Atlantic Policy Forum 2024

The Enduring Spirit of Collaboration – Celebrating 20 years with ASI!

ASI was built on a dream to develop a health promotion leadership institute/summer school in Atlantic Canada that would build the capacity of civil society to address the determinants of health in partnership with governments, private sector and academia.

From the first brainstorming to an unsolicited proposal submitted to Health Canada Atlantic Region for seed money, collaboration has been part of our soul. The initial Advisory Committee was composed of individuals across Atlantic Canada who were committed to addressing determinants of health and root causes of crime as a means of promoting more inclusive, sustainable communities. Additional funds were provided by committee members to write a proposal to National Crime Prevention Strategy as to host the summer event. This seemed logical as at that time crime prevention through social development was aligned with health promotion. From this collaboration of health promotion, crime prevention, injury prevention and social development emerged our title – The Atlantic Summer Institute on Healthy and Safe Communities.

Our desire to bring all sectors into the discussion and create a shared agenda resulted in the first summer institute – ‘Meeting of the Minds’. The response was so enthusiastic that subsequent institutes were held to address the demographics of the region. For example: 2005 Embracing Diversity – Building Community; 2006 Innovation and Collaboration – Building Resilient Communities; 2007 Strengthening Communities Across Generations.

Building an organization with soul – one based on values and capturing the passion of social justice required a ‘Body and Soul Committee’ to explore a sustainable structure. A key concern was that if we incorporated, we would become too corporate and lose our soul. Thus, our mission was created with great care and ASI incorporated in 2008.

Mission: “To be a world-class institute in Atlantic Canada, that is a focal point for learning, training, inter-sectoral collaboration, a facilitator of research, promoter of healthy and sustainable policies, and a catalyst for social justice and equity in the areas of health promotion, social development, community safety and crime prevention as a means to building sustainable, inclusive communities.”

Since its inception ASI had a goal of developing a shared agenda to build intersectoral practice through expanding the diversity of the ASI Board of Directors and offering key events. And now 20 years of collaboration will be celebrated along with the enduring spirit of its creation.
ASI 2024 will reflect on the accomplishments and impact of ASI over the past 20 years and inspire a vision for continuing collaboration going forward.

Host or Publisher Atlantic Summer Institute on Healthy and Safe Communities/l’Institut d’été sur les collectivités sûres et en sécurité au Canada atlantique