By rdnewsNOW staff

International Women’s Day

Women’s shelter staff shouldering essential work throughout pandemic, association says

Mar 8, 2021 | 2:12 PM

To mark International Women’s Day, the Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters (ACWS) has unveiled a campaign to highlight the essential work done by shelter staff across the province.

The ‘Shelter Superstars’ campaign recognizes the largely female workforce that has kept domestic violence shelters running throughout the pandemic.

The ACWS’ weekly social media posts are bringing visibility to the sector, celebrating excellence and expressing gratitude to these frontline workers for their contributions.

“Women working in shelters are true leaders: innovative, caring and resilient,” said Jan Reimer, Executive Director of ACWS. “They are a testament to women’s leadership and perseverance. They are not often publicly acknowledged for their ongoing labour and dedication in responding to and preventing domestic abuse.”

As part of the Shelter Superstars campaign, ACWS has collected stories of what a “typical day” looks like for a domestic violence shelter worker. These snapshots reveal the depth of shelter staff’s skill, dedication, and compassion for the women, children, and seniors they serve.

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“Amber’s eight or 10-hour shifts often consist of answering calls on our crisis line and giving support, providing lay counselling to shelter clients, assisting with meal preparation, sanitizing the building, preparing bedrooms for new intakes, helping clients with phone calls and appointments, and at all times maintaining the safety and security of the building,” reads on excerpt.

“A typical day for Tara doesn’t exist because no day is the same,” says another. “From doing donor stewardship, to overseeing in-kind donations, to picking up donations, Tara represents what it means to be behind the scenes. Every aspect of her work impacts the success of shelter residents’ journey to healing and helps to empower them to regain their strength and resilience.”

You can find the Shelter Superstars campaign on ACWS’ social media under the hashtag #ShelterSuperstars and you can view the content on the ACWS website.