March 2020   
Greetings FER Course Students and Graduates!

It's been an absolute pleasure getting to know so many of you through the current course. For those of you who are graduates, we hope you too are doing well and have found opportunity to utilize what you learned through FER. Feeling like you still need some added guidance? Consider contacting Rachel Martens, our Engagement Officer at lukesbloggermom@hotmail.ca.

We are nearing the completion of the Winter 2020 cohort, and are excited to chat with a new wave of people passionate about engagement in research. We wanted to take a moment to remind students and graduates that you are welcome to join our community on Facebook. Let's continue the conversation and networking. You can access the group at the following link.

Are you a trainee, researcher or family member interested in our social engagement community for Canadian families? In 2015, CanChild established the online Facebook group Parents Partnering in Research.
Many FER grads, both families and researchers have joined Parents Partnering in Research to continue to learn more from one another. It's a place to learn more about research opportunities, conferences as well as a place to share your current work and recruit families as partners. To join, please contact Rachel Martens at: lukesbloggermom@hotmail.ca. You can learn a little more about the group here. Please feel free to share the link in your networks. 

Have you submitted your KT project to be added to the CanChild website? We are missing a few projects from prior cohorts. Don't remember if yours is on the website? Check it out at this link. If you'd like to add your project to the website, please get in contact with Andrea at crossac@mcmaster.ca.

Are you an FER grad currently putting your engagement knowledge to work? We would love to hear about current projects you are working on. Please consider sending us an email with an update!


Cheers!

Rachel Martens

Engagement Officer

 
 




Some great #patientsincluded conferences coming up later this year! Don't know about the Patients Included charter? Check out more details at www.patientsincluded.org
Stay Connected! 
We have so very much appreciated the continued conversation you've started on social media about the course. Your experiences shared on Facebook and Twitter help build the community of course grads ensuring best starts in family partnerships in research. Talking about family engagement in research online? Consider tagging us at:  #FERCourse or on Twitter at  @canchild_ca  @kidsbrainhealth
 
National Health Leadership Conference: Support Rachel! 
The National Health Leadership Conference is one that prompts a lot of thinking and dreaming big about complex health issues. While patient scholarships are now closed, there is usually plenty of opportunity to learn through social media through conference attendees. Rachel will be speaking as a part of a panel on authentic partnership development with families in pediatrics. She will be sharing in part what you all have been learning about through the course in the conference. For more information on the conference and to register, look here: http://www.nhlc-cnls.ca/.

Participate in a Study evaluating a KT Project from the FER Course! 
 
Two students from the 2019 cohort (Sharon Gabison and Malvina Skorska) are evaluating their KT tool, and looking for feedback from Ontario-based rehabilitation researchers. Participation in the study involves reading their engagement tool followed by a 60-minute audio recorded interview in person or over the phone to evaluate the tool. In appreciation for your time commitment, your name will be entered into a draw for one of three gift cards. If you are interested or if you want more information, please send an email to PFCCstudy@utoronto.ca


KBHN Conference: Building Partnerships that Impact Communities! 

Back row (left to right):
Kinga Pozniak, Alison Martens, Heather Shearer, Crystal Shannon, Kirstie Mardell, Ayesha Siddiqua.
Middle row (left to right):
Linda Nguyen, Rachel Martens, Andrea Cross, Connie Putterman, Sasha Dyck.
Front row (left to right): 
Dayle McCauley, Jan Willem Gorter, Donna Thomson.
The FER Course team had the privilege of presenting this past December at the Kids Brain Health Network conference in Ottawa, Ontario. The theme of the conference this year was " Building Partnerships that Impact Communities".  This felt like an excellent time to share the thoughtful conversations you all have brought to the table throughout the course as well as share some of your projects. FER course graduates, Crystal Shannon  and Kirsti Mardell presented a poster at the conference on their KT project and shared their experience in the FER course during the Family Engagement workshop.  There were quite a few course grads in attendance at the conference, so we took an opportunity to take a group photo. It was wonderful to connect with so many course grads, and we look forward to more opportunities to share your experiences in the future!
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