Communities of Practice

A community of practice (CoP) is a group of people who share a common concern, a set of problems, or an interest in a topic and who come together to fulfill both individual and group goals. 

Communities of practice often focus on sharing best practices and creating new knowledge to advance a domain of professional practice. Interaction on an ongoing basis is an important part of this.  

Learn more and connect with the communities of practice listed below.

The Black Gay Men’s Network of Ontario is a centralized hub for same-gender-loving men of African, African diaspora, Afro-Latino, Caribbean and Black identities, operating from Toronto as an independent and autonomous entity. Our goal is to provide cultural, intergenerational and mentorship opportunities, leadership, self-development and empowerment as well as activism support aimed at improving the lives of Black queer people in Ontario.

Find more information at Black Gay Men’s Network of Ontario

The goal of HIV in Motion is to advance physical activity rehabilitation interventions for people living with HIV. The HIV in Motion Community of Practice (CoP) provides a dynamic space for stakeholders to learn, exchange ideas, promote dissemination in academic and community ways, promote uptake and evaluation of learning and results about movement, physical activity, and exercise for persons living with HIV among, and with, people living with HIV.

Find more information at HIV in Motion

HIV Resources Ontario (HRO) is a collaborative of resource programs and organizations whose primary focus is to build the capacity of the HIV sector in Ontario, as mandated by the AIDS and Hepatitis C Programs of the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care.

Membership Criteria: If you’re an interested ASO, please don’t hesitate to review our list of network partners and reach out to any organization you feel might suit your needs.

Find more information at HIV Resources Ontario

The Ontario HIV Clinic Network (OCN) is a coalition of Ontario HIV clinics.  The OCN formed out of clinics’ desire to collaborate with one another to ensure high-quality and sustained care for people with HIV in Ontario. 

Membership Criteria: The OCN aims to engage clinics whose patients are representative of Ontario’s HIV key populations. Member clinics should also serve a significant proportion of patients who are living with HIV. Clinics designate staff to represent them at OCN meetings. Representatives can include clinic coordinators and directors, and other designated clinic staff such as nurses, dietitians, social workers and physicians.

Find more information at The Ontario HIV Clinic Network.

The Ontario HIV Professional Specialty Group was established in 1996, and is comprised of pharmacists from any practice site (including community, ambulatory, hospital, long-term care) who have an interest in the field of HIV/AIDS Pharmaceutical Care. It is the goal of the Ontario HIV Professional Specialty Group to provide a network for pharmacists to share information, gain expertise, and develop and coordinate projects related to the field of HIV/AIDS Pharmaceutical Care in Ontario.

The Women-Centred HIV Care (WCHC) Hub is a collaborative, virtual network of people living with HIV as well as researchers, healthcare providers, community-based organizations, and other health advocates working to optimize the health of women and gender diverse people living with HIV in Canada. The WCHC Hub aims to create a formalized network that will connect women nationally to improve and expand our ability to respond to the unique needs of women and gender diverse people with HIV and other sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBIs).
Women and gender diverse people are not only more biologically susceptible to HIV but are also disproportionately affected by social factors such as poverty, violence, marginalization, and gender inequality. The WCHC Hub recognizes the challenges facing these populations, as well as the complexity of the factors involved, and acts to close these gaps in HIV care.
The WCHC Hub is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) as one of the National Women’s Health Research Initiative’s (NWHRI) Women’s Health Hubs. We collaborate with a number of organizational bodies to promote the uptake of the WCHC model and to unify efforts in addressing the needs of women and gender diverse people living with HIV.

Find more information at The Women-Centred HIV Care Hub