Environmental Action Group Awarded Advocacy Grant

Posted in: Special Event | 0

In November, the Environmental Action Group applied for a CFUW National Advocacy Grant. On December 8th, we received an email that our project proposal for a Clothing Repair Clinic had been awarded an Advocacy Grant of $500. The adjudicators of the proposals were impressed by the uniqueness of the project, how it tied into the worldwide Repair Café phenomenon, that we were gearing our work towards university students. Moving from awareness to action got us high marks. The Clothing Repair Clinic will focus on repairing clothing for reuse to prevent unnecessary disposal in landfills and teaching people simple repair techniques. Our first clinic will be in the spring 2026 and will be in conjunction with the Niagara Repair Café.

The criteria for this award includes: 
  1. It must be a new project/program for the Club/Council to undertake.
  2. The project stems from an adopted resolution of CFUW.
  3. It raises awareness, provides education to specific audiences about an issue.
  4. It turns support into action, developing resources, enabling training, or creating a network.
  5. It creates a campaign for specific goals that effectively involves the community, the region or province.
  6. A local or regional partner/ally is involved in the project
  7. This investment enables the Club/Council to do better, smarter advocacy actions in the future for their community or regionally.
A maximum of $500 per award will be given to a maximum of 6 applicants – if possible, at least one from each region.

Amplify the Message!

Posted in: Special Event | 0

Calling all members! Your CFUW Advocacy committee has organized a letter writing campaign to show our support for Anti Human Trafficking education and resources that are urgently needed in our local Niagara schools. We need your help to send a clear message that this is important to CFUW members.

On January 3, 2022, a letter from CFUW President Maureen Shantz will be going out to every high school principal in the Niagara Region and to the two Directors of Education – the Public and Catholic School Boards.

To send your own letters of support to the Directors of Education, click the following links, print the letters, sign your name and mail.

District School Board of Niagara letter

Niagara Catholic District School Board letter

Why a letter writing campaign? CFUW wants to send a strong message to educators that action must be taken now on Human Trafficking in our Niagara Schools. Programs and resources need to be created within schools to educate students and staff about Awareness, Prevention and Detection of Human Trafficking, with the goal of providing students with a safe and supportive environment.

 

Timeline:

June 2021: Ontario Gov’t updated the anti-human trafficking strategy https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontarios-anti-human-trafficking-strategy-2020-2025

June 3, 2021: Bill 251: Combatting Human Trafficking Act from the Ontario Legislative Assembly was given Royal Assent

July 6, 2021: Ministry of Education sent out to schools, Boards of Education: Policy/Program 166, Keeping Students Safe: Policy Framework for School Board Anti-Sex Trafficking Protocol. https://www.ontario.ca/document/education-ontario-policy-and-program-direction/policyprogram
The link below sums up quite nicely the goals of Policy 166.
https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1000467/ontario-acts-to-protect-students-from-sex-trafficking