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From March 18 to 21, York University’s Community Safety Department will be hosting its annual Community Safety Week. Members of the community are invited to participate through a variety of learning opportunities and virtual events.
The four-day long event features an extended safety video developed in partnership with the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design (AMPD), a new safety learning hub to support greater access to information, and two virtual events to hear from safety leadership, community partners and experts.
The community safety team at York takes a holistic and intersectional approach to safety that reflects the diverse experiences of the University community and highlights the joint responsibility required to ensure safety across York’s multi-campus network.
The week provides an opportunity to share information about the department’s mission, safety services and offerings while meaningfully engaging with the community.
“Through the Security Services Review, we heard that the community is looking for greater transparency and collaboration, so that’s what we’re aiming for with this year’s activities,” said Orville Wallace, executive director of community safety. “There are opportunities for self-paced learning, an exciting video collaboration with AMPD, a virtual Q-and-A session with the community safety team and community partners, and a panel discussion with dynamic leaders and experts. I’m optimistic that we are well positioned to effect significant change and make a meaningful impact on community safety in the months and years ahead.”
Learn more about Community Safety Week’s featured activities below:
New digital resources
The community safety team has worked with internal and external partners to compile a safety learning hub for year-round learning. The new hub features resources from Toronto Community Crisis, Student Counselling, Health Services, Education and Promotions, and more. The hub will continue to be updated regularly as new information becomes available. Visit the learning hub and start learning today.
In addition to the new collection of resources, the department also has a variety of existing resources that support learning and awareness, including reports and statistics on safety incidents, safety tips and information about the York U Safety App.
Extended video with AMPD students
Last year, the department worked with students from AMPD to create a video as part of its commitment to community safety. The video featured information on the "run, hide, defend" method and was intended to build awareness of emergency response procedures. This year, the video has been extended to include guidance on the "shelter in place" protocol, offering additional information to educate the community about what actions they can take to keep themselves and the community safe in the event of an emergency. Watch the extended video in English or in French.
Q-and-A with department leadership and community partners
For an opportunity to engage directly with safety leaders and partners, the department is hosting a virtual Q-and-A session on March 20 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Wallace will be joined by leaders from the department as well as partners from the community to answer safety- and security-related questions live.
Add the event to your calendar and join.
Panel discussion with community leaders and experts
To foster greater learning and collaboration, the department is bringing together community leaders and experts for a thoughtful discussion about how to adopt and advance a community-centric approach to safety at a post-secondary institution.
The panel discussion, titled Building Bridges: Advancing a community-centric approach to safety, will take place on Thursday, March 21 from 1 to 2:30 p.m.