Presenters:

Erin Whitmore, Executive Director, Ending Violence Association (EVA) of Canada

Kathryn Bates-Khan, Project Manager, Gender-Based Violence Project, YMCA of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth

Valérie Auger-Voyer, Strategic Engagement Coordinator EVA Canada

Maria Alvarado, Counselor, Elmwood Community Resource Centre

Nina Condo, Executive Director, Elmwood Community Resource Centre

Margarita Pintin-Perez, Senior Coordinator, End Gender-Based Violence, OCASI

Date: February 8th, 2022

Description

This webinar will talk about how four organizations, with funding from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, built a national strategy to develop a shared base of knowledge between the settlement and anti-violence sectors. By building on current expertise, knowledge, and resources in the anti-violence and settlement sectors, this coordinated effort recognizes the reality that newcomers and refugees continue to experience structural barriers to accessing support. The goal of the national strategy is to increase our ability to respond to gender-based violence in the settlement and anti-violence sectors in our programs and services for newcomer, immigrant, and refugee communities.

Presenter biographies

Erin Whitmore is the Executive Director of Ending Violence Association of Canada, a national organization focused on addressing and responding to gender-based violence. Prior to this role, Erin was a Senior Researcher for the National Inquiry into Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls. She also worked for a number of years in community-based sexual assault response in Fredericton, New Brunswick.

Kathryn Bates-Khan is a Project Manager for the Gender-Based Violence Settlement Sector Strategy Partnership. Kathryn has led multiple programs over the last 20 years for immigrant children and youth at YMCA of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth, Centre for Immigrant Programs.

Valérie Auger-Voyer is a Strategic Engagement Coordinator at EVA Canada. Valérie has over five years experience working as a counselor for women who experienced violence.

Maria Alvarado is a Counselor at Elmwood Community Resource Centre with four years of experience specializing in gender-based violence prevention and sexual and reproductive health for female-identifying individuals. Maria’s personal immigration journey guides the strengths-based approach that she uses to support newcomer individuals and families in these areas.

Nina Condo is the Executive Director of Elmwood Community Resource Centre and a Board Director for MANSO. Nina worked within the gender-based violence prevention sector supporting families experiencing domestic violence..

Margarita Pintin-Perez is the Senior Coordinator for the Initiative to End Gender-Based Violence at OCASI. Margarita’s work is focused on building leadership capacity to address gender-based violence against non-status, refugee, and immigrant women.