In 2017/2018 WHAI partnered with consultants at 7.10 Stories to explore
creative ways to foster WHAI’s Coordinated Collective Impact Initiative
(CCII) work being done across Ontario. This CCII work is grounded through
seven (7) priority areas of focus identified by communities in the province.
These include: Women and Harm Reduction; Gender Based Violence;
Stigma, Discrimination and Institutional Violence; HIV Disclosure; Community
and Emotional Wellness; Economic Insecurity; and Health Care Centred on
Women’s Needs and Lived Experiences.
Using a framework of narrative storytelling, a collaborative art project was
initiated that included a community engagement tool, an implementation
plan and the development of two (2) resources to share messages emerging
from the collective artwork. In keeping with WHAI’s CCII work and seven
areas of focus, the project aimed to:
Center the experiences and knowledge of women, communities and
organizations in relation to WHAI’s priority areas of focus and offer
creative methods of engagement, expression and dialogue;
Share women’s voices with larger communities using an intersectional
and creative lens;
Demonstrate the connectedness of women’s communities across the
province and to further positive change through collective local action; and
Build a supportive space for communities to engage in CCII work with self,
peers, service providers and organizations through creative representation.