Six finalists announced for Children's Aid Foundation of Canada's 2020 Lynn Factor Stand Up for Kids National Award
TORONTO, July 22, 2020 /CNW/ - Children's Aid Foundation of Canada is pleased to announce the six finalists for the 2020 Lynn Factor Stand Up for Kids National Award, which recognizes extraordinary Canadians whose efforts have improved the lives of vulnerable children and youth involved with child welfare.
"Each year it is an honour to highlight Canadians whose commitment has made a positive difference in the lives of kids who have experienced abuse, abandonment and neglect," says Valerie McMurtry, President & CEO, Children's Aid Foundation of Canada, the country's leading charity devoted to improving the lives of children and youth in the child welfare system. "During COVID-19, vulnerable children, youth and their families need our help now more than ever. We hope that by sharing the incredible impact made by our award finalists, Canadians will be motivated to show their support and stand up for at-risk kids and youth in their communities"
Established in 2018, The Lynn Factor Stand Up for Kids National Award winner and finalists will direct a total of $75,000 in grants from Children's Aid Foundation of Canada to child welfare, child rights or child- and youth-serving organizations. The national award winner will be announced at Children's Aid Foundation of Canada's virtual Stand Up for Kids Night presented by CIBC on September 9, 2020.
The 2020 finalists and award winner are selected by The Lynn Factor Stand Up for Kids National Award Committee, an esteemed group of community and business leaders recognized for their passion and dedication to making a difference in the lives of child and youth involved with the child welfare system.
"This year's finalists represent a diverse group of individuals with either lived experience in child welfare or who work in child welfare and are making a significant impact on the lives on the lives of children and youth in care in Canada," says Donald Guloien, Chair of The Lynn Factor Stand up for Kids National Award Committee.
The 2020 Lynn Factor Stand Up for Kids National Award finalists are:
- Ashley Bach, Past President; Secretary and Board Director for British Columbia, Youth in Care Canada (Ottawa, ON)
Ashley is a member of the Mishkeegogamang First Nation and was born into foster care in Vancouver. She is a young leader whose work has been greatly informed by her own intersectional identities, and has chosen to focus most specifically on First Nations youth in care. Ashley has produced meaningful youth in care-led research, developed impactful programs, and provided policy recommendations to evaluate and help transform child welfare legislation, policies and programs including Bill C-92, an Act to Respect First Nations, Métis and Inuit Children, Youth and Families. Ashley has volunteered on the Youth in Care Canada Board of Directors since November 2017 and served as President from November 2018-2019. - Nicole Bonnie, CEO, Ontario Association of Children's Aid Societies (Toronto, ON)Nicole Bonnie has dedicated her professional life to creating sustainable change at the systemic level in children welfare. In 2019, she was named the first Black CEO in the history of Ontario Children's Aid Societies (OACAS) and in the province's child welfare sector. She has championed prevention strategies through community development and addressing service disparities to marginalized identities. In her role as the CEO at OACAS, Nicole oversees provincial child welfare initiatives and remains committed to equity integration at all levels of provincial work, including education and training, policies, governance, service excellence, and research and data. Nicole continues to be a strong advocate and champion of marginalized communities and works to centre their voice and needs in government relations and legislative initiatives.
- Dylan Cohen, Facilitator and Community Organizer; Past Campaign Organizer, Fostering Change (Vancouver, BC)
Dylan is a Jewish and Red River Métis organizer, advocate, and former youth in care. Dylan's work stemmed from his lived experience in Manitoba's child welfare system, coupled with a passion for equity and justice for his peers. Before aging out, he founded 25not21, a provincial campaign in Manitoba to challenge child welfare policymakers. Soon after, Dylan moved to Vancouver and became the Fostering Change initiative's campaign organizer, weaving provincial work where hundreds of youth engaged with politicians and worked together for change. He successfully shifted the Fostering Change initiative from the project of a large community foundation to a grassroots, youth-led, political and capacity-training campaign to support young people leaving care. Dylan's vision and work is felt across British Columbia and Canada and he continues to push for change in the child welfare system. - Julie Despaties, Founder and Executive Director, Adopt4Life (Toronto, ON)
Julie's commitment to supporting permanency for children and youth in families grew from her own adoption journey. After she and her husband adopted a sibling group of three older children, Julie soon realized that adoptive families in Ontario would benefit from more resources, advocacy and community connections. In forming Adopt4Life – Ontario's association for kin, customary care and adoptive parents, she created a unified voice and invaluable peer network for adoptive parents and permanent caregivers. A change maker at heart, Julie has helped shape legislation designed to strengthen the child welfare system to better protect some of Ontario's most vulnerable young people. She has been a passionate advocate in the non-profit sector for more than 20 years. - Roberta L. Jamieson, O.C., I.P.C, LL.B, LL.D (Hon), President & CEO, Indspire (Ohsweken, ON)
Roberta is a Mohawk woman from the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory who has achieved many firsts in Canada. She was the first First Nation woman in Canada to earn a law degree; the first woman Ombudsman of Ontario; and the first woman elected Chief of the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory. Roberta firmly believes that education, role models and mentorship are the keys to creating systemic change in Indigenous communities. As President & CEO of Indspire, she has overseen an eightfold increase in the bursaries and scholarships awarded to Indigenous students. Since 2004, Indspire has distributed more than 42,500 scholarships and bursaries, valued at over $132 million to First Nations, Inuit and Métis students. Roberta has received 27 honorary degrees, earned numerous awards and is an Officer of the Order of Canada. - Dr. Jane Matheson, Former CEO, Wood's Homes (Calgary, AB)
Jane has over 45 years of experience in human service organizations, across government, non-profit and for profit organizations. As former CEO of Wood's Homes, a nationally recognized children's mental health centre, Jane committed herself to helping children and youth. She has been a trailblazer in establishing services to First Nations children and youth in urban and remote locations, designing leading-edge community and residential services, establishing a Research Department at Wood's Homes, and establishing the Wood's Homes Research Chair in Children's Mental Health, in partnership with the University of Calgary. Throughout her career, Jane has been steadfast and uncompromising in her quest to improve the lives of children and youth impacted by trauma, disadvantaged by poverty, and marginalized purely by circumstance.
Established in 2018, the award is named in honour of Lynn Factor, C.M., O.Ont, MSW, RSW, LL.D., a long-standing Children's Aid Foundation of Canada volunteer and a past Board Chair. A social worker by profession, Lynn has served for over 35 years on the frontlines of child welfare and has seen the damaging impact on children living under the weight of abuse, neglect and trauma. In recognition of Lynn's extraordinary commitment to Canada's most vulnerable children, Children's Aid Foundation of Canada and Lynn's husband, Sheldon Inwentash, named the Stand Up for Kids National Award in her honour.
The Lynn Factor Stand Up for Kids National Award is part of Children's Aid Foundation of Canada's Stand Up for Kids national campaign for child welfare, which is mobilizing Canadians who want to help change the future for Canada's most at-risk children and youth.
About Children's Aid Foundation of Canada
Children's Aid Foundation of Canada is our country's leading charity dedicated to improving the lives of children and youth involved with the child welfare system. We raise and grant funds, and deliver a wide range of high-impact programs and services in partnership with over 70 child-and youth-serving agency partners that support more than 19,300 vulnerable young people and 4,200 families annually. Stand Up for Kids is our national campaign for child welfare, which aims to change the futures of Canada's most at-risk kids – those who have experienced abuse and neglect. We know that by helping these young people to overcome their trauma and break the cycle for future generations, they gain the strength and resilience to create a lifetime of their own unstoppable successes.
SOURCE Children's Aid Foundation of Canada
Lisa Lipkin, Lisa Lipkin Communications, [email protected], 416-988-4189
Share this article