 1
Title: Chinese Community Health Forum
Date: June 10th, 2023
Location: UWindsor School of Social Work Building 167 Ferry St., Room 110-116
View the poster for Chinese Community Health Forum (Chinese version)
View the Themes from Chinese Community Health Forum
View the Chinese Community Health Forum PowerPoint Slides
Project 2
Title: African-Centered Partnership Project: Building Bridges Across Differences
Researchers: Wansoo Park, Jane Ku (Sociology), & Jayashree Mohanty
Research Assistants: Kindu Selemani, Marie Claire Kubwimana, Abiola Mueebah Olatunde, Ayesha Mian Akram
Partners: African Community Organization of Windsor (ACOW) - Lead Organization, University of Windsor, Centre Communautraire Francophone Windsor-Essex-Kent (CCFWEK), Windsor-Essex Children’s Aid Society (WE CAS), and Windsor Essex Local Immigration Partnership (WE LIP), WE Value Partnership & Workforce WindsorEssex.
Funder: Ministry of Canadian Heritage, The Community Support, Multiculturalism, and Anti-Racism Initiatives Program, Community Capacity Building Component (2019-2020)
Project Description: The scope of the project is intended to build capacity between ACOW and various partners service providers in the community; to better support Africans and African descents residing in Windsor-Essex by developing an African-centered partnership between organizations serving African immigrants, newcomers and other African descended groups. Within one year from the funding approval, a partnership plan will be in place, a virtual presence and communication tool will be developed (website).
University of Windsor research team is tasked to conduct community focus groups with Africans and African descents in Windsor-Essex and community forum with service providers to improve understanding of the African community strengths and assets, experience of racism and discrimination, effectiveness of organizational practices as relate to the promotion of social inclusion and diversity in Windsor-Essex, availability and accessibility of existing services, African-centered service needs and gaps and collaboration links and partnerships among service providers.
Project 3
Title: #PullingTogether Collaborative – Akoma Wraparound Project
Researchers: Camisha Sibblis, Julian Hasford (Ryerson University)
Research Assistant: Loni Frank
Funder: Mitacs, Peel District School Board, Peel Children’s Aid Society (2019-2021)
Project Description: The #PullingTogether Collaborative is an initiative co-led by the Black Community Action Network of Peel and Peel Children’s Aid Society, which seeks to address systemic racism faced by Black youth and families involved with the child welfare sector. It focuses on Black community capacity building, community engagement, system capacity building includes and is comprised of three main components:
- Akoma Wraparound: Pilot project to assess the feasibility and refine the model of an African-centred Wraparound service model for Black youth and families at-risk of child welfare involvement. It also includes the development of a Community Support Network of Black-focused agencies in Peel Region.
- System Capacity-Building: Establishment of a System Leaders Roundtable (a committee of senior leadership from multiple service sectors), and provision of anti-Black racism training to Roundtable members.
- Research and Evaluation of the project
The “Akoma” (Akan word for heart) Wraparound project, is an initiative that seeks to reduce racial inequities and increase the well-being of African Canadian/Black families who are involved with the child welfare system in Peel. The project will do so through the provision of high quality, comprehensive, culturally-relevant, collaborative, team-based wraparound services. Young people and/or parents/families who agree to participate in the “Akoma” will be paired with a “Facilitator,” whose primary role will be to empower clients to identify their needs and goals, to form a network of formal and informal supports that can assist in planning and implementing strategies to achieve their goals, and to advocate and navigate multiple service systems.