TORONTO, November 18, 2011 − York University Professor Debra Pepler, an internationally-respected expert on bullying, will translate scientific facts about violence into practical prevention strategies for parents and others, through a $1.6 million initiative announced today by the Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE).
Pepler and Queen’s University Professor Wendy Craig, who are scientific co-directors of the Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Violence Network (PREVNet), will work with partners on ten projects designed to bridge the substantial gap between scientific knowledge about violence prevention and practice in the community. PREVNet’s proposal is one of three selected for funding through NCE’s 2011 Knowledge Mobilization initiative.
“Research findings about violence prevention are not getting to adults involved in children’s lives, such as parents, teachers, and recreation leaders. Young people also need this knowledge to prevent violence and promote healthy relationships,” said Pepler, a Distinguished Research Professor in York’s Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health. “By working intensively with ten key partners we will be able to translate research into practice that is relevant to the everyday experiences of those working with children and youth across Canada.”
PREVNet will work with partners on both new and long-established projects to provide adults and youths with strategies and tools to prevent violence and promote healthy relationships. They include: working with the Public Health Agency of Canada on its Canadian Best Practices Portal, to enhance a violence prevention stream with tools and information about evidence-based programs; populating the Hospital for Sick Children’s “AboutKidsHealth" web site with strategies for parents to promote their children’s social-emotional development; and a new initiative with UNICEF Canada to transform school learning environments with a consistent, rights-respecting approach.
Some of the programs will focus on underserviced communities, said Pepler: for example, PREVNet will work with the Canadian Red Cross on its long-established “Walking the Prevention Circle” program for Aboriginal communities, providing training and other support to prevent violence and promote healing.
“It mobilizes Aboriginal communities to understand the history of violence they have experienced, and move forward to transform their communities so they are able to promote healthy relationships for children and youth,” says Pepler.
PREVNet will also work with the Rock Solid Foundation on its “Walk Away, Ignore It, Talk It Out, Seek Help" (WITS) program designed to help young children make safe choices when faced with threats or aggressive behaviour. This program is currently being extended to underserviced rural and remote communities. With this project, PREVNet will collaborate to develop tools to support WITS dissemination.
NCE funding for the projects will be spread over four years. Strategies, tools and materials developed with partners on the 10 projects will be disseminated widely with the help of 40 other youth-serving organizations that are also partners within PREVNet.
PREVNet (Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Violence) is an umbrella network of 58 leading Canadian research scientists and 50 national youth-serving organizations. Launched in 2006 as a New Initiative of the Networks of Centres of Excellence, PREVNet’s mission is to stop bullying in Canada and to promote safe and healthy relationships for all Canadian children and youth. Led by Scientific Co-directors, Dr. Debra Pepler of York University and Dr. Wendy Craig of Queen’s University, this national network is the first of its kind in Canada, providing an unprecedented national opportunity for social-cultural change.
York University is the leading interdisciplinary research and teaching university in Canada. York offers a modern, academic experience at the undergraduate and graduate level in Toronto, Canada’s most international city. The third largest university in the country, York is host to a dynamic academic community of 55,000 students and 7,000 faculty and staff, as well as 240,000 alumni worldwide. York’s 10 Faculties and 28 research centres conduct ambitious, groundbreaking research that is interdisciplinary, cutting across traditional academic boundaries. This distinctive and collaborative approach is preparing students for the future and bringing fresh insights and solutions to real-world challenges. York University is an autonomous, not-for-profit corporation.
Media Contact:
Janice Walls, Media Relations, York University, 416 736 2100 x22101 / wallsj@yorku.ca