Grant: HIV/AIDS CBR Program - General - CBR Facilitators

This project will support the continuation of the Community-Based Research Facilitator for the Prairie Region HIV/AIDS Community-Based Research Program (Manitoba and Saskatchewan). In the last phase (2007-2009) of the project the Community Based Research Facilitator has followed the directions set by a regional environmental scan on community-based research capacity in HIV/AIDS in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. In keeping with the direction provided by community agencies, the CBR Facilitator has conducted capacity building workshops and created tools and opportunities to build research skills and capacity in the community and supported ongoing partnership development among academic and community researchers. The current proposal aims to support and sustain the emerging interest in HIV/AIDS community-based research in Manitoba and Saskatchewan as well as to continue to strengthen partnerships between community and universities. In this period we will focus on some specific additional activities that were identified during the previous phase. For instance, we will facilitate the communication around issues of interest such as ethical issues in community-based research and access to ethics review by community agencies; and explore the feasibility of engaging students in providing support to community organizations. As a result of this project, it is expected that community members, community organizations, service providers and researchers will have increased their capacity to engage in community-based research and the application of this research towards enhanced HIV/AIDS prevention, care treatment and support services in the region.