In an effort to better understand and deal with child abuse in our community, Red Deer College is teaming up with the Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre (CACAC) to explore ideas on how they can best work together to serve children and families in the area.

A memorandum of understanding was signed between the two parties, stating their intent to build a new advocacy centre on college campus, and allow RDC students in specific fields like teachers, nurses, and social workers, to develop their skills while working with real patients.

President and CEO of RDC Joel Ward, says this collaboration will benefit students by providing hands on experience for them, while providing a crucial service for the advocacy centre.

“If you look at students in our education program, they will be teachers, and they need to be aware of the signs. To make the invisible visible you need to be trained to understand what to look for. So our education students will get an opportunity. Our nursing students, our social work students. Tremendous opportunities for students there with practicums.”

The proposed location would be to the south of the new Gary W Harris Centre, close enough so it's convenient, but surrounded by a beautiful environment that also provides privacy.

CEO of the CACAC Mark Jones says it's important for them to have a permanent home that people in need can turn to.

“It gives great opportunity for us to be able to get the awareness out to people and also to have opportunities to have students that are coming in to the profession, working with children and youth to have opportunities to provide training. Opportunities for the best education possible, so we can get them informed, so that when they start their careers, they are at the top of their game.”

The impact of the work of a child advocacy centre is demonstrated at the Sheldon Kennedy Child Advocacy Centre, which is located on the University of Calgary campus. Kennedy is a proud supporter of creating a centre like that one in Central Alberta, and was planning on being at RDC Thursday morning, but had to cancel due to weather conditions.

Currently, the Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre is in a temporary location in downtown Red Deer, already taking on 40 cases from Red Deer alone in the 5 weeks they've been open.