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U of L researcher to play key role in national homelessness initiative

trevor.kenney — Thu, 11 Jul 2013 16:40:30 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researcher Dr. Yale Belanger will play a key role in a national initiative that will gather information on the state of homelessness in Canada and will disseminate that knowledge to front-line providers.

The Canadian Observatory on Homelessness was recently created through a $2.5 million investment from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, which promotes and assists research and scholarship in the social sciences and humanities.

The Observatory's work will be particularly relevant in Alberta, as recent province-wide flooding may increase the number of individuals who could be homeless.

"Homelessness remains a massive national issue, even though communities across the country have made great strides in reducing the number of people experiencing homelessness," said Belanger, a researcher/professor in Native American Studies and the Faculty of Health Sciences. "We know that homelessness is usually the result of the cumulative impact of a number of factors, rather than a single cause."

Belanger said individual challenges or a traumatic event like flooding, compounded by structural factors like income, affordable housing and discrimination, or failures in a system designed to help vulnerable people, can render people homeless.

In Canada approximately 200,000 people are homeless each year, and about 30,000 people homeless on any given night.

In Calgary, there were more than 3100 people counted in January 2012 as part of a homeless person census, according to recent data published in "The State of Homelessness in Canada." A web link attached to full report is included, below.

Counts taken in October, 2012 showed Edmonton recording more than 2100, Red Deer nearly 280 while Lethbridge recorded 99 individuals.

Belanger added that Aboriginal people are particularly at risk, as are low-income workers and, increasingly, families.

Belanger said one of the key goals of the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness group is to work as a team to devise best practices that can be housed in the Observatory for use by anyone – researchers, community organizations and policymakers.

"More than 25 researchers are involved, plus many more local, provincial and national advocacy groups and support networks, so we feel quite confident about being able to gather a large amount of information quickly, and which we know everyone can share."

The group won't be simply researching the topic – Belanger said they will be on the ground, translating research into action wherever possible.

"We are expected to participate to help people create response and prevention strategies. I am very pleased to be working with the City of Lethbridge and other agencies in our community and the province."

"Though efforts like Social Housing in Action and the Vibrant Lethbridge Poverty Reduction Strategy group, our community is working really hard to put in place effective systems to reduce homelessness, as are similar groups in Calgary and Edmonton."

The Canadian Observatory on Homelessness is housed at York ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and is led by Dr. Stephen Gaetz, professor and Associate Dean, Education. Gaetz was recently in Lethbridge as a keynote speaker at a two-day conference on homelessness issues.

A copy of "The State of Homelessness in Canada" is available at these websites:

http://www.homelessresearch.ca/
http://www.homelesshub.ca/

Mahon to take part in Jail N' Bail

trevor.kenney — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 18:16:50 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge President Mike Mahon will be carted off to 'prison' January 18, 2013 for charges which relate to taking his zeal for campus fitness to extremes -- providing a fleet-footed team of law enforcement officials can catch him.

The less gruesome details of Mahon's charges, which can be revealed prior to his court date (now confirmed as January 18) involve:

- Imposing an exercise plan for all Deans and senior managers which one source said was literally heart-breaking: Until people 'shape up', desks have been replaced with treadmills.

- Turning the annual "Fun Run" into a three-day ordeal where participants followed the Oldman River valley from Lethbridge to Pincher Creek. It was described by the few delusional, gasping participants found by search and rescue teams as "…bad." Mahon is reported to have paddled upstream in a canoe, shouting what he believed were words of encouragement at the runners through a large bull-horn: "You are Pronghorns! Pronghorns run fast! Don't look at the rocks!"

- Demanding that the grounds staff use shovels to clear parking lot snowfall, citing the extra boost in cardio-vascular benefits, and on-the-job injury management training for Health Sciences Nursing students.

- Increasing the pace of the convocation March up the hill by chasing the procession with a street-sweeper and a team of students wielding leaf-blowers, even on windy days.

Mahon is vigorously denying the charges and, when approached by a horde of reporters, ran briskly into the coulees.

He has not been seen since.

He will face a jury of his community peers at the Canadian Cancer Society's Jail-n-Bail event, which takes place January 17-18 at Centre Village Mall.

To support Mike, please click on this web link:

http://convio.cancer.ca/site/TR?fr_id=13112&pg=entry

For additional information, please visit this website:

http://www.cancer.ca/Alberta-NWT/How%20you%20can%20help/AB-Fundraising%20activities/AB-Jail-N-Bail.aspx?sc_lang=en

Spring convocation set for Thursday and Friday

trevor.kenney — Wed, 30 May 2012 15:58:37 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge 2012 Spring Convocation ceremonies take place Thursday, May 31 and Friday, June 1 in the 1st Choice Savings Centre for Sport and Wellness.

Approximately 1,500 people are eligible to graduate, and this year more than 1,100 graduands will attend four ceremonies over a two-day period.

Ceremonies are free and open to the public, starting at 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. each day.

A complete checklist for grads and families is available at this website: http://www.uleth.ca/ross/convocation/spring2012.html

Convocation ceremonies will be streamed online. Each year, hundreds of people tune in world-wide to watch friends and family members graduate.

The web link will be live about 10 minutes prior to the start of each ceremony: http://www.uleth.ca/convocation

U of L celebrates Fall 2011 Convocation

trevor.kenney — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 20:05:04 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Fall 2011 Convocation ceremony takes place Saturday, Oct. 15 in the 1st Choice Savings Centre for Sport and Wellness, beginning at 10 a.m.

Among the honoured guests at this ceremony are the 358 graduands eligible to convocate, along with Honorary Degree recipients George Gemer and Dr. John Kloppenburg and Alumnus of the Year Michael Miltenberger. Admission is free and the public is welcome to attend.

Convocation will be streamed live on the internet for those not able to attend the ceremony. View a live webcast of all convocation ceremonies by following this link to the Convocation website. The web link is live approximately 10 minutes prior to the ceremony.

Following are brief biographies of our special honourees.

Dr. George Gemer, Doctor of Laws, honoris causa

A well-known Lethbridge track and field and fencing coach, Gemer is also an author and survivor of Second World War prisoner of war camps who fled Hungary for Canada in 1956. Gemer has coached and officiated at the Olympics, Commonwealth Games and other world-class sporting events while retaining close ties to the Hungarian community in Lethbridge and beyond.

Read George Gemer's full Honorary Degree citation at this website.

Dr. John Kloppenborg, Doctor of Arts, honoris causa

A ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge graduate (BA '74), he is a professor and Chair at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Toronto's Department and Centre for the Study of Religion. Kloppenborg is well-known as a researcher of the origins and sources of early Christian texts such as the Q document, a lost book of the New Testament.

Read Dr Kloppenborg's full Honorary Degree citation at this website.

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AWARDS DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS OF THE YEAR HONOUR

Michael Miltenberger, (BA '75) Alumnus of the Year

J. Michael Miltenberger is the MLA for Thebacha, NWT, Deputy Premier and environmental advocate. He has been described as a northern visionary and a protector of northern values. His clear and thought-provoking approach has significantly impacted a variety of projects in areas ranging from health services to wildlife and endangered species.

Read Michael Miltenberger's complete Distinguished Alumnus of the Year citation at this website.

First MMus graduate -- Acacia Doktorchik (BMus '09 distinction, MMus '11)

The U of L will also welcome the first graduate of a Master of Music program. Acacia Doktorchik has performed as a soprano soloist in Handel's Messiah and Bach's Magnificat with the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra, as well as being an accomplished pianist, cellist, and Celtic and Highland Dancer. She is currently teaching in Medicine Hat, Alta.

Read more about Acacia at this website.

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