Neighbours, Friends and Families Workplace Champions celebrated at the Faculty of Education
On February 18, Western’s Faculty of Education was host to one of nine awards ceremonies held across Ontario to recognise organizations that have demonstrated leadership and commitment to preventing domestic violence in the workplace. These organisations were acknowledged as Neighbours, Friends and Families Workplace Champions of 2011 – and among them was the University of Western Ontario.
Recent changes to provincial legislation mean that employers are now required to take reasonable precautions to protect an employee from domestic violence in the workplace. But many organisations lack the knowledge, expertise and resources to put this into practice. The Neighbours, Friends and Families (NFF) Workplace Champion Program was developed by the Centre for Research & Education on Violence against Women and Children at Western’s Faculty of Education to educate members of the workplace to recognize, respond and make appropriate referrals in situations of domestic violence.
Celebrating Ontario as a province of neighbours, friends, families and coworkers who care about one another, the annual ceremony is timed to take place just prior to Family Day. Guests included Attorney General and MPP for London West, Chris Bentley; Minister of Health and Long Term Care and MPP for London North Centre, Deb Matthews; and MP for London West, Ed Holder.
