It all started with the launch of three projects. That is how the Community Health and Social Medicine (CHASM) started last year. Now in its second year, CHASM is broadening its application process to include more projects, more funding, and a greater, more robust curriculum.
What the members of CHASM have achieved in their first year has propelled them to continue to build and expand. Working on health interventions for marginalized populations in Montreal, their work has been recognized across Canada. They have had an article published in the Metro newspaper and have presented at Faculty Council meetings. Financially, they were selected as finalists for a Joule’s Innovation Grant from Forces Avenir, and received an endowment from the McGill Faculty of Medicine’s Class of 1998.
CHASM’s first year featured projects in multiple avenues of public health, from diversity to women’s hygiene. They included Supporting Young Black Students , Community Ambassadors to Conquer HPV, and Monthly Dignity.
Kacper Niburski, the director of CHASM says the organization is now looking for more innovative social health interventions. “We’ve learned from our first year how to best impact projects in their various stages.”
As a result, CHASM has two new streams: Impact and Needs Assessments. Impact is for projects that already have an idea of the work they want to do in a given marginalized community. Needs Assessment is for projects interested in determining the verifiable health indicators of a specific community.
Each selected project would receive $1000 in mentorship from an epidemiologist, public health practitioner, and entrepreneur, and a curriculum based on growing the specific needs of their projects. Anyone with a project they want to get off the ground can submit an application.
November 29, 2018