Developing and implementing improved partnership tools, practices and training to support reduction in chronic disease in Canada through the Multi-sectoral Partnerships to Promote Healthy Living and Prevent Chronic Disease Program

It has been globally recognized that prevention of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease, can be achieved by decreasing the levels of common risk factors, such as physical inactivity and/or sedentary behaviour, unhealthy eating and smoking. However, achieving reductions in these common risk factors cannot be achieved by any one sector – multi-sectoral partnerships are therefore critical. 

Since 2013, the Agency has been implementing a transfer payment program aimed at reducing chronic disease in Canada through multi-sectoral partnerships (MSP) (additional details about the MSP program can be found at: www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/funding-opportunities/multi-sectoral-partnerships-promote-healthy-living-prevent-chronic-disease.html). Through this partnership-based program the Agency has invested $73M and leveraged over $57M in non-governmental funding to support 36 projects, each with its own unique set of interventions, resources and partners.

It is increasingly clear that effective partnerships between different sectors require patience and persistence while the key players learn more about each other and how best to work together to optimize collaboration and minimize conflict. A specialized skill set is required for these partnership arrangements to realize their potential – one that combines relationship-building competencies with the capacity to shape the partnership and push the collaboration towards specific and measurable results.

Experience in delivering the MSP program has highlighted the benefits of partnerships as well as a number of opportunities to strengthen partnership practices for the purpose of increasing the impact of funded projects on reducing chronic disease in Canada. Opportunities to enhance impact include developing knowledge and skills in partnership brokering (internally and externally); identifying tools and approaches to strengthen partnership effectiveness and to assess partnership risk; and developing a consistent, systematic approach to capturing and sharing partnership learnings including the enablers and barriers.

The Partnership Brokers Association

The Partnership Brokers Association (PBA) has been at the forefront of this movement and building on 12 years of work in the field, has been identified as a leader with the unique skill set required to support others in developing the capacity to effectively broker partnerships and embed partnership practices that can ultimately lead to greater program outcomes.

The PBA is an international non-profit organization that has worked with all sectors (business, government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and international agencies) and has a specialized knowledge and understanding of brokering in the context of public-private partnerships. Their signature Partnership Brokers Training is designed to deepen the understanding of multi-stakeholder partnership frameworks, models, tools and principles so that participants can work creatively and consistently across traditional boundaries using enhanced brokering strategies. Training participants develop confidence, knowledge and skills in brokering and co-creation that can ensure effective, sustainable and innovative partnerships.

It is with this understanding that the Agency seeks to engage a lead Associate of the global PBA with accreditation as a Partnership Broker.