News Introducing Nicole Orji, Coordinator of Member Supports and Special Projects Introducing Nicole Orji, Coordinator of Member Supports and Special Projects Blueprint Project Update — January 2022 Greetings! My name is Nicole Orji, and I am the new Coordinator of Member Supports and Special Projects with ACWS, and I am thrilled to be a part of the Blueprint Project as the Project Manager. Please join us monthly for updates on the Enhancing Women-Centered Practice using Assessment Tools with Survivors of Domestic Violence (the Blueprint Project). Project members include: 1. Community Working Groups (CWGs) who represent geographic communities and, 2. Communities of Practice (CoP) which represent agencies and people “who share a concern or passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly.” The current CWGs are situated in Grande Prairie and Red Deer, with ongoing CoP development across the province. CoP Members share a desire to enhance client experiences when accessing domestic violence information and services. Members bring together best practices through coordination, information sharing and mutual respect to transform the individual experience of service access and system navigation. Acknowledging communities who experience disproportionate of rates of violence, the Blueprint Project looks to support the development of a 2SLGBTQ+, Indigenous and Immigrant, Newcomer and Refugee Communities of Practice. The CoP will investigate barriers and gaps to equitable services, creating a Blueprint for potential replication. The 3 CoP will unite people working to address violence, including prevention, responses, and support services with particular focus on domestic violence and gendered residential services. The CoP collaborate to identify and address gaps experienced by 2SLGBTQ+ people, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants, Newcomers and Refugees impacted by domestic violence, for the purpose of supporting safe and inclusive wraparound services. The CoP is open to all that share similar interests, goals, and objectives. Members may be affiliated with an organization or individuals with lived experience and wisdom to share.
