- DRUM & SASH had a kick-off meeting in Edmonton in June 2018. Community leaders from the DRUM 1 project presented on their experience with the project. The project’s Elders’ Advisory Circle met for the first time. Dr. John Kim from the Public Health Agency of Canada provided training on dried blood spot testing for HIV.
- The project also hired graduate student Danielle Atkinson (Métis) as a research assistant and PhD graduate, Rachel Landy as a postdoctoral researcher, Kandace Ogilvie (Métis) as the Métis DRUM & SASH Coordinator and Alana Wahpooseywan (First Nation) as the Stoney Nation’s Coordinator.
- Communities met in April 2019 to receive community readiness training. Communities are completing community readiness assessments on HIV in their home communities, with support from the DRUM & SASH Project
- In May 2019 the DRUM & SASH Project partnered with the Canadian Public Health Association to provide a Stigma Train-the-Trainer Workshop in Edmonton. This provided members with training to be able to provide their own workshops on stigma.
Project team members are receiving additional online training through CATIE on HIV 101 and Hepatitis C. - Community members from Driftpile presented on their work with the DRUM & SASH project at the Canadian Association for HIV Research 2019 Annual Conference in Saskatoon.
- DRUM & SASH is working with the Métis Nation of Alberta (MNA) through Shining Mountains Living Community Services to develop a Métis-specific cultural response to HIV and STBBIs.
- Working with communities, organizations and governments to identify overlaps, gaps and opportunities to partner.