Project Partners and Stakeholders

In order to do this work, Pauktuutit is heavily reliant on partnerships with all kinds of people, organizations and governmental departments.

The term partnership is often used very loosely to describe a relationship between two organizations. This year, Pauktuutit wanted to undertake an assessment of what constituted those relationships that we were calling partnerships. The purpose of this exercise is to establish an understanding of the quantity and quality of partnerships so that these may be tracked over coming years. With the guidance of the Evaluation Consultant, three main criteria were developed. A partnership may involve one or more of the following:

• Organizations have joint involvement in an activity
• Organizations work toward a common purpose or shared mission
• Both/all organizations have committed resources (personnel, financial, etc.)
• Organizations share responsibility for success

Financial

Partnerships may be categorized according to the type of relationship that exists. For example, there are partnerships for which the foundation is primarily financial. For the sexual health, HIV and hepatitis C program at Pauktuutit, these organizations/agencies currently are:

• Non-Reserve HIV/AIDS Fund, Public Health Agency of Canada
• First Nations Inuit Health Branch
• Northern Secretariat

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Political/Advocacy

Pauktuutit has also developed partnerships that are political and/or rooted in broader advocacy work, where a group of organizations are working toward a common purpose. Examples of such partnerships for the sexual health, HIV and hepatitis C program at Pauktuutit include involvement as members in:

• Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network (CAAN)
• National Aboriginal Council on HIV/AIDS (NACHA)
• Blueprint for Action on Women and HIV in Canada

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Northern

In the North, there are limited organizations with whom Pauktuutit may establish formal partnerships, particularly with this type of work, because sexual health and/or HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C prevention often falls outside an organization’s mandate or an individual’s job description. Pauktuutit is heavily reliant upon individuals who are interested and motivated around this issue to actually deliver awareness intervention at the regional and/or community level.

Where possible, Pauktuutit establishes partnerships with organizations/agencies but often our partnerships are with individuals. The following lists include Northern organizations/agencies on which Pauktuutit relies to ensure that information and resources reach community members.

Labrador

• Department of Health and Social Services Nunatsiavut Government
• HIV/AIDS Labrador Project (Labrador Friendship Centre)
• College of the North Atlantic – Integrated Nursing Access Program
• Community Health Centres/Nursing Stations

Inuvialuit

• Inuvialuit Regional Corporation
• Inuvik Regional Health and Social Services
• Northwest Territories Health and Social Services
• Community Health Centres/Nursing Stations

Nunavut

• Arctic Colleges/Adult Learning Centres
• Department of Health and Social Services, Nunavut
• Qikiqtani Inuit Association
• Kitikmeot Inuit Association
• Kivalliq Inuit Association
• Nunavut Tunngavik Inuit
• Nunavut Youth Consulting
• Baffin Correctional Centre
• YEAH North
• Community Health Centres/Nursing Stations

Nunavik

• Ungava Tulattavik Health Centre

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Southern

It is necessary for Pauktuutit to nurture relationships and build partnerships with urban Inuit organizations in order to reach Inuit living in or passing through urban centres. Such organizations in the Ottawa area include:

• Tungasuvingat Inuit
• Nunavut Sivuniksavut
• Wabano Centre
• NAHO Ajunnginiq Centre

From time to time, Pauktuutit is contacted by non-Inuit organizations about collaborating on work in the North. In these instances, Pauktuutit is able to provide two important functions. First, we assume the role of liaison between the organization and partners in the Northern region. Second, Pauktuutit’s involvement ensures cultural relevance and appropriateness for the target community. Where capacity is so limited in the North, where there are currently limited dedicated resources for sexual health and in the absence of AIDS Service Organizations, we need all the help we can get to increase capacity and draw attention to this important issue in an effort to prevent an HIV & Hepatitis C infection crisis in Inuit communities. Examples of specific non-Inuit organizations with whom Pauktuutit has developed partnerships include:

• Canadian AIDS Society (CAS) – AIDS Walks
• Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange – Building Our Understanding Program & Capacity Building Project in Iqaluit
• Planned Parenthood Federation of Canada – Sexual Health Awareness Campaign & Sexual Health Workshop for Community Health Representatives in Nunavut
• Native Friendship Centre of Montreal

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