Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Partnership Award
On September 7th, 2011, Dr. Patricia Williams and her team at Participatory
Action Research & Training Centre on Food Security located on MountSaint
Vincent University’s
campus were selected as the recipient of the 2011 CIHR Partnership Award.
The review panel was very impressed
with the many attributes of the partnerships' and their respective organizations’
ability to work together to engage a wide cross section of sectors, especially
local communities, to address food security as a vital issue for people in Nova
Scotia. The nomination clearly outlined the mechanisms by which they were able
to develop a high quality relationship which affected policy changes in public
health in Nova Scotia and shaped a healthy eating strategy.
"The idea is to take what we learn here [in Nova Scotia] and, in partnership with others across the country, apply and share those lessons," says Dr. Williams.
Marla MacLeod adds, "It is a great honour to receive the CIHR Partnership award. It recognizes the great work being done by so many organizations and individuals in the province on the issue of food security."
The panel further commended the partnerships’
strong commitment to use a participatory action model for this project to
engage individuals and communities experiencing food insecurity and how these
approaches translated the input from all involved creating tools.
Along with this prestigious
award, a worthy $25,000 grant was also given in association with the award from
the CIHR. The Canadian Institutes of Health Research published a news release,
Government of Canada celebrates outstanding achievement in health research: CIHR Partnership Award “The Nova Scotia
Food Security Network and the Participatory Action Research and Training Centre
on Food Security has received the CIHR Partnership Award for its work to help communities
and policy makers develop better food policies and improve food security in
Nova Scotia.”
Dr. Alain
Beaudet, President of CIHR commented on the awards given, “Each of the award
recipients has achieved exceptional impact through their work. Their
accomplishments reflect Canada’s
strong and diverse health research community and the positive outcomes that are
improving the health and quality of life of Canadians.”
For more information regarding this and other awards, please
click the following link: CIHR News Release
Also check Dr. Williams site and other work here: The Participatory Action Research and Training Centre on Food Security (PARTC-FS)
Dr. Patricia Williams
(centre) and Ms. Marla MacLeod (right), on behalf of Participatory
Action Research and Training Centre on Food Security and Nova Scotia Food
Security Network, winners of the CIHR Partnership Award, with
Dr. Alain Beaudet (left), CIHR President
Ms. Marla MacLeod (left) and
Dr. Patricia Williams (centre), winners of the CIHR Partnership
Award, with the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq (right), Minister of Health.