As the Commissioner of the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC), I am proud to share with you a handful of stories that represent ongoing renewal and innovation within our organization – stories I believe truly capture the spirit of the Blueprint 2020 initiative.
Submitted by people on the frontline of corrections at our institutions and community offices across the country, they paint a vivid picture of our employees’ inspiring creativity and unwavering dedication to our mandate: Changing Lives and Protecting Canadians.
There is the story of Stony Mountain Institution’s Peer Offender Prevention Service, a one-of-a-kind counselling program started by one of our Manitoba correctional officers that brings offenders together to support each other in times of personal crisis. At Kitchener’s Grand Valley Institution for Women, the Walls to Bridges Program brings students from a local university inside a correctional facility to study with students who are incarcerated, offering an enriching experience for both groups. You can also learn more about CSC’s Employment and Equity and Diversity Committee, part of a successful, three-year strategy aimed at creating a more inclusive workplace.
I encourage you to take the time to watch videos featuring CORCAN’s great work building modular early learning centres for First Nations communities, as well as the powerful, culturally specific healing and rehabilitation efforts of the Kikeway Wig Healing House.
These are just but a small sample of the numerous stories received from across the country. I have chosen to share a few of them with you as they represent what real, tangible innovation and renewal look like in a correctional environment. I will look for ways to share other important stories with you in future editions of Let’s Talk and via our corporate website and social media platforms. On behalf of everyone at CSC, I hope you enjoy them!
Anne Kelly
Commissioner