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Key Programs

Social Services sector: Training resources for professionals and service providers

• Ontario Works Administrators Serving First Nations
• Front-line Violence Against Women Workers
• Front-line Workers Serving Francophone Women
• Front-line Workers Serving Aboriginal Women in Remote Communities
• Front Line Workers Serving Women with Developmental Disabilities
• Settlement Service Providers

 

The Ministry of Community and Social Services (MCSS) delivered the training to Ontario Works administrators in eight First Nations communities. With the help of the Ontario Native Welfare Administrators Association (ONWAA), the MCSS adapted an earlier Ontario Works violence-against-women training package to meet Aboriginal needs. Copies of the training materials have been distributed to First Nations Ontario Works sites across the province.

A facilitator manual, learner manual and reference guide were produced. They contained information on:

• how to recognize and respond effectively to signs of spousal abuse
• intake, screening and case management practices to support victims of violence
• community resources and supports

 

To address the need for ongoing training in the violence-against-women sector, the Ministry of Community and Social Services conducted needs assessments and supported training initiatives for front-line workers across Ontario. Content and materials were developed in consultation with outside experts, including Aboriginal groups.

Workers from emergency shelters, counselling agencies, transitional and housing support programs and the province-wide crisis line were invited to participated in training sessions dealing with regional issues as well as how best to support Aboriginal women and their children.  

 

Action ontarienne contre la violence faite aux femmes (AOcVF) delivered a training and best practices project for frontline workers providing violence-against-women services in French. The project targeted workers in shelters, sexual assault centres, women’s centres, counselling services, and other community agencies serving Francophone women across Ontario.

AOcVF developed the training content and materials in consultation with other experts. In-person training sessions covered legal issues, the availability of services and the needs of immigrant women.  Laurentian University also offered an online credit course on crisis intervention.  
AOcVF also developed best practices reports (in French) on working with disabled women, harassment at work and dealing with child witnesses or victims of violence. As well, preliminary work was done for a French-language postsecondary certificate program on violence against women. 

Through creation of a Francophone Training Institute, AOcVF has been able to use its expertise to develop and deliver high quality training to front-line staff, directors, coordinators and program managers in organizations that offer services to Ontario women in French.

 

The Healthy Families Healthy Nations project developed a sustainable, culturally sensitive, holistic family violence prevention model and delivered training to professionals and service providers in North-western Ontario First Nations communities.
The train-the trainer sessions and resources create awareness of:

• the role of domestic violence as an isolated, individual occurrence and a symptom of a larger societal problem;
• how the cycle of abuse impacts on the whole family and community at large;
• early warning signs and avenues for culturally sensitive prevention (to eliminate ostracism of victims who are forced to leave in crisis);
• occupational roles, responsibilities as well as on-the-job policies, procedures and practices for responding to situations involving domestic violence;
• how to improve organizational practices;
• services that are available in First Nation and remote communities;
• inter-agency networking within First Nation communities and organizations.

Participants in the Healthy Families, Healthy Nations training sessions included police officers, child and family service workers, shelter workers, staff in treatment centres and community leaders including band councillors and chiefs.

 

Springtide Resources brought together two areas: Violence Against Women and Intellectual Disabilities to raise awareness of women with intellectual disabilities and encourage service providers to develop more inclusive practices. As part of this initiative, Springtide established an advisory committee of service providers and women with intellectual disabilities to develop workshops and training resources. A report on emerging practices was developed after a successful pilot with agencies who serve people with intellectual disabilities.

 

The Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI) developed and carried out a province-wide program to train settlement workers to recognize the signs of abuse and provide women and children at risk with appropriate support. The program was aimed at frontline and management staff in settlement agencies, as well as volunteers and other workers who serve newcomers. 

Training content and materials were designed in consultation with an advisory committee drawn from settlement agencies, shelters and other violence-against-women services, Children’s Aid Societies, Francophones and other community-based organizations.

OCASI developed a core group of trainers who delivered regional training workshops to settlement workers across Ontario. Training was supplemented by online manuals and other resources in both English and French. 

In addition, eight online self-directed training modules have been developed on themes ranging from the dynamics and indicators of domestic violence to women’s rights in Canada. OCASI also developed an online, facilitated training course (concluded).