CCBR partnered with the McMaster Collaborative for Health and Aging (McMaster University), Thrive Group Centre of Excellence in Healthcare Innovation, and older adult partners on several initiatives to support academic-organizational partnership development in the health and aging sector.

The purpose of this project was to develop and conduct action-oriented, user-driven, participatory research on how to reduce social isolation for parents and caregivers who stay at home with their children and for isolated seniors.

CCBR was an Evaluation Specialist for OBI’s Evaluation Support Program created to build a culture of evaluative thinking that strives to produce continual evidence-based improvements among participating community organizations. CCBR’s evaluation activities included the facilitation of three workshops and evaluation planning/support for the Alzheimer Society of Ontario.

The project included development and delivery of a two-day research training workshop for 15 older adults as community researchers. The community researchers were hired to evaluate CMHA’s “Living Life to the Full” project.

CCBR was asked to provide ‘snapshots’ of systemic barriers that diverse communities face in accessing Region of Waterloo's services and programs. Interviews were done with individuals representing nine diverse groups: immigrants and refugees, LGBT folks (lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, and transgender), people living with disabilities, Indigenous people, people living in poverty, rural residents, seniors, youth, and women.

CCBR worked with the First United Church in Waterloo to evaluate their senior’s outreach nutrition program. The program aimed to improve knowledge around healthy eating and meal preparation, social support, and independent living for seniors in a church community. Activities included a community kitchen and a lunch buddies program.