I am looking forward to the June 17th event. (If the weather holds, I’ll drive my Vespa to Toronto.)

After a hectic period from January to May working for the Mental Health Commission of Canada, I am back and busy with the growth of Knowledge Mobilization Works.

Last week, at the Congress of [...]]]> Hello,

I am looking forward to the June 17th event. (If the weather holds, I’ll drive my Vespa to Toronto.)

After a hectic period from January to May working for the Mental Health Commission of Canada, I am back and busy with the growth of Knowledge Mobilization Works.

Last week, at the Congress of the Social Sciences and Humanities, there was considerable interest in the knowledge broker stories and a clear desire to learn more from people who have been doing this work.  If you are interested in adding to this growing collection of stories by contributing your own, please send me a note. You can read them by clicking the tab at the top of the newly re-designed KMbW site (moved over to WordPress to make publishing, searching, and linking easier).

The other item that has surfaced consistently is the need to bring knowledge brokers together to learn from each other – much like what the KTECoP does in Toronto.  If you are interested in working with me to organize professional development and learning events in Ottawa, Montreal and other communities that show an interest, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Keep well,

Peter

It is my privilege to bring you a new story by Alex Bielak called: From Science to Science Communication to Knowledge Brokering. Alex is the Director, S&T Liaison, S&T Strategies Directorate at Environment Canada. He brings a great personal story of his travels from grad student to knowledge broker.  I recognize [...]]]> Hello KTECOP Community,

It is my privilege to bring you a new story by Alex Bielak called: From Science to Science Communication to Knowledge Brokering. Alex is the Director, S&T Liaison, S&T Strategies Directorate at Environment Canada. He brings a great personal story of his travels from grad student to knowledge broker.  I recognize some of the turns and twists, the opening doors, the points of decision-making, and the personal desire to feel like my work is having an impact on the lives of our fellow citizens.

I want to thank Alex for writing this and welcome you to read his story at either of these two links: bit.ly/cF4gpE or bit.ly/d3oSDh

Peter Levesque

ps: pardon my quiet and lack of sharing during the past 12 weeks.  The new job has a steep learning curve and the workplace is all of Canada.  Hope to see you soon at our new offices in Ottawa.

Le Centre canadien de lutte contre l’alcoolisme et les toxicomanies (CCLAT) a pour mandat législatif d’assurer un leadership à l’échelle nationale et de fournir des analyses et des conseils factuels afin de mobiliser les efforts de collaboration visant à réduire les méfaits liés à l’alcool [...]]]> Description de Poste: Courtier du savoir

Le Centre canadien de lutte contre l’alcoolisme et les toxicomanies (CCLAT) a pour mandat législatif d’assurer un leadership à l’échelle nationale et de fournir des analyses et des conseils factuels afin de mobiliser les efforts de collaboration visant à réduire les méfaits liés à l’alcool et aux autres drogues. Le CCLAT est à la recherche d’un courtier du savoir, relevant du directeur, Recherche et échange des connaissances. Le travail du ou de la titulaire – diffuser la bonne information aux bonnes personnes au bon moment – contribue au travail sur une priorité nationale et au succès des priorités identifiées et prises en charge par des collègues de la division Partenariats et priorités du CCLAT. Le ou la titulaire, en collaboration avec des analystes de la recherche et des politiques et des conseillers sur les priorités nationales, s’appuie sur les connaissances, recherches, produits et renseignements existants pour concevoir des outils ciblés et pratiques pouvant bonifier la pratique. En assurant la direction, la coordination, l’identification et la facilitation du travail concerté fait par les intervenants et partenaires, le ou la titulaire favorisera l’intégration de ces données à l’élaboration de politiques et à la pratique, et ce, grâce à des approches efficaces en échange des connaissances (ÉC). 

 Responsabilités

• Assurer la participation et la coordination d’équipes multipartites en collaboration avec la division Partenariats et priorités pour évaluer les besoins en matière d’ÉC, cerner les possibilités et élaborer des stratégies et approches en ÉC adaptées à des auditoires spécifiques
• Être responsable de l’échange multidirectionnel d’information entre les producteurs et les utilisateurs des connaissances et de la conception et de l’évolution des produits, des services et de l’infrastructure en gestion du savoir du CCLAT
• Transformer des synthèses et rapports des meilleures pratiques en messages ciblés et créer des produits et outils d’ÉC, y compris des bulletins d’information, des fiches de renseignements, des trousses d’outils et des vidéos
• Continuer à définir et promouvoir les stratégies d’ÉC du CCLAT et à s’assurer que l’organisation est reconnue comme un centre d’excellence en ÉC sur l’abus de substances au Canada

Qualifications

•  Maîtrise ou doctorat dans une discipline pertinente (p. ex. science, lettres et sciences humaines, administration de la santé, éducation des adultes ou affaires)
• 6 à 10 ans d’expérience connexe
• De l’expérience ou de l’expertise dans le domaine de l’abus d’alcool et de substances est un atout
• Compréhension de tous les aspects de l’ÉC (p. ex. développement, synthèse, conception de produits, diffusion, échange, gestion et évaluation)
• Expérience dans la rédaction de documents en langage simple
• Capacité à interpréter et à identifier les principaux résultats de la recherche médicale et à les résumer; capacité à utiliser ces renseignements pour concevoir des produits de communication s’adressant à divers auditoires
• Capacité à concevoir des produits de connaissances, comme des trousses d’outils, des bulletins d’information et des mémoires, ou à y contribuer
• Expérience confirmée dans l’application de pratiques exemplaires en ÉC (p. ex. communications, éducation/formation, création de trousses d’outils, marketing et mobilisation des intervenants)
• Capacité à nouer le dialogue avec divers auditoires et à établir des partenariats et collaborations entre des groupes à caractère médical et non médical
• Penseur systémique : capacité à comprendre les problèmes systémiques et les intervenants dans le domaine de l’abus d’alcool et de substances et d’autres secteurs connexes
• Solides aptitudes en analyse; accent sur les processus et les résultats
• Excellentes aptitudes en relations interpersonnelles et en communication orale et écrite en anglais; la connaissance du français est un atout

Les candidats intéressés doivent faire parvenir leur CV et lettre de présentation à hr@ccsa.ca au plus tard le 8 février, 2010. Nous remercions tous ceux et celles qui poseront leur candidature, mais nous ne communiquerons qu’avec les personnes retenues pour passer en entrevue.

Position Profile: Knowledge Broker

The Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA) has a legislated mandate to provide national leadership and evidence-informed analysis and advice to mobilize collaborative efforts to reduce alcohol and other drug-related harms. CCSA is looking for a Knowledge Broker, reporting to the Director of Research [...]]]> The Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse

Position Profile: Knowledge Broker

The Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA) has a legislated mandate to provide national leadership and evidence-informed analysis and advice to mobilize collaborative efforts to reduce alcohol and other drug-related harms. CCSA is looking for a Knowledge Broker, reporting to the Director of Research and Knowledge Exchange. The efforts of the Knowledge Broker—getting the right information into the right hands at the right time—contribute to the uptake of national priority work and support the priorities identified and led by colleagues within the Partnerships and Priorities Division at CCSA. The Knowledge Broker, working together with Research and Policy Analysts and National Priority Advisors, draws on the existing body of knowledge, research, products and information to create targeted and practical tools that can change practice. Through leading, coordinating, identifying and facilitating collaborative efforts of stakeholders/partners, the Knowledge Broker will encourage the application of this evidence in policy development and practice using effective knowledge exchange approaches. 

Responsibilities

• Engage and coordinate multi-stakeholder teams in conjunction with the Partnerships and Priorities division to assess knowledge exchange requirements, identify opportunities, and develop knowledge exchange strategies and approaches tailored to specific audiences.
• Responsible for the multi-directional exchange of information between knowledge producers and users, and the development and evolution of CCSA’s knowledge products, services and knowledge management infrastructure.
• Translate knowledge syntheses and best practice reports into targeted messages and develop knowledge exchange products and tools, including newsletters, fact sheets, toolkits and videos.
• Continue to identify and promote CCSA’s knowledge exchange strategies, ensuring the Centre is recognized as Canada’s leading substance abuse knowledge exchange centre of excellence.

 Qualifications

• Master’s or Doctoral degree in a relevant discipline (e.g., Science, Arts & Humanities, Health Administration, Adult Education or Business).
• 6 to 10 years of related experience.
• Experience and/or expertise in the field of alcohol and substance abuse is an asset.
• Understanding of all aspects of knowledge exchange (e.g., generation, synthesis, product development, dissemination, exchange, management and evaluation).
• Experience in writing plain-language documents.
• Ability to interpret and identify key results from medical research; ability to succinctly summarize research findings and develop communications products from this information for a variety of audiences.
• Ability to develop or inform the development of knowledge products such as toolkits, newsletters and policy briefs.
• Demonstrated experience in applying best practices in knowledge exchange (e.g., communications, education/training, toolkit development, marketing and stakeholder engagement).
• Ability to engage diverse audiences and build partnerships/collaborations between medical and non-medical groups.
• Systems thinker: ability to develop understanding of systems issues and stakeholders in alcohol and substance abuse and other related fields.
• Possess strong analytical skills; process and results-oriented.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills in English; fluency in French is an asset.

Interested candidates should submit a résumé and covering letter by email to hr@ccsa.ca, no later than February 8, 2010.  We thank all respondents; however, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

I have published two stories about knowledge brokering that are focused on focusing on the user/consumer/demand side of the equation.

Hal De Lair has written about an example of the tool he told us about in story one – He emphasizing putting the consumer in the middle of the process.

Daryl Rock [...]]]> Good Evening,

I have published two stories about knowledge brokering that are focused on focusing on the user/consumer/demand side of the equation.

Hal De Lair has written about an example of the tool he told us about in story one – He emphasizing putting the consumer in the middle of the process.

Daryl Rock brings us his key lessons of his years in knowledge mobilization work – the demand is the driver of the tools that should be used.

Please enjoy and feel free to comment.

As we head off for the holidays, I wanted to let you know how much I have learned from you.  I wish you all the best and have a lovely holiday.

Peter

The ninth knowledge broker story comes to us from Jonathan Green at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.  He brings us some great concepts.  I really like the concept of “carewords”.  I like the imagery of a tool belt of skills that are forever being sharpened or traded out. Jonathan [...]]]> Good Afternoon,

The ninth knowledge broker story comes to us from Jonathan Green at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.  He brings us some great concepts.  I really like the concept of “carewords”.  I like the imagery of a tool belt of skills that are forever being sharpened or traded out. Jonathan brings experience from business, the nonprofit sector, and the university world.  He is a terrific facilitator who says his favorite skills right now are: passion, listening, humor, objectivity, patience, an outcomes orientation, flexibility and adaptability.

Enjoy: http://bit.ly/6y68lI or http://bit.ly/6UYlPy

I hope the dinner went really well. Would have loved to join you.

It is my privilege to bring you a new knowledge broker story from Daryl Rock.  Although he is now based in Vancouver, Daryl was the Director of Strategic Programs at SSHRC in Ottawa and sought to “operationalize” knowledge mobilization [...]]]> Good Evening,

I hope the dinner went really well. Would have loved to join you.

It is my privilege to bring you a new knowledge broker story from Daryl Rock.  Although he is now based in Vancouver, Daryl was the Director of Strategic Programs at SSHRC in Ottawa and sought to “operationalize” knowledge mobilization in the social sciences and humanities.  He provides a practical and strategic definition of knowledge mobilization that has been widely adopted.

His story can be read here: http://bit.ly/6TntBs or http://bit.ly/4ZJ6Eq

If you would like to hear more, I interviewed him for a podcast series in 2007: http://knowledgeexchange.podomatic.com/entry/eg/2008-02-04T08_18_30-08_00

I hope you all had a productive week.  It is my pleasure to announce that the 7th Knowledge Broker Story – Lasting Interpersonal Relationships – comes to us via Dr. Ben Levin, Canada Research Chair in Leadership and Educational Change at OISE, and former Deputy Minister of Education in both Manitoba and [...]]]> Good Friday,

I hope you all had a productive week.  It is my pleasure to announce that the 7th Knowledge Broker Story – Lasting Interpersonal Relationships – comes to us via Dr. Ben Levin, Canada Research Chair in Leadership and Educational Change at OISE, and former Deputy Minister of Education in both Manitoba and Ontario.  There are few people in Canada who better understand the relationships between polity, policy, evidence and research than Ben.

You can read Ben’s story at http://bit.ly/5Uy46s OR http://bit.ly/4ZYhfJ

ps: If interested in hearing more from Ben, I interviewed him in 2007 for a podcast series: http://knowledgeexchange.podomatic.com/entry/eg/2008-02-04T06_05_45-08_00

Our friend and colleague, Michael Johnny at York University has contributed the latest Knowledge Broker Story.

In “From Cleaning Streetlights to KMb!”, he tells us about the journey to working in knowledge mobilization.

I really liked this quote: With no clear blueprint on how to develop an institutional knowledge mobilization unit, I [...]]]> Good Afternoon,

Our friend and colleague, Michael Johnny at York University has contributed the latest Knowledge Broker Story.

In “From Cleaning Streetlights to KMb!”, he tells us about the journey to working in knowledge mobilization.

I really liked this quote: With no clear blueprint on how to develop an institutional knowledge mobilization unit, I was led by values of honesty and respect to develop the relationships – both within and outside of the university – necessary to support this work.

You can read the entire text at http://bit.ly/6d6g4m OR http://bit.ly/8iYgYy

Peter

This has been a good week for interesting stories from knowledge brokers.  Angie Hart at the University of Brighton has contributed the latest story: Knowledge brokering through partnership work.  I love how she is using Resilient Therapy Communities of Practice’ (RT CoPs) set up on the south coast of England to help [...]]]> Good Morning,

This has been a good week for interesting stories from knowledge brokers.  Angie Hart at the University of Brighton has contributed the latest story: Knowledge brokering through partnership work.  I love how she is using Resilient Therapy Communities of Practice’ (RT CoPs) set up on the south coast of England to help children with complex needs to bounce back through applying the resilience evidence base to practice and to family life.

You can read the story at these links: http://bit.ly/4tKsmt OR http://bit.ly/33ZW1t

All my best,

Peter