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4. Partnerships help meet needs, create services and promote exchange of expertise.
Given some of the gaps identified and the benefits of partnerships, with support, partnerships would help mainstream organizations increase their cultural competency and Aboriginal services increase their mainstream mental health knowledge.
Partnerships strengthened relationships between organizations, between Aboriginal and non-aboriginal programs, and promoted sharing expertise across services.
Participants readily identified successful partnerships between multiple settings and sectors and the benefits such as “Nipissing mental health and housing services, want to work together, foster communication, resolutions protocols” and “between the Friendship Centre and the hospital...which makes programs more accessible.”
Partnerships need support and more are wanted because of the service, learning and problem-solving benefits.
Some participants focused on what would facilitate and help maintain partnerships: “having a dedicated position at the Friendship Centre” and “communities should partner with local community health centres, family health teams to promote service for Aboriginal People.” Others identified barriers: one participant spoke about a funder rule that excluded representation by organizations not funded by the same funder. In this case it meant Aboriginal representation was excluded.
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