Current Research Projects


With Helene Berman (PI), C. Classen, Marilyn Evans, Ruth Lanius, Lori Ross. CIHR Embodied Trauma: The Influence of Past Trauma on Women During the Transition to Motherhood. (commencing fall, 2008)

With Cheryl Forchuk (PI), Helene Berman, P. Montgomery, M. Buzelli, S. Ray and A. Gryzb. SSHRC

Mental Health, Homelessness and Diversity: Public Outreach. Knowledge Dissemination. (commencing fall, 2008)

Susan Rodger (PI) with Chris Wekerle. CIHR Net Grant. An Examination of the Relationships Between Mother’s Maltreatment as Children, Experiences with Intimate Partner Violence, Mothering and Adult Literacy. (in progress)

With Jason Brown (PI). Canadian Council for Learning. Experiences of Aboriginal Students Learning in #9;the Inner City. Research (in progress)

Bridges: Women’s Links to Learning and Success

This research, funded through SSHRC, provides dedicated classrooms for a group of women who are or who are at risk of experiencing violence at the hands of an intimate partner.

The ultimate goal of the research is to empower women to attain the credits necessary to graduate, so they may take part in higher education, claim access to stable and adequate employment and achieve financial independence from both government assistance and, in may cases, their abusers.

Funding allows for an enhanced, supportive environment for women and ensure that her program will be:

  • Taught in a safe and secure classroom
  • Taught by a teacher who has knowledge about not only curriculum and pedagogy, but also violence against women and the impact violence may have on learning experiences and academic achievement
  • Tailored to her individual learning needs, including those related to her experiences with violence
  • Delivered in 3-week modules
  • As each module finishes, the student will complete the necessary assessment(s) of learning and her results will be stored in a database. If she needs to step out of the program for any amount of time she will continue to receive counselling and mentoring support. Once she is ready to return to the program, she will begin where she has left off, not start from the beginning, building on her successes and working toward successful attainment of credits toward her OSSD.

The pilot program is designed to be transitional (women may complete some credits through Bridges, then transfer to the regular adult education program), short-term (3-week modules), participatory (working at their own pace with their own strengths toward individualized goals), cumulative (at the end of each module they can complete assessments and have their achievements recorded, so that if they need to leave, when they come back, they start where they left off, not back at the beginning as is the current practice), and supportive (teachers, school administrators, mentor/advocates and counsellors working together within the community and with the women). The time spent in Bridges will vary based on personal goals, situation, supports and skills, but is planned to be less than one year. Once they have reached their goals, participants will then be encouraged and supported to access existing and more extensive educational opportunities at adult learning centres in the community. Participation in the supportive elements of Bridges will be maintained as long as she desires.

Opportunities for graduate students exist in research, including theses, counselling, and mentoring in the Bridges program.