Participatory Approaches to Advancing Trauma- and Violence-Informed Physical Activity
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Overview
This panel presentation examines the development and implementation of trauma- and violence-informed physical activity (TVIPA) programs, co-designed in partnership with members of four equity-owed communities across three Canadian cities. These communities, which face significant social inequities, trauma, and both familial and structural violence, were engaged through collaborations with community advisory boards and local organizations. The TVIPA programs incorporated a range of physical activities, including yoga, strength training, non-contact boxing, and dance, delivered over six-week periods across locations. In addition to describing the program design and evaluation, the panel discussion will address service provider experiences with social learning spaces, discuss outcomes of our TVI modules, and present StoryMap for community advocacy around TVIPA.
Speakers
Dr. Francine Darroch
Dr. Francine Darroch is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Sciences at Carleton University. She is an interdisciplinary researcher with expertise in qualitative health research, public health, inequities in pregnancy and physical activity, maternal health, and the intersections of racism, gender-based violence, substance abuse, trauma, and structural violence. As founder of the Health and Wellness Equity Research Group at Carleton University, Dr. Darroch leads feminist participatory action research that focuses on leveraging physical activity to improve the quality of life of self-identified women and their families. Her current work aims to address inequities in physical activity for pregnant and parenting individuals and families through trauma- and violence-informed approaches to physical activity. While Dr. Darroch’s research is predominantly focused on self-identified women and children, her work also extends to explore and advocate for gender-sensitive programming for fathers living in marginalizing circumstances. Dr. Darroch’s main overarching goal is to co-create programs and resources to increase access to physical activity, enhance social cohesion, community connections, and improve overall health by way of addressing individual, systemic, and structural barriers to health and well-being. Overall, Dr. Darroch’s multi-faceted research efforts are a reflection of her passionate commitment to social justice, health equity, and challenging power differentials in research practices as an advocate for populations that experience systemic marginalization.
Candace Roberts
Candace Roberts is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Health Sciences at Carleton University. In her community-based participatory research, she focuses on health inequities within diverse communities using a social learning and trauma-and violence-informed lens. Fuelled by her past experiences with limited opportunities for participation in physical activity, her interests are in improving equitable access to physical activity programming.
Dr Grace McKeon
Dr Grace McKeon is an Exercise Physiologist and Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Carleton University, Ottawa. Her research focuses on the role of physical activity and diet in improving health outcomes for trauma-affected populations, including refugees and survivors of gender-based violence. She has authored 45 publications and secured >$1.5M in research funding. As a translational researcher, she employs a broad range of methodologies, including co-design, qualitative, and quantitative approaches. In 2022 she received the prestigious Exercise and Sport Science Australia Medal for the best PhD thesis in the field.
Nadine Simpson
Nadine Simpson is a community member, research participant, parent of a research participant, Community Advisory Board member; Community-Based Research Assistant; and a MSc Student Researcher. Her research focuses on improving the lived experiences of equity-owed people and communities who are systematically denied full participation in life. She is specifically interested in bodies labelled disAbled and how physical activity as an intervention can increase the quality of their lives and their life expectancy. Nadine's own personal experiences with mental and physical health challenges are a driving factor in her research.
