Friday, October 30, 2009
The Career Practitioner's Toolkit on Violence Against Women
"Many women, who return to employment or have to restart employment because they have left an abusive partner, will take any job even if it is exploitive and as a result, they often end up returning to that abusive situation."The need for employment and training services specifically for women may be most crucial when it comes to women who have experienced violence in their personal lives.
The quote above comes from research undertaken by ACTEW in 2007 with career practitioners and women's advocates on the employment needs of women who had experienced partner abuse. The feedback from these service providers, and those who participated in ACTEW's Supporting Survivors, Supporting Employment professional development workshops, greatly informed our new publication, The Career Practitioner's Toolkit on Violence Against Women.
A number of programs currently run in Ontario that are especially designed for women who are at risk of violence. Such services provide a safe place for women to build confidence, develop skills and connect to meaningful employment. These initiatives recognize the importance of providing a specialized learning environment for job-seekers who share particular barriers to economic independence.
Given the prevalence of partner abuse and the employment needs of women who leave abusive relationships -- many lack work experience and almost all are desperate for income -- those who provide employment and training services serve violence survivors, whether they know it or not.
ACTEW's toolkit provides individual service providers and agency management with information, tools and tips for delivering respectful and effective services. A primary message is for employment agencies to connect with local women's organizations for referrals and to share expertise. Other strategies show how agencies can protect and support both clients and their own employees.
Download ACTEW's Career Practitioner's Toolkit on Violence Against Women
Labels: ACTEW_Activities, Issues_and_Trends, Resources_and_Research
