Military family members receive notable award for developing a resource for school counsellors

In recognition for their work developing a resource that provides vital information to school counsellors working with veteran and military families, Dr. Kim Hollihan, Deputy CEO of CCPA, and Dr. Lorna Martin, President Emerita of CCPA are the recipients of Vanier Institute’s 2017 Mirabelli-Glossop Award.

“Dr. Hollihan and Dr. Martin were integral to the development and promotion of this important resource. In addition to building military literacy, this resource offers clear recommendations counsellors can take to ensure all students benefit from the rich experiences of children in military and Veteran families. The resource also ensures that counsellors can draw on these recommendations to address some of the challenges that confront students from military and Veteran families as they move across educational jurisdictions and experience diverse social environments,” said the Vanier Institute’s CEO, Nora Spinks.

Both recipients also have close ties to the Canadian Armed Forces, Dr. Hollihan is a military spouse while Dr. Martin is the daughter of a military member.

The guide, School Counsellors Working with Military and Veteran Families, was written and produced in partnership with the Canadian Military and Veteran Families Leadership Circle. The target of the document is to increase military literacy and encourage school personnel to include children and youth of the military in all aspects of school life.

The resource has been sent to provincial and territorial Ministries/Departments of Education to be disseminated to schools across the country.

“We are extremely proud that our organization has been recognized for its work in putting together what we hope is one of the most comprehensive resources on how school counsellors can assist children and families who have a parent who is a Veteran or who actively serves in the military. It is essential that the mental wellness of military families be prioritized, and this resource and its use in schools across Canada is a very positive step forward,” said Barbara MacCallum, CEO of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association.

The Mirabelli-Glossop Award is awarded annually to recognize excellence in advancing the national understanding of families in Canada.