The PAN team in coordination with Central Interior Native Health Society (CINHS) HASP Program, were thrilled to host an ancillary event at the Canadian Association for HIV Research (CAHR) conference in Halifax, NS, on May 1, 2025.
Jennifer Demchuk (left) and Leanne Zubowski (right) from PAN, along with Jennifer Hoy (center) from CINHS HASP, led participants through the OSAC Project and learnings from the pilot phase. Participants had an opportunity to dig into the survey tool and consider how it might be applied within the organization they work at or an organization they attend for programming and services. Thanks to the team from CINHS HASP, the presentation also featured a video of people with lived and/or living experience(s) who participated in the pilot phase of the project.
The objectives of the session were to:
1. Introduce the OSAC project, emphasizing its evidence-based approach and significance in reducing organizational stigma.
2. Share insights from the project, including tools, resources, and case studies, to support stigma reduction in diverse settings.
3. Foster collaboration among researchers, service providers, and community members to encourage the adoption of OSAC.
It was a great opportunity for an intersectoral group of participants to engage in rich dialogue around how stigma presents in various settings across the country. Some conversations centred around the various areas of an organization or program where stigma might exist, and having thoughtful discussion and reflection about the organizations that participants had experience with.
Participants were asked what HIV-related stigma looks like in service delivery today:
The session was also a great chance to explore opportunities to expand the OSAC project and find new ways to connect with organizations that would benefit from participating in an organizational assessment.
Through post event evaluations, participants felt they made new connections with people to potentially collaborate in the future and that being together in person was motivating and energizing. One participant noted their biggest learning takeaway was “How stigma can be present in so many different ways on so many levels, and that it is not always intentional”.
For more information please contact Jennifer Demchuk at [email protected]