The North Toronto Vaccine Initiative (NTVI) is funded by Public Health Agency of Canada. Project aims to improve vaccine adoption by the racialized population in northwest Toronto, and in particular among Black residents. NTVI will reflect the broad diversity of these communities through the individuals and groups involved in the development of the programs, and the ambassadors who support our communications and outreach.
NTVI’s goals and objectives are to build a capacity for evidence-based vaccination communication and provide community-based COVID-19 education.
NTVI intends to achieve these goals through various activities including:
Establishing a steering committee that includes community members, partner agencies and two CHCs to oversee the project and its deliverables.
- Developing standardized data collection tools, evaluation methodology and project performance metrics.
- Leveraging existing relationships and building new ones with local faith/spiritual leaders, community leaders, youth groups and other health partners to hold vaccine information sessions.
- Working with racially diverse clinicians who reflect our priority audiences, including the Black Scientists Task Force and This is Our Shot, as well as clinicians from the Brampton/Etobicoke Ontario Health Team (OHT) and Northwest Toronto OHT to help identify, develop, and disseminate culturally relevant information about vaccine safety and efficacy.
- Training community ambassadors from racialized backgrounds.
- Hosting vaccine webinars and education sessions for health care providers led by Black Creek and Rexdale CHC clinical staff to enhance the providers’ capacity as vaccine promoters.
- Building an online portal for health care providers and community members to find and download culturally appropriate COVID-19 vaccine information.
