Thursday, September 29, 2022

How to observe tomorrow's National Day for Truth and Reconciliation at Waterloo

The University of Waterloo will observe the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Friday, September 30 to honour the lost children and Survivors of residential schools, their families and communities.  

Starting at 7:00 a.m., Elder Myeengun Henry, Indigenous Knowledge Keeper, Faculty of Health, will hold a sunrise ceremony. The morning will also include a walk around Ring Road at 10:30 a.m. followed by a feast, drumming and round dance. All events take place at the at the B.C. Matthews Hall Green. Everyone is invited and people are encouraged to bring their drums and their voices to the events. This event will take place rain or shine. Please dress for the occasion. 

Both  Vivek Goel, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Waterloo and Jean Becker, Associate Vice-President, Indigenous Relations are expected to give brief remarks at the event.  

“In the spirit of decolonizing our campus, and showing solidarity with Indigenous communities, we encourage everyone on campus to attend these events, “said Jean Becker, Associate Vice-President, Indigenous Relations. “We invite you to join us to help facilitate reflection on the tragic history and ongoing legacy of colonization and celebrate Indigenous courage.” 

“The series of events being held to observe National Day for Truth and Reconciliation are critical to relational and collective efforts to bring awareness to, honour, and implement Indigenous ways of knowing and doing,” said Vivek Goel, President and Vice-Chancellor. “We look forward to participating in these events together as a community, as we commemorate the continued strength, knowledge and excellence of Indigenous peoples, histories and cultures.”  

Understanding Indigenous history, developing an awareness of the damaging and intergenerational effects of the Indian Residential School System, and taking responsibility for learning the truth are vital components of the reconciliation process because it allows us all to understand how to move forward together. Please register to attend the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation events.  

Truth and Reconciliation in Higher Learning Institutions webinar 

The University of Waterloo will also host a Zoom webinar on Friday at 4:00 p.m., with keynote speaker Kevin Lamoureux, a faculty member at the University of Winnipeg and a well-known public speaker. He is an award-winning scholar, has written many academic articles, and has taught at several universities. He formerly served as AVP of Indigenous Affairs at the University of Winnipeg and Education Lead for the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. Kevin Lamoureux is expected to share his knowledge of truth and reconciliation and what that means to institutions of higher learning. Please register to attend the Truth and Reconciliation in Higher Learning Institutions webinar. 

Back to campus, 50 years later

A message from the Office of Advancement.

In August 1967, Rick Leroux (BSc ’72) could have been at Expo 67. His mother won tickets for the iconic Montreal event and offered them to Rick and his brother.

But Rick wasn’t at Expo 67. He was at training camp with the rest of the University of Waterloo football team. Looking back, training camp was worth it. Rick made life-long friends on that hot football field, and when classes began in September, he made even more. As an early graduate from Waterloo’s kinesiology program, Rick’s class was small and tight-knit. Every five years, they descend on Waterloo to reunite, visit their favourite student hangouts and cheer on the Warrior football team. On Saturday, October 1, Rick and his classmates will join the Alumni Black and Gold Day celebrations to mark their 50^th anniversary.

Read the full story

Register for Alumni Black and Gold Day

United Way Charity Spotlight: Family Counselling Centre of Cambridge and North Dumfries

Members of the Family Counselling Centre of Cambridge and North Dumfries (FCC).

By Emily Shim. This is the second article in a three-part series on the charities that the United Way supports.

What FCC does

The Family Counselling Centre of Cambridge and North Dumfries (FCC) was founded in 1940 to support families suffering the loss of loved ones due to World War II. A lot has changed since then, but the organization has maintained a steadfast commitment to providing flexible, person-centered services. Today, FCC is a mental health and addictions agency, which aims to provide a safe space where counselling and addictions services support the emotional well-being of the Cambridge and North Dumfries community.

To support mental health, FCC provides counselling with qualified clinicians for those who have experienced Violence Against Women (VAW), Ontario Disability Support Program recipients, and others through different health care referrals. They offer therapy for all ages and run the “Partner Assault Response Program” in Cambridge, working with domestic violence offenders to focus on certain issues such as anger management.

For addiction services, Executive Director, Cameron Dearlove, refers to the process as “community case management,” with a focus on those who are homeless or facing homelessness. Trained clinicians help clients plan their recovery journey, including access to detox programs around Ontario, including transportation to and from these programs. They also run two homes for those who have completed residential treatment because without these homes, many could land back in shelters which are not conducive to recovery. Residents learn valuable life skills through the Harvesting Hope social enterprise which involves making and selling goods like jams, pies, and tarts.

Beyond counselling and addiction services, FCC offers an educational mental health program called, “Taming the Dragon” - an in-school program which educates younger children about anxiety, how they can manage it, and how they can support their peers. They also offer community outreach in Ayr, including a lunch program focusing on seniors.

Challenges they face

Like many charitable organizations, there are many challenges facing FCC. “The demand has been growing - 2020 it started increasing, 2021 it increased more, and it's continuing because the effects of the pandemic are long-term,” explains Dearlove.

The Counselling Collaborative of Waterloo Region, of which FCC is part of, saw a 39 per cent increase in requests for counselling. Among that population, was an alarming 72% increase for youth counselling and a rapidly growing waiting list for mental health and addiction services. While the demand skyrockets, access to these supports becomes increasingly difficult. For example, virtual counselling requires access to technology which not everyone has, children are restricted from tactile therapy, and government funding is not matching the demand. Most employee benefits programs only cover a handful of counselling sessions.

Furthermore, the transition to working from home has resulted in many changes within the organization such as switching to virtual services, training staff on technology, a shift in team dynamics, and limited access to the community. As FCC continues to navigate a post-pandemic world, they are reimagining who they are as an organization, starting with a new name, “Porchlight Counselling and Addiction Services,” launching this October. The name Porchlight was chosen as it renders images of leaving a porchlight on for loved ones, being more representative of their mission.

Ways to get involved

FCC is always looking to expand their board of directors. “Their job is to govern the organization and make sure it's meeting its mission and moving towards our vision,” explains Dearlove. They are seeking people with a diversity of experiences and skillsets, especially those with lived experience.

How United Way Helps

 “The United Way is essential for many organizations in the community, particularly smaller organizations that don't have a large fundraising capacity” says Dearlove. It’s disruptive and time-consuming for FCC to start a new project every year to capture project-based funding, and it takes away from the important work they need to do. As a reliable and on-going funder, the United Way ensures that life-changing organizations like FCC have the resources they need to continue helping people on the endlessly growing waitlist.

To learn more about the Family Counselling Centre of Cambridge and North Dumfries (Porchlight Counselling and Addictions Services), and the variety of services they offer, visit their website.

Stay tuned for content about our campus United Way Campaign happening in October. To support the Family Counselling Centre and other important organizations in our community, donate today.

Ontario Universities' Fair set for this weekend

A message from Marketing and Undergraduate Recruitment (MUR).

The Ontario Universities’ Fair will be returning to an in-person event this year at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. This year’s event is a shortened one taking place over two days, October 1 and 2 from 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. each day.

We anticipate close to 100,000 guests at the event, many of whom will stop by the Waterloo booth to pick up brochures, share their contact information, or connect with Waterloo students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Over 400 Waterloo representatives will be in attendance in support of sharing information and experiences with prospective students. While there won’t be any presentations at this year’s event, the Ontario Universities’ Information Sessions will be offering opportunities for audiences to attend virtual presentations from all of Ontario’s universities throughout the fall.

Payday comes early and other notes

Today is a rare Thursday payday for those employees on the monthly pay cycle. Why, you may ask? Friday, September 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and is a statutory holiday for federally regulated workplaces, including Canadian banks which will be closed. With September 30 being the last Friday of the month, the standard payday, employees who are paid monthly will receive their pay one day early. 

The Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute at the University of Waterloo is hosting their 2022 Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute Annual Conference next week. The event will take place in-person at the University of Waterloo on the afternoon of October 6 and the morning of October 7. This event will highlight current and future efforts in two main themes within the cybersecurity and privacy sphere: Addressing the Cybersecurity & Privacy Talent Gap and Data Collection & Effective Public.

"We will feature keynote speakers, panel discussions (a panel on the National Cybersecurity Consortium is featured), and industry talks," says a note from the conference organizers. "This conference is open to undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, entrepreneurs, start-ups, government, sponsors, and businesses. Registration is free." Registration closes at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, September 30.

The 2022 Optometry Rack Pack team will again be participating in the 'CIBC Run for the Cure' virtual run on Sunday, October 2 to support the Canadian Cancer Society. "As a breast cancer graduate and the team captain, I know how important research is to find a cure," writes Marie Amodeo. "Since the team was started in 2013, we have raised over $100,000."  

"We are gratefully accepting donations to our team at Kitchener-Waterloo-Cambridge: Optometry Rack Pack - CIBC Run for the Cure (cancer.ca). Every amount makes an impact.  Together we can make breast cancer beatable!"

Waterloo International is seeking University of Waterloo faculty members interested in applying to participate in an Erasmus+ Teaching Mobility experience at the Middle East Technical University, in Ankara, Turkey. This opportunity involves funding to complete a 5-day experience for a faculty member to be taken before July 31, 2023, for the purposes of exchange and teaching.

Please visit Waterloo International’s Opportunities page for more information on the application process and selection criteria. The deadline to apply is October 10, 2022.