In July 2018, Services d’Etablissement pour les Nouveaux Arrivants Francophones (SENAF), known in English as, Settlement Services for Francophone Newcomers (SSFN), formerly known as CAE, fired its Executive Director due to sexual harassment allegations. To put things right, the organization decided to do an in-person training with staff from all three locations and the new Board.
One way to prevent these situations from arising is to deliver in-person sexual harassment training. This type of training allows for deeper exploration of complex issues, enhances conversations, increases comfort of reporting, and a proactive approach to facing inappropriate behavior. Sexual harassment is not only about inappropriate jokes or the invasion of personal space. It is also about the deliberate action to humiliate, undermine, threaten job loss or harm a colleague, subordinate of client using sexually charged language, sexual humiliation, or sexual touching up to and including rape and use of weapons.
On November 30, 2018, at the Edmonton location, the CEO of Shift Management Inc. Dr. Marie Gervais led a mandatory training on sexual harassment to all staff of SENAF. It was intended to familiarize participants with the existing policies and to understand what sexual harassment is and is not within a workplace context.
The training may continue with all staff and all new Board members depending on the fate of the organization as a good proportion of its staff has been laid off due to the suppression of funds by its main funder – Immigration Canada.
“The training will also build capacity for a respectful work environment. If the workplace is respectful and promotes a culture of equity, transparency, kindness, and openness to solving problems, it is unlikely that a culture of bullying, harassment, or unsafe work practices will flourish,” Dr. Marie Gervais shared with Diversity Magazine.
