Action for Healthy Communities Society of Alberta

Published purpose

This 28-month project will support a feminist response and recovery from the current impacts of COVID-19, through systemic change. Action for Healthy Communities Society of Alberta will work to address the systemic barriers preventing the full participation of racialized women and girls in STEM career fields. This will be achieved by completing an environmental scan, stakeholder analysis and by developing a culturally relevant ‘STEM Leadership Laboratory’ to address gaps for target populations, and foster knowledge sharing by connecting underrepresented youth to existing resources and opportunities. The organization will develop interventions for families and youth to drive change and challenge standard beliefs and assumptions by expanding social networks between underrepresented youth and facilitating discussions on the challenges women face in various sectors to broaden knowledge sharing of these circumstances, igniting dialogue for change. At the end of the project, the organization will have contributed to addressing systemic barriers by advancing inclusive policies and practices; encouraging more equitable and effective sharing of resources; increasing networks and collaboration to accelerate systemic change; and addressing persistent and harmful gender norms and attitudes to support women’s equality. Action for Healthy Communities Society of Alberta will be evaluating their STEM Leadership Laboratory and policies to inform a new strategic plan, possibly replicating the model in other regions and disseminating the tools developed for their use in other community settings. WISEST will partner with this organization by connecting with mentors, providing expertise and work experience for racialized immigrant and refugee young women. Ongoing evaluation of the STEM Leadership Laboratory and policies will be conducted to inform a new strategic plan. The model can be replicated in other regions supported by knowledge sharing and the dissemination of tools used