Community Champions - Training Event Contribution

The Training Event Contribution Call for Proposals in now CLOSED.


      TOGETHER, WE CAN

• Help seniors to know their rights and protect their safety.
• Help neighbours, friends, and family members to recognize the
  warning signs of abuse and to offer support—safely and respectfully.

In recognition the 8th annual Nova Scotia Senior Abuse Awareness Day and the 7th World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on June 15, 2012, the Nova Scotia Department of Seniors is pleased to launch Understanding Senior Abuse: A toolkit for champions.

The Department of Seniors worked with various organizations and community members across Nova Scotia to develop this toolkit. The purpose of the toolkit is to help community champions across Nova Scotia understand and prevent senior abuse. We call it a toolkit because it is packed with tools champions can use to make their communities safer, more respectful places for older adults.

Community champions are people in the community who take on an issue or project and are fearless in raising awareness and support for it. In this case, the issue is senior abuse awareness and prevention. To get the toolkit into the hands of community champions, we are offering community groups a small contribution to host a training session for community champions in their region (or county).

What is the Training Event Contribution ?
The contribution is a financial grant for community groups to host a train session for Understanding Senior Abuse: A toolkit for champions . The Department of Seniors will provide the trainer for the session and the community group will be responsible to recruit local champions, provide a place and refreshments for the training. Once trained, community champions will offer awareness sessions around their region to increase knowledge of senior abuse, the signs and symptoms as well as resources for help. These sessions will get people talking about abuse of older people and promote respect for seniors. We expect that having community champions around the province will bring this issue out into the open and ultimately help prevent senior abuse from occurring.

How much can we apply for?
Your community group can apply for up to $250 to support the costs associated with offering the training session (facility rental, refreshments, etc.). In your application, we do not expect a detailed budget. We would just like to know what kinds of things you will spend the money on. You will also not have to submit receipts after your awareness activity.

What else can the Department of Seniors offer?
We will provide the trainer to conduct the training session, as well as a toolkit for each Community Champion.

Who can apply for a contribution?

• Any registered non-profit organization can apply.
• Before submitting your application, you must identify at least 10, but no more than 12 community champions from throughout your region (or county). Each champion must be willing to offer at least one information session within 6 months of being training (Offering sessions in pairs is recommended).
• You must also be willing to host the training session between October 1, 2012 and March 31, 2013 (depending on the availability of the department of Seniors' trainer).
• You are also encouraged to work with other community groups in planning for the event and recruiting community champions.

When is the deadline to apply?
We will accept applications until the end of day on December 31st, 2012.

What does the application review involve?
A small team of people will review each application. The team will look at:

• Regional representation of community champions
• Number of community champions identified
• Appropriateness of the proposed facility
• Your organizations ability to support volunteer champions after the training is completed

NOTE: If more than one application is received from a region, organizations may be asked to coordinate or join their events.

When will we know if we will be getting a contribution?
Successful applicants will be notified by February 2013 and will be requested to book their training event at that time.

Supporting Materials
Review or download Understanding Senior Abuse: A toolkit for community champions at www.novascotia.ca/seniors/stopabuse

For More Information
If you have any questions, please call 424-0065 or toll-free at 1-800-670-0065 or e-mail seniors@gov.ns.ca