A scoping review on intimate partner violence in Canada’s immigrant communities
Date: September 3, 2018 Author(s): Philomina Okeke-Ihejirika, Sophie Yohani, Janine Muster, Alphonse Ndem, Thane Chambers, Virginia Pow This paper presents a scoping review of existing research on intimate partner violence (IPV) within immigrant communities in Canada. Drawing on 30 studies published over two decades, the authors examine how immigrant women experience, interpret, and respond to […]
Barriers in accessing intimate partner violence services
Date: March 25, 2025 Author(s): Tatiana Sanhueza-Morales, Sonia Michaelsen, Nassera Touati, Lourdes Rodriguez del Barrio This paper examines the barriers immigrant and minority ethnic women face when accessing intimate partner violence (IPV) services in a marginalized, multicultural neighbourhood in Montreal, Canada. Using both survivor and community worker perspectives, the study highlights how systemic, organizational, and […]
Project glossary
The HEAL glossary is a practical resource for service providers and researchers working with newcomer survivors of gender-based and domestic violence. It provides accessible and culturally responsive definitions of key terms including implementation research, expressive arts therapy, mental health, and trauma-informed care in contexts where expressive arts support healing. This glossary is designed to foster […]
Community-based research toolkit
The Community-Based Research Toolkit offers tools, templates and resources. This toolkit is for individuals and organizations using community-based research (CBR) principles. It provides best practices to support project planning, partnership building, peer researcher engagement, and participatory research implementation. Special feature: Includes over 70 tools and ready-to-use templates, steps for the full-cycle of your project, effective activities […]
Everyone can do research handbook
The Everyone Can Do Research handbook training his plain-language research toolkit makes research accessible and inclusive for non-academics and marginalized communities by providing step-by-step guidance grounded in community-based research principles and nearly a decade of CBR experience. Special feature: Uses icons to help you navigate the handbook, useable worksheets, and planning documents to get you started. […]
Knowledge to action handbook
This Knowledge to action handbook showcases creative and collaborative ways of to put knowledge into action through film. It offers clear definitions, practical tools, and helpful tips for sharing research using participatory filmmaking, drawing on lessons from the Knowledge to Action Initiative. This handbook can be adapted to your community of focus. Special feature: Best practices when […]
Peer research training handbook
The Peer Research Training Handbook is adapted from the Peer Training manual for the project titled “Impact of Family Loss and Separation on Refugee Youth: Implications for Policy and Programs” funded by the Children and Youth Refugee Research Coalition (CYRRC). The handbook was developed to train internationally educated and trained researchers, young and emerging researchers, […]
Evaluating arts-based programs
Evaluation is crucial to understanding the efficacy of an intervention. The HEAL Project adopted many mixed method evaluation approaches to measure the change in behaviours, knowledge, and attitudes of participants who completed the program. The evaluation methods focused on relationship-centered and trauma-informed approach that prioritizes dignity, choice, emotional safety, and cultural meaning. Read more about […]
Findings and impact
The HEAL Project demonstrates that trauma-informed, culturally responsive expressive arts interventions can meaningfully support the healing and well-being of newcomer survivors of domestic and family violence. The evaluation used a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative insights from participants, peer facilitators, and community partners with quantitative measures of program outcomes. This approach provided a comprehensive insight of […]
Healing arts for newcomer well-being event
On November 12, 2025, Access Alliance hosted Healing Arts for Newcomer Family Well-being at the Toronto Reference Library. Attendees were welcomed into a space filled with warmth and colour. It was an energetic, inspiring evening, bringing together community members, and professionals from the arts, mental health, healthcare, and settlement sectors. This event marked the culmination […]