What’s News
In and around Family Service Association of Toronto
Margaret Hancock named FSA Toronto Executive Director
FSA Toronto is pleased to announce that Margaret Hancock has been named its new executive director. Hancock is a social justice advocate with over 30 years of experience in community development and community-based education.
For nearly a decade, Hancock has held the position of Warden of the University of Toronto’s Hart House. During that time, she built the organization’s capacity to be inclusive, strengthened relationships with stakeholders, restructure the organization, and created conditions to support innovation, risk-taking and learning.
In her prior positions, she advocated for the abolishment of capital punishment in Canada and for new alternatives to jails in the justice system, as well as developing programs that supported individuals and organizations to build networks around peace, justice and social change.
Margaret’s exceptional interpersonal skills and her facilitative manner will be a strong fit within FSA’s culture of collaboration, and we look forward to welcoming her to our team.
New Directions for Lesbian Women
FSA Toronto’s New Directions program provides free legal clinics and support groups for women dealing with the loss of a life partner due to death, separation or divorce. New Directions is expanding its offerings and launching a program specifically for lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LBT) women.
The new program will offer LBT women coping with the loss of a life partner the opportunity to be part of a peers-supporting-peers style group. The group will be led by queer women who have experienced the same type of loss and understand the challenges these participants face.
Many LBT women in Toronto have suffered the loss of an intimate life partner, yet there are no programs like New Directions that are specifically targeted to this group. New Directions Coordinator Nancy Emkin anticipates that enough members will be recruited for the first group by early fall. Along with the launch of a support program for LBT women, future goals for New Directions include offering more language-specific legal clinics, as well as a bereavement support group for widows. To register, call 416-595-9618.
Early Warning Signs of Abuse
In December 1999, the United Nations designated November 25 as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Last November, FSA Toronto marked this day by releasing our Early Warning Signs brochure with tips and a quiz to help young women recognize unhealthy or abusive relationships. The brochure was inspired by a questionnaire from the Victoria Family Violence Prevention Society and was produced with funding from the Ontario Ministry of Community.
Statistics show that one in four women will be abused by a boyfriend, girlfriend or intimate partner and more and more girls are experiencing this abuse at younger ages.
The Early Warning Signs brochure provides warning signs that women who have been in abusive relationships said they experienced, as well as contact information for service providers and tips on how to increase your safety with a potentially abusive partner. Copies of the brochure and a corresponding poster are available through FSA Toronto. Individuals can also take the quiz at our website at www.familyservicetoronto.org.
Two FSA staff heralded for leadership
In March, two Family
Service Association of Toronto staff members were recognized for their outstanding
achievements in improving the lives of people in our city.
Tamam McCallum, a member of FSA Toronto’s Counselling Service,
was one of seven women selected to receive the YWCA’s 2007 Women of Distinction
Award. The awards pay tribute to the contributions women make to the life
of the city, and in particular their commitment to improving the lives of
women and girls. The YWCA lauded McCallum for her “development of innovative
programs which have improved the lives of countless immigrant and marginalized
women and children in Toronto. She has built solid foundations for organizations
that have stood the test of time, government cutbacks, and community changes.”
FSA Toronto’s Director of Social Reform, Laurel Rothman, was one of two individuals chosen to be highlighted as a 2007 Social Work Leader as part of Social Work Week, March 5 to 11. The theme for this year was Social Workers: Making a Difference in the lives of Children and Families. Rothman is also the National Coordinator for Campaign 2000, which is a coalition of organizations working build Canadian awareness and support for the 1989 all-party House of Commons resolution to end child poverty in Canada by the year 2000.
“Laurel and Tamam have been invaluable assets to FSA Toronto in our work to improve the lives of the most vulnerable in our city,” says Kelley Myers, Interim Executive Director for FSA Toronto. “We congratulate Laurel and Tamam. This recognition is well deserved.”
Two FSA staff heralded for leadership and distinction
In
March, two Family Service Association of Toronto staff members were recognized
for their outstanding achievements in improving the lives of people in our
city.
Tamam McCallum, a member of FSA Toronto’s Counselling Service,
was one of seven women selected to receive the YWCA’s 2007 Women of Distinction
Award. The awards pay tribute to the contributions women make to the life
of the city, and in particular their commitment to improving the lives of
women and girls. The YWCA lauded McCallum for her “development of innovative
programs which have improved the lives of countless immigrant and marginalized
women and children in Toronto. She has built solid foundations for organizations
that have stood the test of time, government cutbacks, and community changes.”
FSA Toronto’s Director of Social Reform, Laurel Rothman, was one of two individuals chosen to be highlighted as a 2007 Social Work Leader as part of Social Work Week, March 5 to 11. The theme for this year was Social Workers: Making a Difference in the lives of Children and Families. Rothman is also the National Coordinator for Campaign 2000, which is a coalition of organizations working build Canadian awareness and support for the 1989 all-party House of Commons resolution to end child poverty in Canada by the year 2000.
“Laurel and Tamam have been invaluable assets to FSA Toronto in our work to improve the lives of the most vulnerable in our city,” says Kelley Myers, Interim Executive Director for FSA Toronto, “We congratulate Laurel and Tamam. This recognition is well deserved.”
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