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Archive for June, 2013

Volunteer at Nellie’s!

Posted on: June 28th, 2013 by Nellie's No Comments

We are currently recruiting for the following volunteer positions:

1) Administration Volunteer: Nellie’s Administration Office is encouraging applications for one-year term Administration Volunteers to help with administrative work.  Job duties include general admin. support ie: copying, typing, etc.  We are looking for enthusiastic applications from women with basic computer & communication skills who are willing to donate a minimum of 4 hours a week during office hours between 9am-5pm.  Please download the Volunteer Application Form here and specify “Administration Volunteer.” Selected applicants will be contacted in early August for an interview.  A police check is required.  Mandatory orientation for all volunteers will take place on August 28 & 29 from 6-9pm.  Applications for 2013/14 close July 31.

2) Program Volunteer: Nellie’s Community Support & Outreach (CSO) Team is encouraging applications for one-year term Program Volunteers.  Duties include helping out at our programs  every Wednesday or Thursday morning from 10-noon, translating program materials to a group of Cantonese/Mandarin speaking clients, preparing snacks, making coffee/tea, tidying up service areas, cleaning the kitchen cupboards, etc.   We are looking for enthusiastic applications from women who can speak fluent English & either Cantonese or Mandarin, and are willing to donate a minimum of 2-4 hours on every Wednesday of Thursday morning.  Please download the Volunteer Application Form here and specify “Chinese Speaking Volunteer.”  Selected applicants will be contacted in early August for an interview.  A police check is required.  Mandatory orientation for all volunteers will take place on August 28 & 29 from 6-9pm.  Applications for 2013/14 close July 31.

3) Housekeeping Volunteer: Nellie’s women shelter is encouraging applications for one-year term Housekeeping Volunteers. This position includes physical activities such as lifting.  Job duties include tidying up service areas, washing floors, washing dishes, cleaning the kitchen cupboards, microwave, fridge, screening donations etc.  We are looking for enthusiastic applications from women who are willing to donate a minimum of 4-8 hours a week during office hours.  Please download the Volunteer Application Form here and specify “Housekeeping Volunteer.”   Selected applicants will be contacted in early August for an interview.  A police check is required.  Mandatory orientation for all volunteers will take place on August 28 & 29 from 6-9pm.  Applications for 2013/14 close July 31.

4) Accessibility Advisory Committee Member: Nellie’s Shelter is committed to the eradication of the various forms of oppression that women and children experience such as violence, poverty and homelessness. We encourage women with disAbilities to apply for this position.

The Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC) was arranged to review and provide recommendations to ensure accessibility for women with disabilities and Deaf women within Nellie’s and the broader community. The AAC, like the wider organization, is committed to working from a feminist, anti-racist, anti-oppressive perspective.  We are committed to ensuring our services and practices meet the needs of women and children who are marginalized by racism, homophobia, transphobia and ableism.  The AAC committee plans to look at and review policies and practices throughout the organization and beyond to ensure great accessibility for all women.

The AAC has been very active over the last year, including the development of a written position paper on Women and Accessibility.  As part of our work plan we will be developing an annual accessibility plan and make necessary recommendations to the board.  The plan and recommendations will address the pro-active identification of and the removal and prevention of barriers to women with disabilities and or Deaf women in the following areas; policies, programs, practices and services, employment opportunities, physical staff and professional development.  Additionally we will explore and discuss current issues and trends relating to accessibility for women with disabilities and Deaf women and provide an opportunity for staff consultation and feedback on issues of accessibility relating to women with disabilities and Deaf women.

These are just a few examples of some of the exciting work that the committee is engaged in! If this sounds like something you would be interested in participating in, we invite you to submit an application to join our committee and work toward equity and a life free from oppression for all women and children.

Please download the Board/Board Committee Application Form here and email it to janna@nellies.org along with your resume.  Selected applicants will be contacted in early August for an interview.  A police check is required.  Mandatory orientation for all volunteers will take place on August 28 & 29 from 6-9pm.  Applications for 2013/14 close July 31.

5) Social Justice Committee Member: Nellie’s Shelter is committed to the eradication of the various forms of oppression that women and children experience such as violence, poverty and homelessness.  Currently we are encouraging applications for one-year term Volunteer Social Justice Committee Members.  The purpose of this committee is to develop annual social justice priorities and develop organizational positions on issues; to respond to emerging social justice issues impacting on women and children in the media; and to ensure that the principles of feminism, anti-racism and anti-oppression are consistently reflected and active in the entire organization.

If you are interested in the Social Justice Committee, please download the Board/Board Committee Application Form here and specify “Volunteer Board Committee Member.”  Selected applicants will be contacted in early August for an interview.  A police check is required.  Mandatory orientation for all volunteers will take place on August 28 & 29 from 6-9pm.  Applications for 2013/14 close July 31.

6) Health and Safety Student Placement:  Nellie’s operates a 36-bed emergency shelter for women and children who are homeless and leaving violence.  Currently we are encouraging volunteer applications from female students who are studying Home Inspection Program or House Health & Safety Certificate. This is a one-year term Volunteer position, your supervisor is our House Coordinator. Physical support is required.

Learning opportunities include:

1)    Develop internal maintenance plans to ensure the shelter conforms to the existing fire, health & safety regulations.

2)    Inform House Coordinator/Program Manager of any violation of health & safety or any mechanical breakdown or maintenance needs as they relate to the shelter, and arranges for minor repairs.

3)    Oversee waste management and recycling.

4)    Maintain/update maintenance record binders and Health & Safety Binder.

5)    Help carry out monthly fire drills.

6)    Facilitate weekly room checks.

7)    Complete monthly shelter inspections and provides regular reports.

8)    Actively participate on the Health & safety committee.

9)    Organize and facilitate regular inspections with Public Health, Fire Department etc.

10) Other tasks as assigned.

We are looking for enthusiastic applications from female students who are willing to donate a minimum of 4-8 hours a week during office hours.  Please send your resume and cover letter to janna@nellies.org.  Visit www.nellies.org for more information about Nellie’s.  If you are selected, you will receive a phone call for an interview in early August.  A police check is required.  A mandatory orientation for all volunteers will take place August 28 & 29 from 6-9pm. Deadline for applications is August 2, 2013. 

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

Posted on: June 14th, 2013 by Nellie's No Comments

June 15th is the annual World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, organized by the United Nations’ World Health Organization. As with other forms of violence, elder abuse is not always visible at first glance, and has many permutations. Carol’s Story will highlight its complexity.

Carol is an older woman who arrived at Nellie’s a couple of months ago. She was transferred to us from another shelter outside of the city because they “did not have the capacity to support her”. Carol had a stroke 26 years ago and has had mobility challenges ever since. She is able to move around on her own, but stairs, streetcars and laundry are somewhat problematic. She is a very independent woman with a very independent spirit but has faced a series of interlocking systems of oppression and multiple experiences of violence, which have created barriers to the life in which she wants to and deserves to live.

ElderlyHands-250x250The first few days at Nellie’s were a medical challenge for her and she ended up in emergency. Diagnosed with epilepsy many years ago, this was something that Carol learned to deal with on her own. One of the major barriers that Carol faced is access to centralized health care. Although she has an OHIP card, unlike many other older women at Nellie’s, healthcare was a challenge. Carol had acquired a series of different medications from various clinics that she had visited after different pains, falls and seizures. Upon closer investigation, some of the medications prescribed were actually duplicates, ordered by different doctors.

During a counselling session, Carol disclosed that the doctors in her old town had told her that she “might not see Christmas”. This was a shock to us all. We contacted her previous doctor, organized her health records and had them sent to a new doctor in Toronto. This was a greater challenge than it should have been, but we were able to accomplish it as a team. Also, after experiencing bladder cancer a number of years ago, Carol was due to have bladder surgery. However, she was unable to follow through with it until she got housing, as she wanted to recover from the surgery in her own home and not the shelter.

Housing was another challenge. With the support of her housing counsellor at Nellie’s Community Support and Outreach Office, Carol was finally able to move into her own apartment. However, after living at her new place for less than a week, the staff there asked her to leave because they “did not have the capacity to support her”. As an older woman with severe health care needs and a mobility disability, there are very few places where she can live and call home. Carol is a strong woman and able to stand up for herself. As of now, the housing and outreach counsellors at Nellie’s continue to advocate for her, as she stands up to a series of ongoing challenges. Strong, she continues to march on.

To learn more, visit the UN World Elder Abuse Awareness Day page.

To learn about what you can do to work towards ending elder abuse, contact:

Advocacy Centre for the Elderly

The Ontario Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse

 

Relaxing with Yoga

Posted on: June 6th, 2013 by Nellie's No Comments

Yoga is more than postures and flexibility. The traditional purpose of yoga has always been to bring about profound transformation in those who practice. This week at Nellie’s, the women from the Community Support and Outreach Office enjoyed an amazing yoga class with instructor Marisa Mercanti. Marisa will be coming to our office twice a month to work with the women.

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Here are some quotes from the women: “It feels just right. We would like to have yoga everyday.”

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“No matter the language, culture, or age, yoga is for everyone!”

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“I don’t feel old while I was doing yoga.”