EVENT SUCCESS
FAMILY
VIOLENCE
PREVENTION
EVENT
Over 200 people attended the event held at City Hall where the theme this year was "Family Violence Doesn't Stay at Home: Make It Your Business to Care." Guest speakers included Karen Reynolds, Director of Children, Family and Community Service program division within Catholic Social Services, who shared a personal story of how a family violence situation at her brother's business dramatically impacted the lives of many. Leon Zupa, Senior Vice President of Enbridge also spoke to Enbridge's commitment of supporting the work being done to raise awareness of family violence in the workplace.
With the help from the partner agencies who assisted in the planning, Family Violence Prevention was a very successful proclamation event. Dedicated partners included: Alberta Health Services, The Alberta Council of Women's Shelters, Edmonton and area Child & Family Services Authority, Catholic Social Services, Edmonton & District Labour Council and CIAFV.
The proclamation theme this year stemmed from Mayor Mandel's focus on the Family-Business Connect initiative which was launched during the proclamation event The Family-Business Connect initiative aims to raise awareness of the impact of family violence on the workplace. The initiative is part of the Violence Reduction Action Plan that Mayor Mandel, Police Chief Rod Knecht, and Jon Hall, Chair of REACH Edmonton, unveiled in August. Approximately 20 businesses have pledged support in this initiative and have signed a three-year commitment to educate staff about family violence.
CIAFV's (Community Initiative Against Family Violence) Domestic Violence in the Workplace Project Team has met monthly to address this important issue.
Currently there are nine members on the project team including EJHS, CSS, EPS, ITRAC, AHS, City of Edmonton, Alberta Labour/United Way of Alberta Capital Region, and CIAFV. New members who are interested in working with this committee in the area of Domestic Violence in the Workplace are very welcome.
