Please consult the SPARK 2014 Application Guide before completing the form.
PART ONE: PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL INFORMATION
1.1
Please provide your information below (learn more):
Name: Organization:
Title: Email:
Telephone: Fax:
Address 1: Address 2:
City: Province/Territory: Postal Code:
1.2
Please select the area which best describes your work/area of interest (learn more):
□ PRACTICE
Direct clinical or public health services and/or management of such programs. Practitioners can represent community health centres, addiction treatment centres, not-for-profit organizations, government, or other organizations with demonstrated knowledge and skill.
□ RESEARCH
Research, as evidenced by peer-reviewed research grants and/or publications. This includes researchers who are affiliated with an academic institution, non-governmental organizations, government, or other organizations whose mission includes research.
□ POLICY
Writing or influencing policy decisions (both inside of government or those working for not-for-profit organizations, such as community-based organizations).
□ OTHER
For example, family caregivers, people with lived experience, peer support volunteers, etc.
Please specify:
1.3
Which of the following best describes your level of expertise in Knowledge Translation/Knowledge Exchange (learn more):
□
Beginner□
Intermediate□
Advanced Comments:1.4
Participation in the SPARK training program requires some follow-up commitments to help evaluate the effectiveness of our approach along the way. These include the following (learn more):
a. Submit a completed Knowledge Translation plan within two months of the workshop
b. Submit a short (one page) evaluation report on the implementation of your KT plan within six months of the workshop
c. Participate in short online surveys
d. Attend two follow-up teleconferences and participate in the SPARK collaborative space on the Mental Health of Canada’s website
Are you available to participate in SPARK follow-up activities? Yes
□
No□
1.5
What are you hoping to learn by attending the SPARK training workshop? (150 words or less) (learn more)
PART TWO: PROPOSAL TEMPLATE
2.1
Please indicate the thematic area with which your proposal is most closely aligned (learn more):
□
Caregiving□
Child and Youth□
Diversity□
e-Mental Health□
First Nations, Inuit and Métis□
Housing and Homelessness□
Mental Health and the Law□
Peer Support□
Primary Care□
Seniors□
Stigma□
Substance Use□
Suicide Prevention□
Workplace□
Other (please specify):N.B. Priority will be given to applicants whose proposals align with the MHCC’s focus areas: Housing and Homelessness, Stigma, Suicide Prevention and Workplace.
2.2
All proposals need to support one of the six strategic directions of the Mental Health Strategy for Canada. With which of the strategic directions is your proposal most closely aligned? (learn more)
□
Promote mental health across the lifespan in homes, schools, and workplaces, and prevent mental illness and suicide wherever possible.□
Foster recovery and well-being for people of all ages living with mental health problems and illnesses, and uphold their rights.□
Provide access to the right combination of services, treatments and supports, when and where people need them.□
Reduce disparities in risk factors and access to mental health services, and strengthen the response to the needs of diverse communities and Northerners.□
Work with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to address their mental health needs, acknowledging their distinct circumstances, rights and cultures.□
Mobilize leadership, improve knowledge, and foster collaboration at all levels.2.3
Please describe the idea for which you would like to develop a knowledge translation plan. Make sure you include the topic, the objectives of your plan, the target group and what you would like to do. (250 words or less) (learn more)
2.4
What practice or policy are you trying to improve? (150 words or less) (learn more)
2.5
What is the service, product or action you want your target audience to know about/use? (150 words or less) (learn more)
2.6
How do you know it is an effective service, product or action? What is the evidence that it makes a difference? (150 words or less) (learn more)
2.7
Who are the key players (stakeholders) involved in your plan? Think about who will participate as well as those who need to be engaged to make it happen. (150 words or less) (learn more)
2.9
Please describe the steps you will take to implement the plan after the workshop. Include resources (human or financial) that will be available to you. (150 words or less) (learn more)
2.10
What other information would you like us to know about you and your proposal? (150 words or less) (learn more)
To submit your application: Please click on the “Submit Form” button near the top right hand corner of the screen and follow the instructions that will appear in the pop-up window.
Thank You!
SPARK 2014 APPLICATION GUIDE
This guide is intended to help you complete your application to the SPARK workshop in Winnipeg from June 10–12, 2014. Each application will be assessed by two peer reviewers.
Tips for a Better Chance at Success:
• Answer every question
• Provide complete responses to each question
• Take your time and think through your proposal with another person if needed
• Ask another person to read over your application before submitting it to make sure that it makes sense to the reader
• Check your application for errors (spelling, grammar, etc.)
• Check that your responses are within the word limits
To submit your application: Near the top right hand corner of the screen, you will see a “Submit Form” button. When you are ready to submit your application form, please click on this button and follow the instructions that will appear in the pop-up window. Please note that if you are using an internet-based email address, you will need to save your application form to your computer before sending it.
PART ONE: Personal and Professional Information
1.1 & 1.2 Please complete all of the information requested, including contact details and the area that best describes your work or area of interest. (return to application)
1.3 The SPARK workshop is intended for a beginner/intermediate audience. This includes people with none to some experience in creating and implementing knowledge exchange plans. Advanced experience would include already working in a knowledge exchange role. (return to application)
1.4 Participating in the SPARK training program requires commitments beyond the workshop dates. It is important that you are able to participate in these for two reasons:
• To ensure that there is follow-through on your plan that will create positive change in the area of mental health; and
• To help us to evaluate the effectiveness of the SPARK training program.
We will provide follow-up support through small groups, which will be led by mentors.
The follow-up commitments are:
a) Submit a Knowledge Translation (KT) plan within two months of the workshop. SPARK is essentially a skills-building program. The workshop will provide you with not only important information about KT, but also
so that you can share your KT plan with others in your small group and benefit from advice and suggestions.
The second teleconference will include all the SPARK participants from the training and will offer education on a topic that is relevant to KT.
Please indicate on your application form if you are available to participate in SPARK follow-up activities. (return to application)
1.5 For this section, please let us know what you are hoping to learn at the SPARK workshop. A complete answer should include how you will use what you have learned in your daily work and/or life. (return to application)
PART TWO: Proposal
Themes and link to the Mental Health Strategy for Canada
The first two questions in this section focus on the theme of your proposal and how it links to the Mental Health Strategy for Canada.
2.1 We are seeking proposals in thematic areas that align with the MHCC’s own areas of work. Proposals are welcome and encouraged in any of the thematic areas listed on the application. However, special consideration will be given to applications that align with one of the MHCC’s four focus areas: Housing and Homelessness, Stigma, Suicide Prevention and Mental Health in the Workplace. Supporting knowledge translation plans in these four areas strengthens the strategic work that the MHCC is doing as a catalyst for change in mental health for Canadians. (return to application) 2.2 In addition to aligning with one of the thematic areas, your proposal should support one of the six key strategic directions of the Mental Health Strategy for Canada. Each strategic direction focuses on one critical dimension, and together they combine to provide a comprehensive blueprint for change. These strategic directions are general statements and it is likely that your proposal will clearly align with one of them:
1. Promote mental health across the lifespan in homes, schools, and workplaces, and prevent mental illness and suicide wherever possible.
2. Foster recovery and well-being for people of all ages living with mental health problems and illnesses, and uphold their rights.
3. Provide access to the right combination of services, treatments and supports, when and where people need them.
4. Reduce disparities in risk factors and access to mental health services, and strengthen the response to the needs of diverse communities and Northerners.
5. Work with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to address their mental health needs, acknowledging their distinct circumstances, rights and cultures.
6. Mobilize leadership, improve knowledge, and foster collaboration at all levels.
Please consult our website for more information and to gain a better understanding of these strategic directions. A summary of the Mental Health Strategy for Canada can be found here:
http://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/English/node/733 (return to application) Proposal Template
2.3 The proposal template allows you to explain ideas for your KT plan. It’s important to think through these ideas to ensure that they are realistic and answer a true need among your target group. (return to application)
2.4 We want to see that you have considered the objectives of your plan and are clear about the change you want to
2.5 You should be able to describe the service, product or action you would like to encourage others to use. (return to application)
2.6 You should be able to explain how you know the service, product or action will make a difference. What is the evidence that it actually works? (return to application)
2.7 It’s important to consider your stakeholders. Who needs to be engaged to make it happen? Have you already connected with stakeholders to bring them on board? Think about the people who will help you in this process as well as the target audience. (return to application)
2.8 We have found that plans that already have funding are more likely to be implemented. Funding can include internal or external resources, including your time at work. This does not preclude us from accepting proposals that are not already funded, but if you have access to funding and resources, this will improve the chance of your application being accepted. (return to application)
2.9 We want to know your thought process regarding some of the steps that you will need to take post-workshop to execute your KT plan. This could include deliverables such as meeting with your colleagues and supervisor, talking to your community members, sending out surveys, and applying for more funding. Tip: describing this in a step-by-step list makes it easier for the peer reviewers to identify the strengths of your plan. (return to application)
2.10 Finally, you will have an opportunity to provide any additional information about you or your proposal that you would like us to know but was not captured by the previous questions. (return to application)
If you have any questions about the application form and process, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at [email protected]. You can also contact Liz Wigfull at 613-683-3744.
We look forward to receiving your application. Good luck!
