REMINDER: Common Experience Payment (CEP) application is due September 19, 2011!

If you are an Indian residential school survivor who wants to apply for the Common Experience Payment (CEP),  remember to do so by September 19, 2011.

To apply on your own behalf, you must complete a Common Experience Payment (CEP) application form.

For further information on how to apply for CEP see Reminder! Common Experience Payment deadline is September 19, 2011, posted by Legal Aid B.C. Additional information can be found on the Clicklaw site under compensation for abuse in residential schools.

For help with applications, you can also call the Indian Residential School Survivors’ Society at 1-800-721-0066, Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm.

Women’s Right To Be Safe

Women's Right To Be SafeThe Native Courtworker and Counselling Association of BC (NCCABC) has published a second book in their safety booklet series that is now available through Clicklaw.

Women’s Right To Be Safe is a booklet on staying safe in your community. Written for Aboriginal women of all ages, the booklet includes practical information on staying safe at home, at work, when travelling or even when using the internet. It also includes a list of resources where people can find more information and help regarding safety issues.

I met with Darlene Shackelly, NCCABC Executive Director, and asked her why they wrote the booklet. She explained,

“This guide was written in memory of all missing and murdered woman. All women regardless of their age or cultural background have the right to be safe. Children, young women, women who work and travel alone, and especially elders should have that knowledge to keep themselves informed. It is my wish that this resource guide provides that awareness.”

She added, “[The booklet] can be used to enhance your personal safety and can also be used as an opportunity to discuss the issue of violence against women.”

The Native Courtworker and Counselling Association of BC provides culturally appropriate services to Aboriginal people in BC. You can find their Native Courtworker locations on Clicklaw’s HelpMap. To order print copies of their booklet, contact the NCCABC directly.