Equity and Women's Services
Working to Eradicate Inequities
Equity and Women’s Services is unique to teacher organizations across Canada, and illustrates ETFO’s commitment to women’s equality and broad-based equity concerns.
The equity and women’s services staff, as well as staff across other service areas, are responsible for a broad range of programs geared to member needs. These include initiatives for members who face subtle and overt discrimination – women, racialized and Aboriginal members, members with a disability, and gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender members. We also address issues of poverty and social class.
Our Role
Our role is to be responsive to the diverse needs of the membership and to be a positive influence for change at a societal level. The equity work of the organization flows from one of the founding objects of the Federation and the definition of equity adopted by the Executive:
- One of the objects of ETFO is “to foster a climate of social justice in Ontario and continue a leadership role in such areas as anti-poverty, non-violence, and equity.”
- It is the goal of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario to work with others to create schools, communities, and a society free from all forms of individual and systemic discrimination. To further this goal, ETFO defines equity as fairness achieved through proactive measures which result in equality, promote diversity, and foster respect and dignity for all.
Measuring Our Effectiveness
Our comprehensive programs and services are specifically designed to meet diverse member needs. These include training programs for women and equity seeking groups, anti-bias curriculum projects, leadership development programs, committees representing equity seeking groups, incentive funding to support local equity work, focus groups, networking opportunities, and projects with other equity-oriented organizations. With the participation of many members, the service area has also developed significant resources, including extensive curriculum materials addressing equity and social justice, for use by elementary teachers in their classrooms.
Equity and Women’s Services staff are pleased to liaise with local presidents, executives, committees, and members wanting to carry out equity initiatives in their own locals.
Teachers, occasional teachers, education support personnel, professional support personnel, and designated early childhood educators, are working in an increasingly complex world with greater diversity than ever in Ontario’s student population. Members need the support of their union to counter discrimination where it exists and to advocate for social justice.