The Kids Brain Health Network (KBHN) Policy Advocacy Research Training (PART) Committee hosts a webinar series to connect you with prominent players in policy and research excellence. Featuring career skill-building strategies and knowledge translation forums, these 90-minute, web-based interactive presentations engage KBHN trainees in active participation in their career development as researchers, knowledge translators, and leaders.
Upcoming PART Webinars
We are invested in the future of our trainees, and we are working to provide more webinars and continued professional development opportunities. For PART Committee updates, including upcoming webinars, please follow us on X / Twitter and Instagram.
Past PART Webinars (2022-2023)
Principles & Practices for Accessibility: What to Know as a Research Trainee
- Tuesday, March 26
- Presenters: Jessica Geboers & Amanda St. Dennis
Accessibility is non-negotiable; however, many of us are unaware of basic and key principles and practices to ensure our research materials and knowledge translation activities are accessible. In this session, accessibility experts, Jess and Amanda, shared important information and tips around accessible PowerPoints, documents (fonts, tables, titles, etc.), graphics/images, etc. Participants left this session with practical strategies to apply to their work to ensure their research activities are more accessible for all!
Learning Objectives
- Understanding current challenges with accessibility in the research landscape;
- Exploring foundational accessibility principles; and
- Learning practical strategies that can be applied to your research and knowledge translation activities to improve accessibility
Amanda St. Dennis
Amanda lives with multiple disabilities including cerebral palsy. She is a trained DSW and received her undergraduate degree in Child and Youth Studies with a Minor in Disability Studies from Carleton University. She is a patient advisor and co-investigator with CanChild and CP-Net, the Youth Representative on Children’s Healthcare Canada’s Children’s Health Transition Hub Steering Committee and McMaster’s Family Engagement in Research (FER) course’s Accessibility Champion. Her interests lie in disability and child rights, accessibility, advocacy and equity.
Jessica Geboers
Jess is a patient advisor, co-investigator and accessible documentation specialist at CanChild. Since graduating from the Ryerson University School of Journalism in June 2015, she has been a writer, web/content developer and accessibility specialist. As someone with moderate cerebral palsy, Jessica is passionate about accessibility and disability advocacy. She uses her work to promote awareness of living with disabilities and the need for accessibility throughout research, knowledge translation, knowledge sharing, and implementation processes.
Indigenous Research and Engagement: Core Principles and Best Practices
- Monday, January 29, 2024
- Presenter: David Plamondon
This webinar provided a high-level overview of Indigenous research and engagement to prepare graduate students to begin their journey of reconciliation through their scholarly work. Topics covered included the legacy of colonialism, the importance of decolonization in research, core principles, and best practices that should guide research involving the Indigenous community.
Learning Objectives
Participants learned about:
- Intergenerational trauma caused by the legacy of colonialism
- Decolonization to support Indigenous innovation
- Core principles and best practices to guide research involving the Indigenous community
David Plamondon
David is a Cree Entrepreneur and active advocate for Indigenous rights and representation. He is initially from Treaty 8 Territory, specifically from the traditional territory of Kapwae’no First Nation. His role at Mitacs as Senior Advisor, Indigenous Relations and Initiatives is specifically focused on providing support and direction both internally and externally as Mitacs moves towards proper reconciliation and decolonization. His education and professional background are rooted in employment and education support for Indigenous Peoples as well as broader EDI initiatives.
Pivoting from Academia to Non-Profit Careers: The Importance of Developing Knowledge Translation (KT) Skills
- Friday, April 14, 2023
- Presenter: Dr. Fakhri Shafai
A conversation with Dr. Fakhri Shafai, discussing how to plan to move from academia to non-profit work and how you can identify and highlight the skills you have developed as a trainee.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify the transferable skills you have developed in grad school
- Build a ‘pivot plan’ to connect with non-profit organizations
- Understand best practices for developing knowledge translation resources for the community
In-the-Moment Communication: Messy Practice to Advance Your Public Speaking
- Friday, February 10, 2023
- Presenter: Mary Houle
An immersive, experiential hour designed to set you up to connect with your audience and be able to bring calm confidence to your next speaking engagement, and each one after that.
Experience Objectives:
- Participants had a public speaking experience that was associated with a feeling of calm in their bodies
- Participants experiences confidence while speaking in front of an audience
- Participants experienced a feeling of connection with an audience
Harnessing the Power of Communication
- Tuesday, January 24, 2023
- Presenter: Alex Keenan
Learning how to make your research more accessible and engaging for a wide audience, as well as how to become more confident, captivating speakers.
Learning Objectives:
- Using storytelling techniques and plain language to communicate scientific ideas and research outcomes
- Becoming a more confident public speaker
- Practicing key techniques for a more captivating presence on stage or on video
Bias, the Empathy Gap and Cultural Intelligence: Do We Have the Skills for the Inclusive Future of Work?
- Thursday, November 10, 2022
- Presenter: Jessy Santana
When we think about the inclusive future of work, what are the skills that we need to get us there?
Learning Objectives:
- Reviewing bias and the empathy gap
- Understanding key takeaways from cultural intelligence
- Interacting with and learn from an organizational culture strategist with multinational experience
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Justice in Family Engagement in Research
- Monday, October 24, 2022
- Presenter: Michelle Phoenix (Hamilton, Ontario)
An exploration of the concepts of equity, inclusion, diversity, and justice as they apply to research with people who are often excluded.
Learning Objectives:
- Defining and describing equity, inclusion, diversity and justice and applying these concepts in family engagement in research.
- Examining aspects of identity that afford team members more/less privilege and power when engaging in research.
- Being prepared to develop inclusive supports, strategies, and recommendations to promote equitable engagement in research.
A Conversation About Youth Engagement in Research
- Monday, May 30, 2022
- Presenters: Gillian Backlin, Claire Dawe-McCord, Matthias Castaldo
An informative presentation and discussion with three members from CHILD-BRIGHT’S National Youth Advisory Panel (NYAP) on youth engagement in research.
Learning Objectives:
- Reviewing guiding principles around meaningful engagement in research.
- Understanding practical considerations around accessibility and discuss strategies that work well to engage youth in research.
- Interacting with and learn from youth with lived experiences around their engagement in research
A Conversation Between Two Parent Scholars on Autism
- Wednesday, April 27, 2022
- Presenters: Dr. Janet McLaughlin, Grant Bruno
An insightful conversation with parent-scholars, Dr. Janet McLaughlin and Grant Bruno, this webinar explored the perspectives of being both a parent and researcher in the area of autism. Attendees learned about how these dual roles influence each other, as well as key issues facing caregivers raising autistic children, and tips for supporting them, including First Nations families.
Learning Objectives:
- Appreciate how the lived experience of being a parent to autistic children, and being First Nations, can influence the research process.
- Explore some of the key issues facing families raising autistic children, and ways you can meaningfully support them, particularly First Nations families and communities.
The Role of Researchers in Policy Development and Change
- Tuesday, February 22, 2022
- Presenters: Dr. Jonathan Lai
Participants joined us to learn more about their roles as research trainees in influencing policy development and policy change. We found out how trainees can get started on this journey, and learned about important considerations when working with policy-makers!
Learning Objectives:
- Dr. Jonathan Lai’s journey as a research trainee to working in policy development.
- Understand and discuss researchers’ role in informing policies.
- Hear about upcoming opportunities for research trainees to build your capacity in policy development
Contact Us
We’re here to support you. If you want to learn more about registering for PART webinars, or accessing other opportunities for trainees, please contact training@kidsbrainhealth.ca.
