learning & sharing about ecohealth

Transcription

1 Communauté de pratique canadienne en approches ecosystemic de la santé Canadian Community of Practice in Ecosystem Approaches to Health Margot Parkes Canada Research Chair in Health, Ecosystems & Society, Assistant Professor, University of Northern British Columbia on behalf of: CoPEH-Canada

2 learning & sharing about ecohealth Purpose: What? Why this? Why now? Participation: For & with whom? Process: How, when, where? Progressions and projections: moving into the future

3 why this, why now, why me? health and wellbeing are embedded within ecosystems Charles Boelen, Towards Unity for Health, WHO

4 CoPEH-Canada Canada objectives 1. to jointly plan and deliver a ecohealth short course for students and professionals; 2. to provide a forum for Canadians to consolidate and extend the ecohealth approach through collaboration, exchange, and scholarly attention to methodology, pedagogy and knowledge translation; 3. to conduct an integrated program of participatory research and evaluation to examine the networking, educational and capacity building outcomes of the community of practice; 4. to identify and develop strategies for long term regional and institutional capacity to support ecosystem approaches to human health.

5 converging (eco)systemic approaches to health ACADEMIC pre 1995 Individuals in Universities Ecosystem Health (Vol 1 7) 1 Ecosante ECOHEALTH Ecosystem Approaches Ecosystem Sustainabliity & Health 2006 current ECOHEALTH Vol 4 7 EcoHealth Emerging COMMUNITIES Meetings ISEH NESH GEIG HEALTHEARTH IDRC Ecohealth Forum (some links with) EcoHealth Network of subscribers Int. Association for Ecology & Health International Ecohealth Forum ecohealth FUNDERS Canada Tri Council Funding IDRC Ecosystem Approaches to Human Health Program Initiative IDRC Ecohealth PI and Communities of Practice in EcoHealth (CoPEH) Healthy Planet, Places & People CoPEHs LAC, MENA, SEA, Africa, Canada Ecohealth

6 in ecosystem approaches to health I. Ecosystem ecosystems as biophysical systems & a holistic metaphor a family of (eco)systemic approaches II Approaches Approaches the art & science of approaching learning & exchange across disciplinary, sectoral, cultural boundaries. III to Health Disease? Determinants? Well being? Ecohealth? EcoHealth? ecohealth?

7 a a Canadian community of practice?... Communities of practice are groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly. (Wenger 2002 ).

8 2004 Quebec Guelph?? Ontario others? UQAM? others UBC? BC others

9 CoPEH-Canada 2004 A mandate & structure to interact, share & learn Ontario Guelph Quebec/ Atlantique UQAM UBC BC/Prairies/ Territories

10 2009 Ontario Links with York, Trent, UWO, PHAC Guelph etc. Québec/ Arcadian/ Atlantique UQAM Links with NB, NS U. de Moncton UBC / UNBC Links with BC, AB, MB, SK BC/Prairies

11 Researchers Educators & Students (higher education) Policy 2008 Practitioners Non-Govt & Non-Profit Organizations Collaborative Relationships (between researchers, educators, policy, NGOs etc) Capacity Building (Ecohealth Short Course and Training & Awards Program ) Consolidate and expand research, education and practice in Ecosystem Approaches to Health

12 short course 2008 (UBC) Ontario (3) Environment (2) Human Health (1) Vet/Pop Health (1) Indigenous/Canadian Studies Quebec/PEI (5) Human health (1) Environment (1) Vet/Pop Health (1) Island studies BC, SK, MB (6) Human Health (1) Env/Geography (1) Interdisciplinary Studies (1) Vet/Pop Health (1)Resource Management and Environmental Studies (1) Sociology

13 Ecohealth Short Course 2008 A video story on the website: canada.org

14 short course 2009 (Guelph) Ontario (3) Public Health (+ Chemistry) (2) Engineering (+Hydrol, Env Sciences) (1) Anthro/Env Studies (2) Rural Planning/Studies (1) Sociology (1) Latin American/ Caribbean Studies (2) marine biology/ env Sciences (1) Geography BC (1) Education (1) Environment & Management/ Human Security Quebec/NS (2) Human health (1) Agriculture/Env (1) Nutrition/Health (1) Parisitology/Env (1) Geog/Resource Mgmt (1) Ecology/Geography (1) Communication (1) Cultural Studies International (1) Human & Animal Health

15 real people, place, participation

16 Metaphors

17 creative boundary crossing

18 short course 2010 (UQAM)

19 Climate change, water quality & health in Nunatsiavut Ecosystems & Health in Volcán Watershed, Costa Rica Urban Food Security in Cap Haitian, Haiti 08 & 09 Awardees Bhopal Gas Leak - Ecohealth approaches to theatricality and communication politics World by public health spending ( Livestock, Zoonoses & Health in a Rural Maasai community in Kenya Information et création de sens dans les conflits environnementaux Human health & backyard poultry in rural Madagascar Impediments and enablers of ecohealth in Hanam, Vietnam

20 Researchers Educators & Students (higher education) Policy 2008 Practitioners Non-Govt & Non-Profit Organizations Collaborative Relationships (between researchers, educators, policy, NGOs etc) Capacity Building (Ecohealth Short Course and Training & Awards Program ) Consolidate and expand research, education and practice in Ecosystem Approaches to Health

21 CoPEH-canada participation Types of participant (Who?) researchers, educators and students in Canadian Universities with passion for ecohealth research for development input from community, NGO, policy-makers. Mode of participation (How?) Core Team across three nodes (research team & co-researchers) Students/Alumni (references groups capacity building) Working groups (reference groups collaborative relationships ) Place (context) of participation (Where?) rotating course comes to life within nodal/host context power and generosity of hosting feeds off and fuels nodal activities

22 Longitudinal Follow-up & Feedback Research and Evaluation focused on: collaborative learning, participation & experience before, during, after course medium term (~1 yr) longer term (>1 yr) collaborative relationships communication and social networking between citizens collaborative curriculum design & development collective design and delivery of the short course input from across CoPEH Canada what works? what doesn t? how to improve?

23 learning about ecohealth (a domain ) All relationships strong links Johanne Saint-Charles, UQAM

24 learning about ecohealth (a domain ) I gained a greater understanding of the scope and degree of complexity that are involved in ecohealth problems. I gained greater familiarity with our case study of the diverse stakeholders involved in a particular issue, and their various interests and goals. I gained an appreciation for the role of transdisciplinarity to understand the full view of any one problem, and the role that discussion plays to enable that. (STS09)

25 learning about ecohealth (a domain ) I think I am justified in keeping my definitions fluid, but somewhat congealed like mango pudding. Very tasty We can all decide on how much starch to put in when the time is right for cooking and eating. (STS08)

26 learning about ecohealth (a domain ) It has helped me be at ease with the uncertainty that keeps making me nervous in the research. But importantly, instead of this resulting in inaction it helped me to welcome the fun to trying to sort out how to bring together all these ways of seeing. Deep within this are humility and patience, which this course has helped me to see how they can be implemented in a research context (and the importance of implementing them!). (MTS08)

27 learning about working together ( practice ) One of the major things the course taught me was that while working with transdisciplinary teams enriches the research process, it is not without its difficulties. you are required to step out of your comfort zone to try new approaches, to view situations from a different lens, and to be open to new ideas. It was during the time when we allowed ourselves to be slightly uncomfortable that the really innovative, multi faceted, and really interesting ideas/ approaches surfaced.

28 a a work in progress CoPEH Canada is a vibrant, inclusive, growing and adaptive network of scholars and practitioners dedicated to the understanding, teaching and application of ecosystem approaches to real life challenges in service to a healthy and globally sustainable future. From doing the same things better to doing better things?

29 canada.org canada.org Find out more

30 Communauté de pratique canadienne en approches ecosystemic de la santé Merci! Canadian Community of Practice in Ecosystem Approaches to Health Thank you!

31 A belief that the future can be built on the lessons learned from the best of the past. A search for new knowledge to enrich the images of the future. A theory that acknowledges that collective action is a vital part of creating a way to enact the values and vision of a group, an organization, or a society. A realization that human systems can create what they imagine.

32 Identify Problem Conduct Root Cause Analysis Brainstorm Solutions & Analyze Develop Action Plans Metaphor: Organizations are problems to be solved Appreciate What is (What gives life?) Imagine What Might Be Determine What Should Be Create What Will Be Metaphor: Organizations are a solution/mystery to be embraced.

33 Question #1 Think about and share a time when you were successful in approaching a complex issue in health and ecology by working with community and across disciplinary and institutional boundaries in order to enhance health. Why were you successful?

34 Question #2 What do we need to do in order to best work together in approaching complex issues in health and ecology?