GPCSO Case Study

The Initiative: “Building the Foundation” Workshop

Background

GPCSO provides specialized mental health services to older adults in Ottawa, serving diverse communities, including Francophones, Arabic speakers, African, Caribbean, and Black communities, and a broad Asian population. Recognizing EDI as a strategic priority, GPCSO sought a structured, sustainable approach to embedding equity into its practices.

Having previously worked with Connect2Knowledge on strategic planning, GPCSO engaged them again to move beyond theory into practical implementation. This led to the development of Building the Foundation: Integrating Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at GPCSO, a comprehensive training program and full-day workshop delivered in February 2025.

Executive Summary

In February 2025, Connect2Knowledge partnered with Geriatric Psychiatry Community Services Ottawa (GPCSO) to complete comprehensive all-staff Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) training. We equipped GPCSO staff with practical skills to help them better serve Ottawa’s diverse population of older adults with complex mental health symptoms and dementia. This case study documents GPCSO’s journey.

Challenges

  • Effective Communication Strategies
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  • Collaborative Problem-Solving
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  • Confidence in Gathering Socio-Demographic Data

Key Outcomes

  • Role Clarity and Confidence - Staff gained a clear understanding of their role in advancing EDI at GPCSO.
  • Practical EDI Skills – Participants developed tangible skills to recognize and address implicit bias, ensuring more inclusive decision-making.
  • Stronger, More Inclusive Teams – The workshop fostered trust and shared ownership, embedding EDI into team dynamics rather than treating it as an add-on.
  • Equitable Client Engagement – Employees gained concrete strategies for collecting and communicating sociodemographic data in a way that builds trust and respects diverse lived experiences.
“It was a great opportunity to learn, reflect, and plan for ways to become a more inclusive workplace and community program. The various exercises and discussions were rich and helped to lay out a more solid foundation to move forward with.” - A GPCSO Participant

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