About
Women's
Network
Pregnancy, Birth and Infancy Project
Women’s Network is a not-for-profit organization, working to strengthen
and improve the status of women in our community. Women’s Network
PEI submitted a proposal for project funding to the PEI Healthy Child
Development Strategy. The purpose of the project is to increase the
number of pregnant women on PEI who access prenatal education and resources in the community and who have the information and knowledge needed to make informed choices about pregnancy, birth and infancy.
The original goal of the project was to develop and outline and recommendations for a social marketing campaign. The objectives of the project included:
- a. To develop and strengthen partnerships with the community organizations and government departments comprising the Project’s Steering Committee;
- b. Conduct research including a literature review and focus groups to better understand the marketing issues for prenatal services on PEI, and:
- c. To use the research and recommendations towards developing an evidence-based social marketing campaign.
The goal and objectives of the work to be completed evolved over the short life span of the Pregnancy, Birth and Infancy Project. Pertinent and timely PEI specific prenatal research existed that clearly demonstrated that the desired research findings, literature review, focus groups and recommendations had been completed on Prince Edward Island in the year 2000. This research information is detailed in the two reports prepared by the PEI Department of Health and Social Services called “Services for Parents and Newborns: Report of Prenatal and Postnatal Education and Support on Prince Edward Island, May 2000” and “Prenatal Education: A Synthesis Report, March 2000.”
Guided by these relevant research findings and recommendations documented within the pages of this report, the accepted goal of the project is to create an action plan to develop an appropriate marketing tool.
The Steering Committee decided to create a tear-off sheet print resource which provides information on Public Health Nursing an Family Resource Centres’ prenatal education and resources. The print resource will be distributed to pregnant moms across the Island through health professionals (such as physicians, nurses, nutritionists, pharmacists) and organizations involved with prenatal education and support (for example, Family Resource Centres, Youth Parents School-Based Support Groups/Programs, Community Health Centres, even health care waiting rooms, etc.). The project has gone one step further and is implementing the action plan. It is noteworthy to mention that Nishka Smith of Atlantic Evaluation Group will be providing a separate report that documents the process and outcome evaluation from a participatory framework.