National Education Campaign on Screening (NECS)

In 1994, the department of the Solicitor General of Canada, in cooperation with Justice Canada and Health Canada, implemented a public education program on screening.

With Volunteer Canada taking the lead, the National Education Campaign on Screening project was initiated. Its purpose was to make training and resources about the screening of volunteers working with at-risk groups widely available. The project attracted much interest and support, heightened perhaps by the unexpected media attention to the Sheldon Kennedy/Graham James story and the ensuing public concern around screening practices.

Activities

• Eighty-five trainers across Canada participate in training sessions on screening;
• Two thousand charities and nonprofits take training in screening practices;
• An additional 500+ palliative care organizations attend subsidized, customized training sessions on screening;
• National Education Campaign on Screening attracts considerable media coverage.

The National Education Campaign on Screening was a resounding success. It provided vital resources on screening and access to training and consultation for thousands of agencies across the country. The project also seeded a number of related provincial initiatives. The investment of the federal government in this project has had, and will continue to have, a direct impact on the safety and well being of children and other vulnerable people in Canada.