Join Us as an Indigenous Co-Lead for Equity and Inclusion at CHILD-BRIGHT!

The CHILD-BRIGHT Network is searching for an Indigenous Co-Lead to collaborate with Dr. Nomazulu Dlamini, Program Lead of our Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Decolonization & Indigenization (EDI-DI) Program. If you are a Canadian academic leader with a deep commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion in children's health, and if you share our vision of inclusive research environments, we encourage you to take part in co-steering the efforts of the CHILD-BRIGHT EDI-DI Program from 2023 to 2026.  

About CHILD-BRIGHT

The CHILD-BRIGHT Network is a pan-Canadian patient-oriented research network based at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre. Created in 2016, it works to create brighter futures for children and youth with brain-based developmental disabilities and their families. Funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) under Canada’s Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR) and 15 funding partners across the country, our national network includes 350 researchers, clinicians, decision-makers, youth, and parents.

CHILD-BRIGHT’s extensive research program was developed based on research priorities identified by youth, parents, and other knowledge users such as frontline clinicians and health care administrators. From 2016 to 2022, CHILD-BRIGHT carried out 13 multi-centre projects focusing on three themes: early intervention to promote brain and child development; strategies to support the mental health of children and families; and service delivery redesign to address gaps in service. From 2022 to 2026, CHILD-BRIGHT is moving its patient-oriented research into action through insight and methods grounded in implementation science and knowledge mobilization, and by embedding the principles of equity, diversity, inclusion, decolonization and Indigenization.  

Position Overview: Indigenous Co-Lead for the EDI-DI Program  

We are seeking an exceptional individual to work alongside Dr. Nomazulu Dlamini, Program Lead of our EDI-DI Program, to co-steer the efforts of the CHILD-BRIGHT EDI-DI Program. Your role will be pivotal in ensuring that the principles of equity, diversity, inclusion, decolonization, and Indigenization are authentically embedded across all aspects of CHILD-BRIGHT's work, making a lasting impact on childhood disability research.  

Duties and Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Dr. Dlamini to lead the EDI-DI Program and oversee its staffing and Indigenous advisory council.  

• Champion initiatives that embed EDI-DI principles in all of CHILD-BRIGHT's programs and governance structure.  

• Play a central role in advancing research excellence through health equity using an intersectional approach.  

• Ensure that all EDI-DI activities align with CHILD-BRIGHT's EDI-DI framework.  

Requirements

• Advanced degree in a relevant field, with expertise in equity, diversity, and inclusion.  

• A passion for promoting equity and inclusion in children's health.  

• Proven leadership skills and experience in driving meaningful change.  

• Strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively.  

• An understanding of children with brain-based developmental disabilities and its intersection with equity.  

How to Apply

We invite Indigenous candidates with a deep commitment to Indigenization, equity, diversity, and inclusion to apply. Join us in co-steering the efforts of the CHILD-BRIGHT EDI-DI Program, making a significant impact on childhood disability research and patient-oriented research. Please send your application by September 15, 2023 to edi-di@child-bright.ca and be a driving force for positive change in children's lives.   

Note: Accommodations are available upon request for all candidates participating in the selection process.  

Join us in creating brighter futures for children and youth with brain-based developmental disabilities and their families  

CHILD-BRIGHT Acknowledgement Statement for PRIDE Month and National Indigenous Peoples Day

In the month of June, we pause to commemorate and acknowledge two important occasions: National Indigenous Peoples Month and PRIDE Month. These days hold great significance in acknowledging and honouring the past and continuing experiences, contributions, and struggles of the Indigenous Peoples and the 2SLBGTQIA+ community. As part of our commitment to redress and reconcile, our Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Decolonization and Indigenization (EDI-DI) Program actively strives to establish and maintain research, network and program environments that are equitable, accessible, and inclusive.

On June 21 we join the nation in honouring National Indigenous Peoples Day. It is a day to recognize and appreciate the rich cultural heritage, wisdom, and resilience of Indigenous Peoples. We acknowledge the historical and ongoing injustices faced by Indigenous communities and affirm our commitment to reconciliation, decolonization, and Indigenization efforts. This is a time to listen, learn, and amplify Indigenous voices, valuing their unique perspectives and knowledge.

As we observe PRIDE Month, we stand in solidarity with the 2SLBGTQIA+ community, celebrating the importance of fostering an inclusive, accepting and welcoming environment for all individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. We recognize the importance of advocating for their rights and well-being, striving to become better allies each day. This is a time for us to reflect on the progress made and the work that still lies ahead in fostering equity, diversity, and inclusion.

As individuals and as a society, we have a responsibility to create a world that embraces and respects the rights and dignity of all individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, and to honour and uplift the Indigenous Peoples who have stewarded the land for generations. This period serves as a reminder of the ongoing journey toward equity, justice, and understanding.

At CHILD-BRIGHT, we are dedicated to fostering an environment of inclusivity and social justice. We believe that every child and family deserves the opportunity to thrive, free from discrimination and with access to equitable healthcare. Through our EDI-DI Program we aim to contribute to the advancement of research excellence by embracing a health equity approach in patient-oriented research.

During this month of reflection and acknowledgment, let us reaffirm our commitment to creating a world that embraces diversity, supports equity, and champions the rights of Indigenous Peoples and 2SLBGTQIA+ individuals. Together, we can forge a path towards a more inclusive and just society, where every child's potential can be realized.

Azrieli CHILD-BRIGHT Fellowship Program - Third Call

Three new positions available!

In collaboration with the Azrieli Foundation, CHILD-BRIGHT is sending a third call for postdoctoral researchers to work on our implementation science research projects, and to help programs mobilize knowledge to action in support of children with brain-based developmental disabilities and their families. 

We are looking to fill three new positions for the following network teams:

• Fellowship working on the hybrid implementation validation trial of virtual reality assessment and intervention tools for neurodevelopmental and brain-based disorders (Supervising PI: Jennifer Crosbie, SickKids)

• Fellowship dedicated to creating inclusive research environments for health equity (Supervising PI: Nomazulu Dlamini, SickKids)

• Fellowship to support and empower families as they and their baby transition from the NICU to home (Supervising PIs: Julia Orkin and Eyal Cohen, SickKids)

Applications are due by July 15, 2023. 

Do not hesitate to contact pierre.zwiegers@child-bright.ca for further details as necessary, and please take a moment to share this opportunity within your networks to help us find these candidates. 

Announcing the CHILD-BRIGHT Lived Experience Consultation Service

After more than six years of refining its approach to patient engagement, CHILD-BRIGHT has formed strong relationships with youth and parent-partners across Canada. In turn, our partners have developed expertise in consulting with patient-oriented research projects focused on childhood brain-based developmental disabilities.

We’re now pleased to announce the launch of the CHILD-BRIGHT Lived Experience Consultation Service for researchers external to our network looking to engage CHILD-BRIGHT partners with lived experience in their own research projects.

The consultation service will be offered through one of three avenues, depending on the needs of the research teams, in English and in French: 

• Teams looking to incorporate the perspectives of youth with lived experience of a brain-based developmental disability (ages 14-29) will be invited to work with our National Youth Advisory Panel (NYAP). CHILD-BRIGHT’s NYAP, composed of youth members who have lived experience with a brain-based developmental disability, has provided a consultation service to Canadian researchers working on childhood disability research projects since 2021.

• Teams looking to incorporate the perspectives of parents, caregivers or family members (ages 30+) of a child with a brain-based developmental disability will be invited to work with our CHILD-BRIGHT Citizen Engagement Council (CEC). The CEC is primarily composed of parents of children with brain-based developmental disabilities and other knowledge users. Since 2016, it has provided guidance on embedding partners with lived experience in all network projects and activities, to ensure authentic and meaningful engagement. As of 2023, CHILD-BRIGHT is now opening this consultation capacity up to research teams working in childhood disability across Canada.

• Finally, teams may also consult with both NYAP and CEC members, depending on their needs.

“Our CEC and NYAP members, by means of their lived experience as youth with brain-based developmental disabilities, or as parents or caregivers of children living with brain-based developmental disabilities, have accrued a wealth of knowledge in the patient-oriented research sphere, both because of their lived experience, and because of their time partnering with CHILD-BRIGHT. We’re extremely enthusiastic about putting that knowledge to good use with the CHILD-BRIGHT Lived Experience Consultation Service,” shared Sharon McCarry, CHILD-BRIGHT’s Director of Citizen Engagement.

One Child Every Child awarded $125 million to transform child health research in Canada

The One Child Every Child initiative is a Canada-first research initiative with a vision for all children to be healthy, empowered and thriving.

On April 28, it was announced that the Canada First Research Excellence Fund had awarded a $125-million grant to launch One Child Every Child, led by the University of Calgary with partners from more than 130 organizations across 25 countries, including the CHILD-BRIGHT Network.

We are thrilled by this news and warmly congratulate the University of Calgary and its foundational partners on this momentous step. CHILD-BRIGHT is proud to partner with One Child Every Child to leverage our teams’ respective strengths to achieve common goals related to the health of children with brain-based developmental disabilities.  

Our researchers and patient-partners look forward to working with the One Child Every Child team to share our expertise in neurodiversity and patient-oriented research and to co-create tools and resources that can promote child and family health and well-being.    

As Tommy Akinnawonu, a One Child Every Child youth research advisor and CHILD-BRIGHT National Youth Advisory Panel member, put it: “There are so many different things happening to children in Canada. They’re going through these big walls, walls that could be broken down by access to mental health resources, access to health care, and we’re all gonna play our part in making Canada a much better place for people with mental health issues.” 

In collaboration with the University of Calgary and diverse teams across Canada, we will achieve excellence in research and knowledge mobilization and build a better and more inclusive children’s health care system.