Exit THCU Workplace site and return to THCU home >> About THCU's Workplace Health Project
What Is The Health Communication Unit?
The Health Communication Unit (THCU) at the Centre
for Health Promotion,
University of Toronto (U of T), is one of 27 members of the Ontario
Health Promotion Resource System funded by the Ontario Ministry of
Health Promotion. Begun in 1993, we were developed to provide
training and support in health communication. In 1997/98, our mandate
was expanded to include health promotion planning, evaluation, and
policy change. In 2000, it was again expanded to include sustainability.
About The Comprehensive Workplace Health Promotion (CWHP) Project
The purpose of The Workplace Project is to contribute to, support and otherwise improve workplace health promotion activities that assist adults in Ontario workplaces in leading healthy lives, through the provision of services and materials to intermediaries. The Workplace Project is designed to increase the capacity of intermediaries to influence and guide those within workplaces who make decisions about what activities and services are provided to employees.
In the first year of the project’s inception, THCU conducted over 12 months of extensive research, in collaboration with a wide variety of stakeholders and proceeded to build the CWHP project. We are now moving into our ninth year of delivering a variety of services, supports and resources on workplace health to intermediaries throughout Ontario.
Goals of the CWHP Project:
In general THCU's goal is to increase the capacity of community and public health agencies to plan for, conduct and evaluate a wide range of health promotion programs (within a comprehensive and population-based approach).
The Workplace Project continues to gain funding and support from the Ministry of Health Promotion through the Stroke Strategy to:
- Gain a thorough understanding of the capacities and required supports of Ontario workplace health promotion intermediaries;
- Provide recommendations on how to increase the capacity of health promotion practitioners to influence and guide those within workplaces regarding health promotion efforts; and
- Provide recommendations about workplace health promotion gaps and opportunities in Ontario – that the Ontario Health Promotion Resource system is not currently positioned to address.
Current Activities:
The Workplace Project continues to gain funding and support from the Ministry of Health Promotion through the Stroke Strategy.
In 2007, THCU supported the beginning stages of the Ontario Healthy Workplace Coalition’s development and in partnership hosted the ‘Ontario Healthy Workplace Coalition: Taking the First Steps Together” March Symposium. As well, two new on-line and hard copy resources were developed, the Situational Assessment Catalogue and the Well-Regarded Intervention Catalogue. The on-line Virtual Community was also launched.
In 2008, THCU continued to support the development of the Ontario Healthy Workplace Coalition as OHWC Secretariat. The annual March Symposium continued in partnership with the OHWC. This year’s topic was “Healthy Workplaces Make Good Business Cents: Assessment to Action”; over 130 workplace health stakeholders attended.
During the 2008-2009 year, watch for our new website design, new and improved information packs, the fall/winter webinar series and of course, our annual March Symposium.
