About the Project
Design, Implement, Scale
Our proposed “connecting to nature” intervention seeks to nurture a love of the outdoors, gardening, and hiking among new immigrant families and optimize healthy active living to prevent obesity and type 2 diabetes. The behavioural risk factors we will target on the pathway to development of type 2 diabetes include unhealthy eating and physical inactivity. These two health behaviours contribute to establishing and sustaining considerable risk for chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes, a significant contributor to cardiovascular disease. Interventions that positively impact these health behaviours in children and young adults have the potential to reduce negative outcomes across the life span. The dietary and physical activity adaptations among new immigrants to Canada especially among those in low-income settings often have a predictable maladaptive pattern. The development of this intervention consider: the built environment, social and cultural norms as well as individual and family level determinants of new immigrant families.

SCORE! aims to weave together theory-based approaches, evidence-informed practice, and lived experiences to co-design a relevant and accessible population-based intervention:
- Use photovoice, an empowering visually-oriented methodology, to understand the barriers and facilitators to healthy active living experienced by newcomer families
- Collaborate with local schools on a “Gallery Walk” workshop to learn about youth perspectives on outdoor/indoor activities, what activities they would like to do more often, preferred spaces/places, and ways these could be achieved
- Create an interactive “Systems Map” of Hamilton-based programs, spaces, and places which offer health and wellness programs for children 5-11 years of age
- Conduct evidence reviews of nature-based interventions, and other Healthy Active Living interventions among new immigrant communities in High Income Countries
- Develop and pilot test the components of a family network-based intervention aiming to impact Healthy Active Living behaviours.
Using a health equity lens, to develop and implement a program through which children of newcomer families grow, thrive, and reach optimal health.
3 Phases to this Project:
Design (Phase 1): 2 years to engage and understand community needs and potential solutions to the challenges experienced
- Part of this is learning and characterizing family priorities, barriers faced, what has worked well in the past, and potential new solutions. Part of it is pilot testing and evaluating some of the proposed solutions.
Implement (Phase 2): All of the information from Phase 1 will be used to implement and formally evaluate the intervention which has the greatest chance of success
Scale: (Phase 3): Develop and Implement the SCORE! Toolkit for different contexts, cities and towns across Canada with a high proportion of newcomer families


SCORE! Is a project where Health Equity meets Public Health and endeavours to discover effective strategies that can enable Newcomer families when they arrive in Canada to optimize the health trajectories of their children. This includes all aspects of Healthy Active Living in order to prevent early onset chronic disease risk factors such as overweight and type 2 diabetes for example, while promoting optimal mental health and well-being, community integration, and success at school.

About the Riverdale Community
Below find further information about the people and landscape that make up the Riverdale community.
Where is Riverdale?
Riverdale is a small neighbourhood in East Hamilton, right next to the border between Stoney Creek and the original Hamilton, Riverdale West is home to a vibrant mix of residents from around the world. 51% of the popular on is foreign-born and the percentage of recent immigrants (arriving in Canada between 2001 and 2006) is 16% in Riverdale West compared to 3.3% for Hamilton as a whole. In fact, 7% of Hamilton’s recent immigrants live in Riverdale West (in contrast, Riverdale West has only 1% of the city’s overall population).





What are Riverdale’s Demographics?
Many residents of Riverdale experience the challenges that often come with immigrating to a new country. These may include adapting to a new culture, precarious employment, little extra time to engage with wellness programs/spaces, financial barriers, housing, accessing welcoming and inclusive spaces.

What is in Riverdale?
Riverdale is home to key locations such as the Lake Avenue Elementary School, St. Agnes Catholic School, high schools, Dominic Agostino Community Centre, the Hamilton Community Garden Network, Green Venture programming, many organizations committed to improving newcomer experiences, and outdoor greenspaces.

Project Team
Information Box Group
Sonia Anand
Canada Research Chair in Ethnic Diversity and Cardiovascular DiseaseHeart and Stroke Foundation / Michael G. DeGroote Chair in Population Health Research

Sonia Anand
Canada Research Chair in Ethnic Diversity and Cardiovascular DiseaseHeart and Stroke Foundation / Michael G. DeGroote Chair in Population Health Research
Shrikant Bangdiwala
Professor, HEI

Shrikant Bangdiwala
Professor, HEI
Andrea Baumann
Associate Vice-President, Global Health

Andrea Baumann
Associate Vice-President, Global Health
Jeffrey Brook
Assistant Professor, University of Toronto

Jeffrey Brook
Assistant Professor, University of Toronto
Mary Crea-Arsenio
Senior Research Analyst, Global Health Office
Mary Crea-Arsenio
Senior Research Analyst, Global Health Office
Russell De Souza
Associate Professor, HEI

Russell De Souza
Associate Professor, HEI
Dipika Desai
PhD Candidate, HRM Program, McMaster University

Dipika Desai
PhD Candidate, HRM Program, McMaster University
Deborah Diliberto
Assistant Professor, Medicine

Deborah Diliberto
Assistant Professor, Medicine
Kathy Georgiades
Associate Professor, Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences

Kathy Georgiades
Associate Professor, Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences
Fatimah Jackson-Best
Assistant Professor, HEI & Department of Medicine

Fatimah Jackson-Best
Assistant Professor, HEI & Department of Medicine
Sujane Kandasamy
Postdoctoral Researcher, Brock University

Sujane Kandasamy
Postdoctoral Researcher, Brock University
Matt Kwan
Assistant Professor, Brock University

Matt Kwan
Assistant Professor, Brock University
Patricia Montague
Project Manager, SCORE!
Patricia Montague
Project Manager, SCORE!
Diana Sherifali
Associate Professor, School of Nursing

Diana Sherifali
Associate Professor, School of Nursing
Gita Wahi
Associate Professor, Pediatrics

Gita Wahi
Associate Professor, Pediatrics
Sonia Anand
Canada Research Chair in Ethnic Diversity and Cardiovascular DiseaseHeart and Stroke Foundation / Michael G. DeGroote Chair in Population Health Research
Sonia Anand
Canada Research Chair in Ethnic Diversity and Cardiovascular DiseaseHeart and Stroke Foundation / Michael G. DeGroote Chair in Population Health Research
Shrikant Bangdiwala
Professor, HEI
Shrikant Bangdiwala
Professor, HEI
Andrea Baumann
Associate Vice-President, Global Health
Andrea Baumann
Associate Vice-President, Global Health
Jeffrey Brook
Assistant Professor, University of Toronto
Jeffrey Brook
Assistant Professor, University of Toronto
Mary Crea-Arsenio
Senior Research Analyst, Global Health Office
Mary Crea-Arsenio
Senior Research Analyst, Global Health Office
Russell De Souza
Associate Professor, HEI
Russell De Souza
Associate Professor, HEI
Dipika Desai
PhD Candidate, HRM Program, McMaster University
Dipika Desai
PhD Candidate, HRM Program, McMaster University
Deborah Diliberto
Assistant Professor, Medicine
Deborah Diliberto
Assistant Professor, Medicine
Kathy Georgiades
Associate Professor, Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences
Kathy Georgiades
Associate Professor, Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences
Fatimah Jackson-Best
Assistant Professor, HEI & Department of Medicine
Fatimah Jackson-Best
Assistant Professor, HEI & Department of Medicine
Sujane Kandasamy
Postdoctoral Researcher, Brock University
Sujane Kandasamy
Postdoctoral Researcher, Brock University
Matt Kwan
Assistant Professor, Brock University
Matt Kwan
Assistant Professor, Brock University
Patricia Montague
Project Manager, SCORE!
Patricia Montague
Project Manager, SCORE!
Diana Sherifali
Associate Professor, School of Nursing
Diana Sherifali
Associate Professor, School of Nursing
Gita Wahi
Associate Professor, Pediatrics
Gita Wahi
Associate Professor, Pediatrics
Partners
Below is a list of community partners involved in SCORE!
Information Box Group
Information Box Group
Information Box Group
Information Box Group
Information Box Group

Jeff Zwolak, Principal, Lake Avenue School
Get Involved
Below find further information on how you can get involved in SCORE!
CURRENTLY HIRING: Post-Doctoral Fellowship for SCORE!
Expandable List
Further information coming soon.
Further information coming soon.
Further information coming soon.
Contact Us
Below you can reach the project team via email or you can also visit us on social media via Instagram and Facebook.