Government Supports Projects to Foster Equality and Reduce Discrimination
July 24, 2007
$400,000 awarded to 12 community organizations
Edmonton…Twelve Alberta organizations will share more than $400,000 in funding for projects that encourage change, and support the full participation of all Albertans in the social, cultural, political and economic life of the province. The projects range from helping immigrant and refugee youth speak about discrimination issues, to developing a human trafficking protocol for the province.
“Building welcoming and inclusive communities is critical to Alberta’s success,” said Hector Goudreau, Minister of Tourism, Parks, Recreation and Culture, responsible for human rights. “These projects are examples of how the Government of Alberta is working with communities to further improve the quality of life for all Albertans.”The grants, provided through the Alberta government’s Human Rights, Citizenship and Multiculturalism Education Fund, help organizations make changes in their communities that will foster equality, promote fairness, and encourage the inclusion of all Albertans. The $2.2 million Education Fund receives an annual allotment from the Alberta Lottery Fund.
Grant applications are accepted until May 1 for projects that begin the following August or later, and until October 1 for projects that begin the following January or later. The applications are reviewed by an advisory committee chaired by Thomas Lukaszuk, MLA for Edmonton-Castle Downs.
“Helping build the skills and resources of community organizations and public institutions is important in eliminating the barriers to full participation,” said Lukaszuk. “These grants give organizations the ability to develop and deliver effective initiatives to make it easier for members to contribute fully to our province.”
Additional information about the Education Fund is available on the Alberta Tourism, Parks, Recreation and Culture website at www.tprc.alberta.ca/educationfund or by contacting a grant consultant at (403) 297-8407 (dial 310-0000 for toll-free access).
– 30 –
Attachments: See backgrounder for a complete list of grant recipients.
Media enquiries may be directed to:
Susan Coombes
Education Fund Coordinator
Alberta Tourism, Parks, Recreation and Culture
(403) 297-2768
Backgrounder
——————————————————————————–
July 24, 2007
Human Rights, Citizenship and Multiculturalism Education Fund grant recipients
Edmonton… The following applications were approved for Human Rights, Citizenship and Multiculturalism Education Fund grants.
Alberta Committee of Citizens with Disabilities – $35,825
A review of existing literature on accessibility of shelters to women with disabilities and training materials that are available to shelter workers to be more effective with clients with disabilities will be undertaken. The project will also use information from focus groups and community consultation to develop a Functional Needs Assessment template that will assist shelters in providing a safe and accessible environment for women with disabilities.
Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters – $60,000
In September 2008, shelter workers from around the world will meet in Edmonton to share best practices about running shelters that meet the needs of the diverse clientele they serve. The grant will be provided in installments.
Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) – $7,500
The AUPE Human Rights Committee will work with AUPE Provincial Executive to respond to the union’s need for building more inclusive workplaces.
Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association – $20,310
Participants will use a train-the-trainer model to work with women in four ethnic communities to inform them about their rights. Materials will be customized and translated to accommodate the needs of these communities. Materials will also be shared with others.
Canadian Red Cross Society, Calgary – $20,680
Immigrant and refugee youth will participate in a youth-driven and directed program that will give them skills and opportunities to speak about their issues and concerns – especially identity, discrimination and inclusion. Leaders will plan events, deliver workshops and speak about concerns with other immigrant and refugee youth.
Caribbean Women Network Association of Canada for Support and Learning, Edmonton – $12,500
A group of Caribbean and other ethno-cultural women will engage in co-operative action, education and community service that will create opportunities for self-improvement leading to full participation in society.
Central Alberta Immigrant Women’s Association, Red Deer – $18,720
Men and women from the ethno-cultural community will learn facilitation and cross-cultural parenting skills so they can present the program to immigrant parents and interested service providers. Service providers dealing with immigrant parents and children will also be involved in this initiative.
Changing Together – A Centre for Immigrant Women Association, Edmonton – $100,000
This project will engage, inform and educate the community about human trafficking, in particular the effects it has on women and its exploitation and possible inherent racism. Project activities include a symposium on human trafficking, the gathering of information through focus groups and developing a protocol for human trafficking for Alberta. The grant will be provided in installments.
City of Edmonton – Office of Diversity and Inclusion – $91,000
The City of Edmonton will work with non-government organizations, community institutions and other levels of government to develop capacity within the city’s administration and the community to address racism and discrimination, and to undertake its commitment under UNESCO’s Coalition of Municipalities Against Racism and Discrimination agreement. The grant will be provided in installments.
Northern Alberta Alliance on Race Relations Society, Edmonton – $33,985
Catalogues will be developed, designed and printed for teaching grades 4-6, 7-9 and 10-12, and will also be available online. The catalogues will identify tools and resources that teachers can use to increase their knowledge and sensitivity to culturally appropriate teaching in the classroom. Catalogues will also be used to discuss multiculturalism, racism and discrimination and the barriers they create to full participation of ethno-cultural groups.
Red Deer Public Library – $4,500
Members of the ethno-cultural community will be involved in a project that will help library staff better understand the needs and interests of the community. By working together and identifying audiovisual resources for purchase, members of the community will have an opportunity to participate in decision-making at the local level.
University of Alberta – Faculty of Native Studies – $7,000
Indigenous rights advocates, researchers, students and elders will work together to develop a publication that can be used to increase understanding of Aboriginal culture. It is hoped that increased understanding will help reduce prejudice and discrimination and influence policy makers to adopt policies that favor the preservation of indigenous language and culture. The goal of this publication is to be a resource of best practices that will help empower community members and encourage positive change towards meaningful Aboriginal participation in Alberta.
– 30 –
Media enquiries may be directed to:
Susan Coombes
Education Fund Coordinator
Alberta Tourism, Parks, Recreation and Culture
(403) 297-2768
This article comes from NationTalk:
https://nationtalk.ca
The permalink for this story is:
https://nationtalk.ca/story/government-supports-projects-to-foster-equality-and-reduce-discrimination
Comments are closed.