Local school board joins initiative aimed at assessing potential threats

April 27, 2023 · 0 Comments

Written By Paula Brown

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB) is among sixteen community partners to sign onto an initiative aimed at assessing potential threats to schools and the community at large.

Members from the 16 community partners gathered at the Monora Park Pavilion in Mono last Thursday (April 20) for a signing ceremony of the fourth Guelph-Wellington-Dufferin Violence Threat Risk Assessment (VTRA) community protocol.

“We are very proud to be long-standing members of the Guelph-Wellington-Dufferin VTRA Community Protocol,” said Peter Sovran, director of education for the UGDSB. “It is through our supportive partnerships and collaborations that we work together to create safety in our communities.”

The VRTA Protocol is intended for use by multi-disciplinary teams trained in the theory and practice of trauma-informed threat-risk assessment through VRTA Assessment training. The goal is to reduce violence, manage threats of violence and promote individual, school and community safety by proactively gathering information, understanding needs and mitigating risk.

The initiative was initially made possible by an Ontario Trillium Foundation Grant, based on Keven Cameron’s work at the Centre for Trauma Informed Practice (CTIP).

“We are so grateful for the collaborative relationships we have with each of the community partners that are signatories to the VTRA Protocol,” said Brent McDonald, UGDSB executive superintendent of school operations and student support services. “Seeing everyone all together in the same room with the common focus of keeping our communities safe was a clear demonstration of the strength of this proven, multi-disciplinary and trauma-informed approach.”

Representatives from protocol member organizations included Choices Youth Shelter; Compass Community Services; Dufferin Child and Family Services; Family and Children’s Services of Guelph and Wellington County; Family Transition Place; Guelph Wellington Women in Crisis; John Howard Society of Waterloo-Wellington; Wyndham House Guelph; Children, Community and Social Services Youth Justice Division; and the Canadian Mental Health Association of Waterloo–Wellington.

School boards included the UGDSB, Wellington Catholic DSB, Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir, and Conseil scolaire Viamonde.

Guelph Police Services and Dufferin OPP are also signatories of the VTRA Protocol.

Each signed member of the Guelph-Wellington-Dufferin VTRA Community Protocol has committed to working together for the benefit of youth and their caregivers.