PHASE 3 ACE Training

PHASE 3: ACE Training for Community Members

Update (December 2025):
All Phase 3 ACE Training cohorts have now concluded. We thank the more than 200 community members from Alberta and Ontario who registered over the past months and participated in our training activities. As the project enters the next stage—data analysis and knowledge translation and exchange (KTE) activities—please stay tuned and visit our “What’s New” page for updates.

Project ACE is launching an exciting new phase—and you’re invited to be part of it.

We’re inviting 280–300 community members across Calgary, Edmonton, the Greater Toronto Area, London, Niagara, and Ottawa to take part in Phase 3 of Project ACE. This free six-week training program is designed to strengthen community-led responses to HIV stigma through reflection, skill-building, and shared action.

Each training cohort will be co-led by trained facilitators from your local community. Graduates of our Train-the-Trainer program will work alongside Project ACE staff to create safe, inclusive, and engaging learning spaces.

If you are living with, affected by, or vulnerable to HIV, we warmly invite you to explore this opportunity.

📌 Start by reading the sections:
→ Who Can Participate
→ What Is Involved

📺 Then, watch our short video below to get a feel for the ACE Training experience.
📄 Learn more about program details by taking a look at our flyer. (downloadable)

As part of the registration process, please make sure Indicate your organization affiliation, and provide the name and contact information (email or phone) of the person who referred you.

Once you’ve completed the registration and consent form, we’ll follow up with information about upcoming training cohorts in your area to share when you can take part in the training.

Let’s learn, grow, and lead—together.

Who can participate?

You can if you self-identify as:

18 years of age or older
An immigrant or a member of a racialized diasporic community
Experiencing or affected by HIV related stigma
living in one of the six project cities: calgary, edmonton, greater toronto area (gTA), london, niagara, ottawa
Fluent in English
Available to complete the aCE training
Interested in joining others to reduce HIV related stigma

What is involved?

Taking part in this study is entirely voluntary and private. You may withdraw at any time. If you choose to take part in this study, you will be asked to:

Complete 6 weekly online modules (at least 36 hours before the group discussions)

Attend 6 weekly online group discussions [Zoom Meeting with video camera on]

Complete surveys before, immediately after, and 3 months after the ACE training

Attend a focus group 3 months after the ACE training if you are randomly selected as a participant. All focus group discussions online via zoom will be audio–recorded which makes it impossible for you to participate if you do not want to be audio-recorded. There will be between 6 to 8 participants in a group

You will receive a small honorarium each time you engage in filling out the following: $30 for a survey; $20 for each online module, $10 for an activity log, and $40 if you have been selected and attended a focus group session

The research team will keep the information you share private. Since a focus group involves many participants, confidentiality cannot be guaranteed. We will ask all participants to honour and respect each other’s privacy

For additional commonly asked questions, please view our FAQ document

PHASE 3 ACE Training