Fiona Lewis Consulting

Did you know: About 1 in 4 women in Canada lived with a disability, and, in the provinces in 2018, about 40% of women living with a disability said that they we...re sexually assaulted at some point since age 15. That is about 1.5X times higher than women without a disability. On the International Day of Disabled Persons, let’s stand up and support persons with disabilities, to end #GBV. http://ow.ly/jQrO50CzZff #16Days #IDPD

www.fionalewis.ca/blog/coping-with-the-pandemic

The Seniors Advocate's report on the visitation policy in care facilities is a heartbreaking read but her recommendations seem relatively easy to implement. Check it out here: https://www.seniorsadvocatebc.ca//staying-apart-to-stay-s/

It's small business week in B.C. and I am thinking of all the small businesses I work with or purchase from. Need a recommendation? Please ask.

A sad but important read on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Canada is a rich country and must do better.

Easily digestible tips on having difficult conversations: https://www.catalyst.org//overcoming-conversation-roadblo/

Email I sent to my MP today: Dear Mr. Wilkinson As one of your constituents and a registered social worker, I am writing to express my extreme disappointment to hear that your government has delayed its response to the recommendations in the report of the MMIWG Inquiry. As you know, this report was published a year ago and is substantially concerned with the lack of action of all levels of government to the violence committed against Indigenous women and girls. To delay you...r response, regardless of the reason, reinforces the message that our society and our leaders do not care about these women and girls. It is a heart-breaking message to send to a community that has already endured so much hardship, pain and callous disregard. I implore you to speak up and urge your government to produce its action plan immediately. It is only when a cohesive plan is developed and implemented that we will see the changes that are so desperately needed. Thank you See more

This is a neat service people may not know about.

I created a short video for social work students talking about my real world experiences doing research and got this nice thank-you note in the mail today.

https://fionalewis.ca//small-investments-can-have-a-big-p/

Here’s one of the issues that should have come up in the federal election campaign but hasn’t so far. https://www.coastreporter.net//study-explores-impact-of-is

This is where I’ll be today. Drop by and say Hi!

Canada's homeless population is essentially a diverse group of people with untreated medical conditions, be it mental illness, PTSD, addiction or other disabilities. If we could all see them through this lens, there would be a sea change in our response.

Love this quote that I read today: "What people need is a good listening to." Mary Lou Casey

Tomorrow is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Elder Abuse exists in both developed and underdeveloped countries and is typically underreported. Learn more at: www.bccrns.ca

I recently did some work with a group of employees on handling workplace change. Lots of the change management literature is focussed on how leaders manage change but I think it is just as important to give employees the knowledge and tools to analyze and manage their own responses to workplace change. Useful for your personal life, too!

Our Outreach Workers are here to help you access the Mental Health Services available in our community rather it be through Vancouver Coastal Health, Employee A...ssistance Programs and/or through our Counselling Assistance Program. Our Counselling Assistance program allows low-income individuals/ families to see a clinical counselor on a sliding scale up to 6 sessions a year. Please give us a call to figure out which option might be best suited for you, 604-932-0113.

http://fionalewis.ca//volunteer-recognition-doesnt-need-t/

My web designer and I have made a few changes to my website. If you have a few minutes, please check it out and let me know what you think. www.fionalewis.ca Thanks!

On International Women's Day, I would like to honour all the senior women out there. Many of these women broke down gender barriers and paved the way for the rest of us, others had to live stoically with the limited life choices that society gave them. Today, some are subjected to jokes about blue hair and sagging breasts, others are taken advantage of by the very people they have spent years caring for. But they are resilient and some have fought back against their "invisibility" by relishing a new freedom to be who they really are. I honour them all and thank them for all the contributions they have made to our lives.

Some good strategies here. I especially like the one about creating meaning.

Love this. The freedom to take risks is important at any age. https://www.cbc.ca//national-seniors-long-term-care-home-i

Check out my latest blog post. http://fionalewis.ca/2019/01/28/kiss-at-work/

Heard today from a young women from rural China who was supported to do her university degrees by EGRC. Now all 4 of her sisters have completed university too!

This group raises funds for education of girls in rural China. I am looking forward to learning more about it next week. Join me!