RespectED receives prestigious Safe Communities award

On Thursday, May 12, the Canadian Red Cross RespectED program was presented with the Sean Kells Award for Community Safety in recognition of its national violence and abuse prevention program.

Pat Coursey, President of Safe Communities Foundation (SCF) presented the award to Marjory Gaouette, the Ontario Manager of RespectED.  

The Sean Kells Award for Community Safety was created in 2002 to recognize exceptional programs that are focused on injury prevention and have a wide impact on communities across Canada. Sean Kells was 19 when he was killed in a workplace explosion in 1994. His father, Paul Kells, founded the Safe Communities Foundation in response to this tragic workplace death. The goal of the Foundation and all participating Safe Communities is to eliminate injuries, while promoting a culture of safety across the country.

Coursey noted the RespectED program meets all the criteria of the award: leadership; a strong commitment to safety; sustainability; collaboration; a substantial volunteer component; and a community grassroots connection that reaches a large and diverse population.

“My son Sean’s death was preventable. The Sean Kells Community Safety Award reminds us that injury prevention is worth doing and benefits everyone in our community,“ says Paul Kells, Founder, SCF. “By breaking the cycle of abuse, neglect, harassment and interpersonal violence through prevention education, RespectED reduces the toll of intentional injuries on our young people and our communities. We are very proud to present the third Sean Kells Community Safety award to the Canadian Red Cross’s RespectED program.”

Every year in Canada, hundreds of young people suffer serious physical injuries or are killed, a majority by family members. The consequences of abuse, assault and bullying also include psychological trauma that can lead to depression, delinquency, self-harm, even suicide (over 3,500 hundred Canadians commit suicide annually). Tragically, when unimpeded, abuse and violence set off a cycle that passes the hurt from generation to generation.

“For us, this demonstrates an important acknowledgement that intentional injuries - those caused by abuse and violence - are not inevitable. These can be prevented through comprehensive prevention that includes education, risk-reduction policies and strong community programs,” said Marjory Gaouette. “The Red Cross shares the Safe Communities Foundation’s commitment to ensuring our communities are safe places to grow up in, and we are honoured to receive the prestigious Sean Kells award.”

Posted May 12, 2005