Our Community Engagement Network plays an important role in ensuring that the voices, experiences, and priorities of communities help guide CanScreen T1D’s research. Network members provide guidance, support, and mentorship to project teams, helping foster a community-led approach across all of our research activities. By working closely with researchers throughout the research process, members share feedback, insights, and lived experiences that help shape study design, participant resources, knowledge-sharing activities, and future initiatives.
At CanScreen T1D, we believe that meaningful research begins with meaningful relationships. For us, strong community engagement means creating opportunities for researchers and community members to learn from one another, collaborate as partners, and ensure that research reflects the needs, concerns, and perspectives of the people it is intended to serve. When communities are actively involved, research becomes more relevant, accessible, and impactful for children and families.
The Community Engagement Network brings together a diverse group of individuals from across Canada, including people living with or touched by type 1 diabetes, parents and caregivers, healthcare professionals, community advocates, members of patient and family organizations, Indigenous Peoples, and individuals without a personal connection to type 1 diabetes who are passionate about improving child health. We value the unique perspectives that each member brings and believe that diversity of experience strengthens both our research and its impact.
Most importantly, the Network helps ensure that families remain at the heart of everything we do. Together, we are building research that is informed by community voices, grounded in lived experience, and focused on creating a better future for children and families across Canada.
