Community Engagement
With partnership and engagement as some of the policy directions guiding the federal action under the Federal Initiative to Address HIV/AIDS in Canada, CanCURE is committed to CIHR principles of Citizen Engagement in conducting its research program.
Citizens are "engaged" when they play an active role in defining issues, considering solutions, and identifying resources or priorities for action. This "meaningful involvement" can take place at a variety of stages in the research, planning, or implementation phases of a project.
In the case of HIV Cure research, this means putting mechanisms into effect that ensure the greater involvement and meaningful engagement of people living with HIV/AIDS (GIPA/MIPA); GIPA/MIPA is a principle that puts people living with HIV/AIDS at the centre, while being grounded in human rights as well as the dignity of the full human being.
CanCURE has established a Community Consultants group with representatives from across Canada. These dedicated individuals provide the perspective of the community in our internal review and decision making process throughout the duration of the CanCURE program.
In addition, CanCURE conducts ongoing public outreach, as well as knowledge translation and exchange with all stakeholders. On July 1, 2014,CIHR awarded a Planning and Dissemination grant jointly to CanCURE, and to the EPIC4 (Early Pediatric Initiation - Canadian Child Cure Cohort) Study Group, to initiate public discussion on the aims and actions under our collaborative research.