Know more about 

The FactFinder

The FactFinder is a community health leadership program that equips 2SLGBTQQIA+ people with the social connections, health knowledge, and community-based research skills they need to be health leaders in their communities. 

Introduction

When talking about the issues that impact 2SLGBTQQIA+ communities, it must first be acknowledged that there exists a patriarchal cis-heternormative system that is rooted in colonial ideology. This system has been imposed on Indigenous peoples, on Indigenous lands, where previously gender and sexual fluidity and diversity were an accepted and important part of many Indigenous societies – and has become a part of the fabric of mainstream Canadian society. This imposed system has created a myriad of oppressive and violent mechanisms, obstacles, barriers and impacts on 2SLGBTQQIA+ communities, and depending on where one sits within the spectrum of power and privilege, can determine the number of barriers experienced and the severity to which they are experienced. 

Proof it Works

FactFinder  participants have reported gaining more knowledge about 2SLGBTQQIA+ health; more confidence in conducting community-based research; and becoming better connected with their peers, community partners, and other researchers.

The FactFinder program has become an important pathway to community-based health research leadership in Canada. Community members who have joined the FactFinder program have shared that their experience in the program has connected them to new volunteer, study, and employment opportunities. To help illustrate the impact of the program on participants, we have included a qualitative evaluation report of the Vancouver FactFinders.

By participating in every step of the research process, program participants gain tangible research skills, learn about 2SLGBTQQIA+ health, and connect with other 2SLGBTQQIA+ people. Importantly, there is no academic or educational requirement for participating in the program, and participation is not limited to those currently or formerly engaged in post-secondary education.

Objectives

The primary objective of the FactFinder program is capacity-building through hands-on research experience, grounded in the principles of community-based research. Program participants learn about quantitative and qualitative research skills, social determinants of health, HIV prevention and sexual health, COVID-19 and mental health, and the utility of research in addressing health inequities and knowledge gaps.

Practical research experience is built through intimate involvement at all levels of a research project, including developing project proposals, defining research objectives, data collection and recruitment, data analysis, and knowledge translation. In the past, FactFinder have contributed to the design, data collection, and analysis of Sex Now, Canada’s largest 2S/GBTQ health survey. Currently, FactFinder  are exploring mental health impacts of COVID-19 using Our Health survey data. Over the years, the FactFinder  have authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and community reports and have presented their research at national and international conferences.

Proof it Works

The FactFinder  was created by the Community-Based Research Centre in Vancouver, British Columbia in 2011. In 2016, the FactFinder  program expanded to Toronto, run in partnership by the Ontario HIV Treatment Network and the CRUISElab at the University of Toronto. The Investigaytors program continues to evolve as more partners join. Over the last several years partners include:

  • CRUISElab (2016) University of Toronto
  • QTHC (Queer & Trans Health Collective) (2018) Edmonton
  • Village Lab (2019) University of Manitoba
  • QOLLAB (2020) University of Montreal
  • SHaG (Sexual Health and Gender Research) Lab (2022) Dalhousie University
  • HIM (Health Initiative for Men) (2022) Vancouver
  • 2Sims (2Spirits in Motion Society) (coming onboard in 2023)

We aim at improving pathways to primary health care among LGBTQ persons in Canada

Not all research is created equally. The truth is, what matters to you may not matter to everyone else. But it matters to us. In Canada, there is a huge gap in queer and trans health research. Conam is working to help close that gap through a range of internal and collaborative research initiatives. Conam is committed to the principles of community-based participatory research. This includes ensuring that our research initiatives reflect the needs shared by the community, that our research projects are designed and led by community, and that all results are shared with community in an accessible way. We also ensure that results are shared with decision-makers to inform improved policy, programming, and practice, to ensure that community members have better access to the care and services they need. The MDA also runs the FactFinder program, in partnership with the Community-Based Research Centre. FactFinder is a community health leadership program which provides opportunity for community members to learn community-based research skills (such as quantitative analysis) and apply those skills through the execution of their own self-directed research project.

We improve and save LGBTQ lives through research

“Conversion practices” refers to a wide range of approaches that aim to change or suppress someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Conversion practices do not work. They are harmful, abusive, and can be seriously damaging to the LGBT+ person subjected to them. It can be carried out by family members, religious leaders or organisations, community members, therapists, counsellors, health workers, or other practitioners.  

Canada has formally banned conversion therapy, don't be a victim anymore!

Conversion therapy―sometimes referred to as reparative or ex-gay therapy―is a dangerous and discredited practice aimed at changing a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression, or to reduce non-heterosexual attraction or sexual behaviour.
We provide individual therapy that recognizes the nuances of your lived experiences. Whether you’re dealing with issues related to coming out, transitioning, queer relationships, or other unique stressors, our goal is to support your emotional growth in a warm, inclusive environment.