By Jordan Davidson (Twitter: @JordanDHeyNow)

Important Community Work Continues

Women’s Outreach Centre welcomes new executive director

Aug 23, 2021 | 1:01 PM

The Central Alberta Women’s Outreach Centre (CAWOC) has a new leader at the helm.

Ian Wheeliker was recently named executive director, bringing years of valuable experience to the role.

Ian Wheeliker. (Submitted)

Born in Ottawa, Wheeliker went on to study Criminology at Dalhousie and Carlton Universities, as well as currently completing an MBA with a concentration in Community Economic Development.

Wheeliker says building community wealth and looking at community initiatives to help end poverty through the not-for-profit sector are part of his academic focus.

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He’s been involved in the arena of family violence prevention since the mid-90s, working as executive director at the West Central Crisis and Family Support Centre in Kindersley, Sask. for almost a decade before moving to Red Deer in 2007.

Wheeliker’s first position in Red Deer was executive director of the Central Alberta Women’s Emergency Shelter (CAWES) for the next 11 years. Following that, he joined the Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters until Aug. 13 of this year when he was asked to head the CAWOC.

Wheeliker says his time working at CAWES allowed him to do a lot of collaborative work with the CAWOC. It was during these times he was able to get a first-hand look at all the great work the Centre does in the areas of family violence, intimate partner violence, suicide prevention, child therapy, poverty and homelessness.

“I think that my keenest interest was the scope of programs they provide to the community. There’s probably never been a greater need for those programs coming out of the pandemic, in terms of the toll the pandemic has taken on people in the last 18 months. I’m really thrilled to be part of such a great organization.”

Wheeliker says his first priority will be to check-in on the mental health of his own staff and ensure their wellness needs are being met. He also looks forward to building on the great work the CAWOC is already doing, and developing programs based on current community needs.

“Reaching out to the community and talking to lots of key stakeholders and just making sure what we’re doing really fits with their needs and we’re all working towards building strength in community. That’s my long-term goal.”

More information on services provided by the Outreach Centre can be found at theoutreachcentre.org.