Over the last 6 months, Calgary Shapers’ Healthy Cities pillar supported 19 to Zero - a coalition of academics, public health experts, and behavioral economists - to understand, engage with and shift public perceptions around COVID-19 vaccination. Healthy Cities partnered with the Community Outreach team of 19 to Zero, organizing community town halls to combat misinformation and address members’ questions around vaccination.
The Community Outreach team connected with 500+ organizations across Canada and coordinated 50+ town halls for diverse organizations including NGOs serving vulnerable communities, rural and urban municipalities, community associations, school districts, faith groups, businesses, and immigrant groups. Through close collaboration with community organizations, we identified organization-specific needs and delivered targeted COVID-19 and vaccine education in collaboration with partner health experts.
Through these town halls, we gained insight into unique vaccination concerns held by different groups as well as strategies to share accurate information, with empathy and respect. As Alberta continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, 19 to Zero’s aim of uniting diverse stakeholders to promote good health outcomes is increasingly important.
Check out 19 to Zero’s website here to learn more about the organization or to request community outreach resources.