On March 28th, Executive Director Nneka MacGregor and Vivien Green facilitated a full-day workshop in Owen Sound.

Women at the Centre was a workshop for women in the Grey Bruce/Owen Sound region, who have used services because of abuse, mental health or addictions issues, and for service providers and advocates.

The day was hosted by the phenomenal Colleen Purdon, the coordinator of the Grey Bruce Violence Prevention Coordinating Committee and the Grey Bruce Mental Health, Addictions and Abuse Steering Committee, who sponsored the workshop, which was designed to:

• Build women’s leadership and voice
• Identify opportunities for joint action so services meet women’s needs
• Plan collaboration strategies to involve of survivors at agency and community planning

The Critical Connections Symposium promoted increased awareness of the impact of woman abuse as it relates to the safety and well being of children and families. This event featured internationally recognized keynote speakers, highlighted collaborative programs in Ontario and launched an “ideas and practice guide” – Critical Connections: Where Woman Abuse and Child Safety Intersect – A Practice Guide for Child Welfare Professionals in Ontario – for service providers. This practice guide was heavily influenced by the feedback provided by women survivors in the December 2009 focus group facilitated by WomenatthecentrE in December.

Our Executive Director Nneka MacGregor attended and participated in panel discussions with Janet Meneses (survivor and community activist), Amandeep Kaur and Baldev Muttah (Punjabi Community Health Services), as they addressed ways to make the child welfare sector more responsive to the needs of diverse women in the province of Ontario.

On March 6th WomenatthecentrE’s Executive Director, Nneka MacGregor, facilitated a full-day workshop with women survivors who were representing themselves in the family court. Hosted by the Scarborough Women’s Centre, this workshop provided practical tools to help women navigate the process. Our next workshop will be in April in York region.