Canadians working
in partnership with colleagues and communities in the developing world
54 Harry
Wyatt Place
Winnipeg, MB R2M 5M7
Canada
Email:
marroy@mts.net
Our
Mission
Our Expertise
What We Do
Our Competencies
Our Experience
Who We Are
Our
Mission
QOL Associates is a not for profit organization of individuals, committed to
sharing knowledge and skills that contribute to local, national and
international development. Our mission is to foster respect for diversity, to
act in partnership with others, to provide support and education, and to assist
others in gaining resources, independence and competence.
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Our
Expertise
QOL Associates includes professional home economists with the training and
dedication to work as partners with individuals in the developing world. The
name QOL Associates is new but our work, improving the quality of life of
communities and families, began in 1987 with a CIDA contract in Brazil.
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What We Do
We provide effective Canadian expertise in partnership with comminities in the areas of:
. needs assessment
. capacity building for community leaders
. train the trainer workshops
. gender equality programming
. research design & implementation
. consumer education
. curriculum development
. policy development
. nutrition education
. financial management
. project evaluation
. results based management
. poverty reduction programs
Our Competencies
QOL Associate members work on programs locally,
nationally and internationally; independently or
as a group. Current areas of employment
include:
-university professors
-food technologists
-financial adviser
-human resource specialists
-public school teachers
-community development worker
-workplace wellness consultant
-food industry educational worker
Youth and Women's Leadership Development
Team Building Exercise
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QOL Associates' latest project took place in June, 2007 in Poltava Oblast, Ukraine, where we were again partnered with the National Rural Women's Council. Linda Schroeder of QOL worked with women and youth delegates in a "train the trainer" workshop format to help develop leadership skills. Trip highlights include the welcoming bread ceremony, meeting and working with local men and women, press conferences, much conversation and hard work, team building activities, and wheat fields sprinkled with poppies. |  |
Small Business Development in Ukraine
Participants
Linda Schroeder |
Linda Schroeder of QOL Associates returned from Zin'kiv, Ukraine where she facilitated a series of seminars concerned with starting small businesses in March 2006. The presentations included developing group dynamics, encouraging group problem solving skills, writing business plans and analysing small business ideas to determine strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. This visit is part of a five year FARM (Facility for Agricultural Reform and Modernization) project in cooperation with the three Prairie Provinces and Ukraine . |
Gender Parity for Rural Women in Ukraine
|
Joan Butcher of QOL Associates, recently completed a project in Zinkiw and Poltava , Ukraine to work with rural populations in developing strategies for gender equity. The work was funded by STEP (Saskatchewan Trade and Export Program) and took place in October, 2004. The National Rural Women's Council of the Ukraine organized the program of seminars and educational experiences for both men and women |
Comsumer and Environmental Education in Brazil
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This project began with the establishment of an advisory committee of community leaders in Fortaleza, Brazil to identify the project focus. Workshops were held to train teachers and others in community development. QOL Associates*, along with local individuals, designed environmentally-friendly programs and sustainable development models. An important outcome was the production and distribution of a teacher’s resource to communities in the province of Ceara. |
Income and Food Security for Families in Zimbabwe
 |
QOL Associates* facilitated capacity building of community leaders and strengthened the professional association governance model with the Zimbabwe Home Economics Teacher's Association. The project focus was identified through needs assessment. The development of small farming initiatives to provide food security and nutrition to families was an outcome. Literacy level increases and women's participation in leadership roles in the farm enterprise were also impacts of this work. |
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*QOL Associates were formerly the International Development Committee of the Manitoba Association of Home Economists, Winnipeg.
Heidi Adair-Forrester, MEd: 13 years of teaching experience in both the junior and senior high setting in all areas of home economics. She has her Masters in Education from the University of Manitoba in the area of curriculum and professional development.
Ruth Berry, PHD: Expert in family resource management and consumer
behavior. She was Principal Investigator for a $1.3 million CIDA Partnership
Project between the University of Manitoba and the Federal University of Brazil
at Pelotaswhich developed the first Master’s program in home economics in
South America. She has conducted workshops on capacitybuilding and resource
development.
Joan Butcher, BHEc: Development and management experience in design and
delivery of cross-cultural, community based programs, training paraprofessionals
in nutrition, health, and communication skills that includes a recent 4-year
period in Africa.
Cathy Byard, BSc(HEc): Knowledge in community development, workplace
wellness, management and leadership, community nutrition, group facilitation and
working with marginalized women and families.
Marian Campbell, PHD: Skills include: interviewing techniques;
quantitative and qualitative research methods; writing and critiquing proposals;
needs assessment; program planning and evaluation of community interventions;
nutrition – related behavior change models; nutrition education resource
development and evaluation
Ruth Diamant, M.A: An educator, researcher, community activist and
project manager. Involvement in food and nutrition has ranged from dietary
surveys in First Nations communities to pre-and postnatal programs for
disadvantaged mothers, from community development to international work, from
cultural patterns to food policies.
Joanne Dyker, BHEc: Knowledge in program strategy development and
implementation, project management and planning, adult education, evaluation,
needs assessment, proposal writing, resource management, analytical, decision-makingand
leadership skills
Ruth Dyker, BHEc: Experience as a consultant home economist in
communications, education, promotion and advertising, sustainable development,
program development, financial management and international development. As
Chair of the Manitoba Association of Home Economists- Winnipeg International
Development Committee for 16 years, she was the Project Manager for the $1
million CIDA funded projects in Brazil and in Zimbabwe.
Carla Ens, MSc: Experience in teaching foods and nutrition and family
studies to junior high and high school students in both rural and urban schools.
She lectures with the Medical Rehabilitation program in areas of human
development, coping with loss and change and bereavement.
Donna Ryland, MSc: Research-based food technologist offering skills
related to teaching in a university setting, volunteer recruitment, and leading
focus groups and training sessions. Experience in developing business and
marketing plans as they relate to product development.
Linda Schroeder, BHEc: 25 years teaching experience in public and private
school systems, in Canadian, Bermudian and Aboriginal situations. She has taught
English as a Second Language in Klaipeda, Lithuania and Kharkov, Ukraine.
Beverley Watts, PHD: Experience with international research projects
applying knowledge of grain processing and food storage to local problems. As a
member of committees collaborating with home economists in South America and
Africa, she has experience working on basic needs, gender and consumer issues.
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