>2008 Representative’s Awards of Excellence Recipients
Fred Ford - Advocacy Award of Excellence
For over 30 years, Fred Ford has demonstrated an unwavering dedication in his professional life, plus contributed countless volunteer hours, to improving the lives of children and youth, and the organizations that support them. Fred has been a key driver in building relationships between the non-profit sector, government and communities to increase supports available to vulnerable children in B.C., and communicating the need to take action as a community on child sexual abuse issues.
He is also a strong advocate for people with developmental disabilities, particularly those who were institutionalized and abused as children. His work with the BC Self Advocacy Foundation was critical in creating the Institutional Legacy Trust Fund.
Fred has led numerous influential campaigns to raise awareness and funding for Vancouver Island service agencies delivering the Sexual Abuse and Intervention Program (SAIP). His advocacy on behalf of sexually abused children has helped boost support for counseling programs across the province.
For eight years as Executive Director, Fred provided thoughtful and energetic leadership to the Mary Manning Centre in Victoria. Year after year, when funding issues challenged the Centre’s ability to provide the timely services sexually traumatized children and youth require, Fred wore the Centre’s cause on his sleeve. He helped to inspire the public, resulting in countless petitions signed and letters-to-editors written. He also inspired organizations, who donated services and capital. Throughout all challenges, Fred has remained focused on the rights of children and youth to rehabilitation.
Fred is now an instructor at the University of Victoria specializing in Disability Studies, and an independent consultant and advocate.
Quotes from Nomination Letters:
“Fred continues to make a difference in the lives of children and adults every day and we know he leaves the world a better place because of his many thoughtful contributions.”
“As a result of Fred’s continued efforts to make the issue of under-funding of the SAIP programs a priority, in 2008 MCFD increased the budget to provincially-funded SAIP programs by 50%. … Your dedication on this issue, Fred, has improved the lives of children, youth and their families who experience sexual abuse, not only at our Centre, but across the Province.”
“Mr. Ford’s visionary leadership has nurtured the creation of a new concept for service integration in BC - the development of initial plans that would see law enforcement, justice, child protection and intake workers collaborating within one agency to provide seamless specialty services to abused children in the region.”
“He has distinguished himself by ‘doing the right thing’ and has not wavered in his commitment to serve and advocate for people with vulnerabilities, most notably people with developmental disabilities and children and youth who have been abused.”
Fred Ford - Advocacy Award of Excellence
For over 30 years, Fred Ford has demonstrated an unwavering dedication in his professional life, plus contributed countless volunteer hours, to improving the lives of children and youth, and the organizations that support them. Fred has been a key driver in building relationships between the non-profit sector, government and communities to increase supports available to vulnerable children in B.C., and communicating the need to take action as a community on child sexual abuse issues.
He is also a strong advocate for people with developmental disabilities, particularly those who were institutionalized and abused as children. His work with the BC Self Advocacy Foundation was critical in creating the Institutional Legacy Trust Fund.
Fred has led numerous influential campaigns to raise awareness and funding for Vancouver Island service agencies delivering the Sexual Abuse and Intervention Program (SAIP). His advocacy on behalf of sexually abused children has helped boost support for counseling programs across the province.
For eight years as Executive Director, Fred provided thoughtful and energetic leadership to the Mary Manning Centre in Victoria. Year after year, when funding issues challenged the Centre’s ability to provide the timely services sexually traumatized children and youth require, Fred wore the Centre’s cause on his sleeve. He helped to inspire the public, resulting in countless petitions signed and letters-to-editors written. He also inspired organizations, who donated services and capital. Throughout all challenges, Fred has remained focused on the rights of children and youth to rehabilitation.
Fred is now an instructor at the University of Victoria specializing in Disability Studies, and an independent consultant and advocate.
Quotes from Nomination Letters:
“Fred continues to make a difference in the lives of children and adults every day and we know he leaves the world a better place because of his many thoughtful contributions.”
“As a result of Fred’s continued efforts to make the issue of under-funding of the SAIP programs a priority, in 2008 MCFD increased the budget to provincially-funded SAIP programs by 50%. … Your dedication on this issue, Fred, has improved the lives of children, youth and their families who experience sexual abuse, not only at our Centre, but across the Province.”
“Mr. Ford’s visionary leadership has nurtured the creation of a new concept for service integration in BC - the development of initial plans that would see law enforcement, justice, child protection and intake workers collaborating within one agency to provide seamless specialty services to abused children in the region.”
“He has distinguished himself by ‘doing the right thing’ and has not wavered in his commitment to serve and advocate for people with vulnerabilities, most notably people with developmental disabilities and children and youth who have been abused.”
Comments
Well done man.
Take Care All,
Colleen
I would like to say that I am neither as good a person nor as bad a golfer as these posts suggest.
It was a real honour for me to receive this award. It was an acknowledgment of the whole community getting behind an important issue (the need for kids who experience sexual abuse to get immediate treatment - apparently a revolutionary idea in BC!!).
Thanks,
Fred