Putting the ‘Strategy’ in Knowledge Mobilization Strategy / Mettre de la « stratégie » dans la stratégie de mobilisation des connaissances (MdC)

Michael Johnny, RIR – York
Knowledge Brokers in Canada have a growing number of training opportunities specific to supporting our work. Peter Levesque of KMb Works offers an excellent one day session on KMb Strategy.
De plus en plus de formations sont offertes aux courtiers de connaissances canadiens pour supporter leur travail. Peter Levesque de Knowledge Mobilization Works offre d’excellentes sessions d’un jour sur les stratégies de MdC.
It is quite possible Peter Levesque is Canada’s longest tenured Knowledge Mobilization professionals.  It stands to reason given this experience and his role as CEO of KMb Works that he would offer an excellent one day workshop, Building a Knowledge Mobilization Strategy.   Peter’s one day session is an engaging and interactive session, where he successfully draws on the experiences of participants to explore a clear and consistent understanding of the term Knowledge Mobilization, as well as an understanding of the strategic elements of this within the spectrum of vision, mission, goals and activity, outputs, outcomes and impact.
I have been fortunate to also attend the Scientist Knowledge Translation Training course offered by Dr. Melanie Barwick.  The strength of Melanie’s session is taking a wide array of information and positioning it within an operational template.  Peter’s session is very complimentary;  it does not offer the attendee a template from which to work, but steps back and provides detailed and significant context on the what and why of Knowledge Mobilization.
For me as a knowledge broker at York University, an important and emerging role in my work is supporting faculty research grant applications by aiding in the development of a dedicated Knowledge Mobilization strategy.  The template that I was able to adapt from Dr. Barwick’s session is now going to be enhanced by what I learned from Peter Levesque.  Positioning a KMb Strategy within the goals of a project will help allow for relevant activity and significant outcomes and ultimately, relevant impact.
I will continue to seek out relevant learning opportunities for myself in my role as a knowledge broker.  I know for sure that I need to take advantage of every opportunity to learn from Peter Levesque’s rich experience in Knowledge Mobilization.  And check out the materials from the 2012 KMb Forum, a two-day forum on Knowledge Mobilization for researchers, practitioners and professionals with interests in KMb recently held in Ottawa.