Target Audience & Estimated Reading Time: HPA-OHT member organization leaders | 5 minutes
Why it Matters
To help our region better understand and respond to the social and structural factors that influence health outcomes, the Huron Perth & Area Ontario Health Team (HPA‑OHT) is establishing a Health Equity Working Group (HEWG). The HEWG will provide a space for individuals to collaboratively work to better understand health equity locally, identify opportunities for improvement, and build and strengthen partnerships across sectors to ensure all community members have the opportunity to achieve their best health. The group’s work will focus on both external determinants of health equity, including social determinants of health such as race, gender, and sexual orientation, and internal determinants, including organizational policies, practices, and norms.
HPA-OHT is seeking engaged, collaborative, and equity-focused individuals to support the advancement of health equity across Huron Perth & Area. If you are interested in contributing your expertise, lived experience, or system-level insight—and in helping to drive meaningful, community-centred change—we invite you to submit an Expression of Interest.
Dig Deeper
We are looking for members with various backgrounds and experiences, including, but not limited to, a mix of the following skills and attributes:
- Health Equity Knowledge and Analytical Skills:
- Knowledge of health equity principles, including social and structural determinants of health,
- Experience developing or applying equity-focused frameworks or tools
- Ability to interpret and analyze equity-related data
- Familiarity with disaggregated data collection and use, including ethical considerations
- Partnership-Building and Collaboration:
- Strong relationship-building abilities, especially across sectors
- Experience collaborating with community organizations, health providers, and system partners
- Strong communications skills
- Systems-Thinking Orientation and Advisory Capacity:
- Ability to apply systems‑thinking to identify interdependencies and leverage points across health, social, and community systems
- Experience contributing to or guiding system‑level change initiatives, including quality improvement or transformation efforts
- Ability to translate health equity insights into actionable recommendations
- Community-Centred and Lived Experience Perspectives:
- First-hand experience navigating inequities (as a patient, caregiver, or community member)
- Experience engaging with marginalized or priority populations
- Openness to sharing personal experiences when appropriate
HEWG members will be selected by the HPA-OHT Secretariat. To ensure that the HEWG is composed of individuals who can contribute to its work, the following criteria will be used for selection:
- Geographical Representation:
- Proportional/adequate representation for various areas within the Huron Perth & Area region.
- Sectoral Representation:
- Proportional/adequate representation of the various HPA-OHT sectors, including, but not limited to:
- Community Support Services;
- Primary Care;
- Home Care;
- Hospital;
- Long-Term Care Homes;
- Mental Health and Addiction Agencies;
- Clinician(s); Physician Champion(s); Physician Advisor(s);
- Patient/Family/Caregiver Representative(s);
- Advisor/Expert.
- Proportional/adequate representation of the various HPA-OHT sectors, including, but not limited to:
- Expertise and Experience:
- Demonstrated expertise or experience in health equity, including both lived and working experience. Candidates must demonstrate a strong understanding of health equity knowledge and, ideally, experience utilizing health equity frameworks and tools.
- Collaborative Spirit:
- Given the collaborative nature of the work, candidates must demonstrate the ability to work collaboratively with a diverse group of professionals. Candidates must be able to engage with others, share knowledge, and contribute to the collective goals of the group.
Next Steps
Time Commitment
HEWG Meetings & Preparation
- The HEWG will meet approximately every three months, excluding July and August, or as required for Huron Perth & Area Ontario Health Team (HPA-OHT) work.
- Pre-read meeting packages will be distributed at least 7 days in advance of meetings to allow for review and preparation.
- HEWG members will be required to conduct research, data analysis, and assessments of their organization’s own work from time to time.
Expressions of Interest
If you are interested in being a member of the HEWG, please complete the following expression of interest form. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.
If you have any questions about this opportunity, please contact oht@hpaoht.ca for more information.