Background Information on the Immigrant and Refugee NFF website and Request for Photos
What is NFF?
Neighbours, Friends and Families (NFF) is a province-wide public education campaign run by the Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women and Children, with support from the Ontario Women’s Directorate, to raise awareness of the signs of woman abuse so that those close to an at-risk woman or an abusive man can help.
Why the “Diverse Communities” focus of the NFF project?
The NFF campaign has been running successfully for several years in the mainstream, and subsequently, Aboriginal communities in the province. However, it has not made inroads in immigrant, culturally-diverse or faith-based communities. With OCASI’s support, NFF hopes to reach these communities. To promote the NFF campaign effectively, NFF staff want to work collaboratively with community leaders who best understand their community’s needs. Each community has different experiences with woman abuse, and has its own unique features, risk factors and safety issues to be considered. We understand that women and their children face multiple barriers, in relation to their gender, culture, language, geographic location, class, ability, faith/spirituality, and immigration status when dealing with violence and accessing supports. As such, implementation of the Neighbours, Friends and Families campaign must be rooted in the specific needs and assets of each community.
The NFF Community of Practice Website: www.ImmigrantandRefugeeNFF.ca
OCASI (the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants) has also developed this community of Practice website which is geared towards continuing and expanding the discussions surrounding violence against immigrant and refugee women. This is a platform where individuals participating in a Neighbours, Friends and Families program can engage with each other by sharing knowledge and expertise.
Why We Want to Share Artwork
We believe that artwork in its various forms has the ability to impact diverse communities. As the website and the NFF project are both geared towards increasing the awareness of violence against women within the Immigrant and Refugee Communities we are seeking permission to use artwork in the monthly newsletter (produced for the website) and subsequently on the website. Additionally, we would like to feature artwork geared towards female empowerment, triumph and community development.
The Types of Artwork Requested
As the content will be posted electronically (Website and Newsletter) we are asking for digital copies of paintings, drawings, graphic designs, photography and videos. Additionally, to inform our readers about the artists behind the work we also encourage artists to include biographical and other description information along with their submitted works. This may also include a link to their website, twitter account etc.
Categories: Advocacy, Call for Artists, Call for Submissions, Community Engagement, Networking
