PHASE 2

ACE Train-the-Trainer Program

Phase 2 Update (December 2024)

Training Commencement, Collaboration and Participation among the local sites: The Phase 2 ACE training program launched in early October and has been progressing smoothly. We partnered with AIDS service organizations, religious groups, and cultural organizations, with each contributing 2-4 participants to the training. This diverse collaboration has enriched each session, bringing valuable perspectives and fostering lively discussions. Local site coordinators have taken on dual roles as facilitators and co-facilitators, providing hands-on guidance and tailoring the training content to meet the unique needs of each community and site.
Over 50 agency staff and community leaders from six local sites registered to participate in Phase 2, organized into four training cohorts based on their scheduling preferences. Each cohort brought together individuals from different organizations and groups, creating an inclusive and well-rounded learning environment. This structure encouraged cross-group collaboration, enhancing participants’ learning experiences and reinforcing the program’s community-building objectives. Participants have responded positively to the self-paced modules on the acetraining.ca online learning platform, offering encouraging feedback on the relevance and quality of the content.
The final weekly Zoom-facilitated sessions for all cohorts were completed in the second week of November, marking the close of this training phase. Participants have shared positive feedback, especially valuing the collaborative nature of Phase 2. As we approach the final steps, the focus is on reinforcing key learnings and ensuring the completion of post-training questionnaires and activity logs to monitor outcomes. Looking ahead, we are developing plans for ongoing support and exploring follow-up initiatives to sustain the impact of this phase, with excitement for the upcoming Train-the-Trainer (TTT) module to strengthen participants’ facilitation skills within the ACE Model.
Faciliators Training: A select group of graduates who have successfully completed all Phase 2 training requirements will be invited to join the next stage of facilitator training, set to launch after the holiday season. This advanced training phase will provide participants with essential skills to serve as facilitators for the broader community as Phase 3 of the ACE project unfolds.
Participants will engage in modules covering effective recruitment strategies, training logistics, and advanced ACE concepts, along with facilitation techniques and hands-on practice. These modules will equip graduates to confidently deliver the ACE training model to diverse community members across different regions, fostering a wider impact and reinforcing community resilience.

Training for ACE facilitators

The Train and Trainer Program: In this second phase of our project, we engage and build capacity among service providers and community leaders using a “train-the-trainer” capacity-building approach. ACE graduates from Phase Two will be mentored to become ACE facilitators and facilitate intervention groups of community members of the affected communities. These trained service providers and community leaders will collaborate in small teams of 4-5 members and be mentored by the principal investigators to facilitate the ACE intervention for community members in Phase Three.
Please note that participation in this phase is for invited service providers and community leaders affiliated with our collaborating agencies, who are committed to conducting our Phase 3 capacity-building activities in early 2025. Registration information will be sent directly through the collaborating agencies by our staff team. Other interested community members will be welcome to join our training activities when Phase 3 rolls out in early 2025.

Learn more about our Training

Who can participate?

  • A service provider / community leader working with racialized people or immigrants experiencing or affected by HIV related stigmas in one of the six project cities (Calgary, Edmonton, Greater Toronto Area , London, Niagara, Ottawa)
  • 18 years of age or older
  • Fluent in English
  • Available to complete the ACE training
  • Committed to becoming an ACE training facilitator
  • Our local site coordinators, in collaboration with local agencies, will invite participants. If you’re interested, please reach out to the local site coordinators in your region as mentioned in the flyer below.

What is involved?

Complete six weekly online self-directed learning modules (approximately 1-hour each)
Attend the six weekly corresponding online Zoom group training (approximately 1.5 to 2.0 hours each)
Participate in two sessions of training on facilitation (2.5-hour each), as well as complete the pre-, post-, and 3-month post follow-up surveys (15-30 mins each)
A biweekly activity log on how you have applied the ACE learning in your everyday life post-training
A subset of participants who take part in the online training modules will be randomly invited to participate in a focus group 3 months after the ACE training. 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 of $30 every time you complete a survey and $40 if you are selected and attend a focus group session.
Please refer to our recruitment flyer below for more details, or to contact our Local Site Coordinators in your region.
ACE-PHASE2-Recruitment-Flyer