Meet the 2023 GEEKs
OBI's GEEK (Growing Expertise in Evaluation and Knowledge Translation) program provides funding, evaluation expertise, and support to community-led programs and services for people living with brain disorders. Get to know the four community organizations awarded with GEEK funding in 2023.
Canada Games Complex - the "Keep Moving" program is group exercise classes for adults living with brain injury conditions such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson's Disease. The "Keep Moving" Program for those with Brain Disorders: Evaluation and Expansion in Northern Ontario project will be assessing how to improve, scale, and spread "Keep Moving" locally and throughout the region with the ultimate goal of creating a toolkit, based on established resources, and adapted for use at other municipal recreation centers in Northern Ontario.
Dancing with Parkinson's (DWP) - Dancing with Parkinson's delivers movement programs for people with Parkinson's disease, other mobility challenges, and the senior community to stay active and help manage symptoms they experience. Their evaluation on scaling DWP through collaborative community partnerships will support the strategic and operational evaluation of DWP's expansion, determined by community needs assessments.
Easter Seals Ontario - The Equipment Funding Program (EFP) helps families with the cost of essential mobility and accessibility equipment. The equipment items are critical for children with brain-related disorders to have greater independence, freedom, dignity, and safety. The EFP evaluation on Accessibility and Mobility Equipment for Children and Youth with Physical Disabilities aims to establish robust evidence of the impact of the EFP and will ensure Easter Seals makes informed decisions to improve program reach and effectiveness for children with physical disabilities and brain disorders.
Rare Dementia Support (RDS) Canada - RDS Canada is a virtual support community for people living with, caring for, or at risk of a rare dementia diagnosis. Delivered by a team of support workers, its Canada-wide services include advice, community, and learning. RDS Canada's evaluation on Building Rare Dementia Supports in Canada for Sustainable Delivery will explore how their multi-component support model is working in Canada and how their services are being used.