Tools for Organizations to Reduce Stigma and Improve Health Outcomes
PAN is excited to host a virtual capacity building event that will showcase two exciting projects designed to help community-based organizations deepen their impact, strengthen culturally safer practices, and support stigma-free services for people with lived or living experience(s) of HIV, viral hepatitis, mental health challenges, and/or substance use.
Don’t miss the chance to explore these resources and bring new tools back to your team!
Presented by: Edi Young, Jennifer Hoy and Leanne Zubowski
When: Thursday, February 12th, 2026 from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM PST.
Part 1: Making it Work Community Guidebook
This presentation will introduce the Making It Work Guidebook that provides recommendations for how organizations and service providers can work together to better address the gaps that exist in systems of care. It was developed based on the learnings from the Making it Work community-based research study that applied an Indigenized lens to program theory. The study explored why, when, how, and for whom community-based services work, with a focus on case management and community development programs rooted in Indigenous service delivery models and harm reduction.
During this presentation, participants will;
- Learn how the study Making it Work study evolved and a high-level overview of the findings
- Explore how the Making It Work Guidebook bridges research and practice, providing a practical resource for organizations to apply study findings in their daily work, ensuring programs are culturally safer and more effective, with the ultimate goals of improving health outcomes for Indigenous and non-Indigenous service users alike
Part 2: PAN’s Organizational Stigma Assessment Cycle (OSAC) Project
Stigma continues to be a major barrier in accessing care and support. The OSAC Project responds with an evidence-based, organizational-level approach to reducing stigma by supporting organizations to learn where stigma and discrimination may inadvertently occur in their programs or services. Using the learning from the initial analyses, capacity building will help organizations deepen their learning and implement changes. Organizations may work through the process once or multiple times, depending on their organizational capacity.
During this presentation, participants will;
- Gain insights into practical tools, resources, and case studies developed through the project that provides organizations with a structured way to assess, reflects, and take action against stigma and discrimination within their own practices and environments
- Learn how to apply these resources in diverse organizational settings to support stigma reduction and work toward creating safer, more inclusive, and more responsive services for the communities you serve
Part 3: From Frameworks to the Frontline
This interactive session brings the two projects into conversation and creates space to reflect how our organizational practices, relationships and systems shape peoples’ experience with community-based services. Bringing together insights from the Making it Work Guidebook and PAN’s OSAC Project, participants will engage in dialogue about how stigma shows up in everyday practice, how these tools can be applied, and what it means to work in ways that are grounded in relationship, accountability, and cultural safety. Participants will begin to identify meaningful shifts – both personal and organizational – that can help create more responsive programs and services for the communities we serve.
Why Attend?
This virtual capacity building event is designed for community-based organizations, service providers, and allies who want to:
- Strengthen the cultural safety and effectiveness of their programs and services
- Apply new tools to bridge research and everyday practice
Please read before your register:
In registering for this free learning event:
- You agree to honour PAN’s Group Guidelines and Responsibilities.
- You agree to complete an evaluation
Media Release: In registering to take part in this event, you acknowledge that PAN may record this event and that your name, image and voice may be recorded. We will provide instructions on how to change your name onscreen, but can’t guarantee your privacy. In registering, you give PAN the right and authority to use your name, voice, and image if applicable.
After registration you should receive a confirmation email that will come from Zoom. Save the confirmation email to access webinar. Please email [email protected] if this does not arrive.
For additional learning options, visit our library of on-demand webinars.
We greatly appreciate the vision of our government funders and their ongoing commitment to supporting the work of PAN. In particular we gratefully acknowledge the Public Health Agency of Canada – HIV and Hepatitis C Community Action Fund. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of the Public Health Agency of Canada.