Recent project:
Building Community-Based Partnerships for Local Action on Women's Safety
Pilot sites description: Charlottetown
Charlottetown
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A little about Charlottetown... Charlottetown, the capital and largest city in Prince Edward Island, is a small urban community of over 32,000 people. Largely made up of a population of Anglo Canadian descent, Charlottetown has small Aboriginal, Acadian and visible minority communities. The City of Charlottetown is celebrating its 150th year of incorporation: |
The Charlottetown Mayor's Purple Ribbon Task Force was selected as a pilot site in the Women in Cities International initiative Building Community-Based Partnerships for Local Action on Women's Safety. The pilot site representatives include the Transition House Association, the PEI Advisory Council on the Status of Women (www.gov.pe.ca/acsw) and the City of Charlottetown. This partnership demonstrates municipal and provincial governments working together with community organizations to promote women's safety in communities.
The Mayor's Purple Ribbon Task Force, which developed out of the Family Violence Prevention Initiative, consists of representatives from the City of Charlottetown, the Prince Edward Island Family Violence Consultant, the Executive Director of Transition House Association, the Director of the PEI Advisory Council on the Status of Women and the Program Coordinator for the PEI Rape & Sexual Assault Crisis Centre.
The roles of the main partners involved with the City's Family Violence Prevention initiative are to provide guidance, expertise, and direction for implementation of public policy aimed at enhancing safety for all citizens, particularly women. The composition of this working group increases the active participation of women's organizations in the public policy process.
Educational and training modules were developed and presented to help managers, supervisors and other employees better understand their role and responsibilities in preventing family violence. These modules helped raise awareness and address the specific needs of front line service providers, such as police, fire, recreational services, and school-crossing guards. This training is ongoing and provided to all new employees and elected officials. The City has incorporated this training into management policies and practices with the City's Human Resource department, ensuring its sustainability over time.
The Task Force has also been very active in promoting the Purple Ribbon campaign in memory of the Montreal massacre including placing a large purple ribbon on the Bell Tower of Charlottetown's City Hall.
The City is currently conducting a Safety Audit aimed at enhancing safe environments for all its citizens. The Safety Audit includes consultations with focus groups, input from individuals/organizations/professionals, and a survey of all City employees. This feedback will provide direction for solutions that enhance the safety of all citizens, primarily women and children.
List of Partners:
City of Charlottetown - Mayor's Office
Transition House Association
PEI Advisory Council on the Status of Women
PEI Rape & Sexual Assault Crisis Center
Provincial Family Violence Consultant
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