Introduction to Family Court Advocacy Program

Join Garnel and Hale from the Women’s Centre of Halton to learn more about our Family Court Advocacy Program, a new program/service being offered at the Centre. The program aims to provide system navigation support and public legal education to women. In this session you will learn:

• The objectives of the Family Court Advocacy Program

• How a family court advocate can help you and what their role’s limitations are

• How to book an appointment for this program/service

• What other workshops/educational resources you can anticipate as part of the program

• Overview of the services offered by the Women’s Centre

• Overview of additional legal resources in the community

• Q & A session

Meet the Facilitators:

Hale

Hale has been involved with the Women’s Centre of Halton since May 2021, where she started as a peer support volunteer. Since then, she has worked at the Women’s Centre as a summer student, Program Support Coordinator, and currently as a Family Court Advocate. Hale has a Master’s in Criminology and Criminal Justice Policy, and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Criminal Justice and Public Policy, both from the University of Guelph.

Throughout her studies, Hale became passionate about advocating for women’s rights, specifically concerning gender-based violence and femicide. In addition to her work at the Women’s Centre, Hale works as a research assistant at the Centre for the Study of Social and Legal Responses to Violence (CSSLRV) and the Canadian Femicide Observatory for Justice and Accountability (CFOJA). She works with Dr. Myrna Dawson on various projects related to gender-based violence and femicide that generate, mobilize, and promote new and existing knowledge about effective responses to violence.

Hale also volunteers as the Project Content Leader for the Femicide Watch Platform (FWP), a joint project with the United Nations Studies Association (UNSA) that shares knowledge and brings awareness to the global issue of femicide. Hale is very excited to work alongside Garnel to launch the family court advocacy program at the Women’s Centre of Halton.

Garnel

Garnel du Preez began her journey at The Women’s Centre of Halton in 2022 as a practicum student, pursuing her passion as a Social Service Worker. Upon successfully completing her Social Service Worker diploma, Garnel’s dedication was rewarded with a role as a Program Support Coordinator. This marked the beginning of a fulfilling career with the Centre, currently holding a position as a Family Court Advocate. Garnel brings over 11 years of experience in the legal field to her role. Her background provides a unique perspective and underscores her ability to navigate complex situations with knowledge and empathy. Originally hailing from a third-world country, Garnel had always harbored a deep-seated desire to work as a social worker in an environment where her impact would be felt most profoundly. Her move to Canada opened the doors to pursue studies in this field.

One of Garnel’s core principles is advocacy for women’s rights, as she understands that empowering women is not only a matter of equality but also crucial for the well-being of families and society as a whole. Garnel is a mother of two young children, volunteers within the community, and is a member of her children’s school’s parent council. Garnel looks forward to working alongside Hale in assisting women within the Halton community to navigate the court process.