Latest news with #AcadiaUniversity
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Some Acadia University staff working 4 days a week after successful pilot program
Some Acadia University staff are working four days a week instead of five this summer after a pilot program showed positive results. The university says about 90 per cent of full-time administrative employees participated in the pilot program last summer. They received the same pay for their work and did not have to work longer hours to make up for the day off. A group of researchers then surveyed staff satisfaction. The group found that the participants reported higher job satisfaction and a surge in leisure activities, from community involvement to new hobbies. "Ninety-seven per cent said it had a positive impact on their mental health and also their emotional well-being, and it also impacted their quality of life," said Rebecca Casey, a sociology professor at Acadia University and one of the researchers. This four-day work week is only back for the summer when there are fewer students, said the university in a statement, because it will be "all hands on deck" during the fall and winter semesters. The university said it allowed teams to choose their days off since each office has different workloads, deadlines and needs. In addition to faculty, senior leadership was excluded from the model, meaning the president and vice-presidents continued to work five days a week. Casey said a handful of people did have issues implementing the four-day work week, although the overwhelming majority found it positive. The researchers say the implementation of a shorter work week can also lead to higher recruitment and retention, as more people would like to work fewer days for the same pay and use that extra time for leisure. "Organizations are increasingly tasked with designing work structures prioritizing employee well-being while sustaining their daily operations and mandate," the report states. Casey says the results of the pilot program will be shown at a presentation in the United Kingdom this summer to further discuss what shorter work weeks could look like in the field. MORE TOP STORIES
CBC
14-07-2025
- Business
- CBC
Some Acadia University staff working 4 days a week after successful pilot program
Social Sharing Some Acadia University staff are working four days a week instead of five this summer after a pilot program showed positive results. The university says about 90 per cent of full-time administrative employees participated in the pilot program last summer. They received the same pay for their work and did not have to work longer hours to make up for the day off. A group of researchers then surveyed staff satisfaction. The group found that the participants reported higher job satisfaction and a surge in leisure activities, from community involvement to new hobbies. "Ninety-seven per cent said it had a positive impact on their mental health and also their emotional well-being, and it also impacted their quality of life," said Rebecca Casey, a sociology professor at Acadia University and one of the researchers. This four-day work week is only back for the summer when there are fewer students, said the university in a statement, because it will be "all hands on deck" during the fall and winter semesters. The university said it allowed teams to choose their days off since each office has different workloads, deadlines and needs. In addition to faculty, senior leadership was excluded from the model, meaning the president and vice-presidents continued to work five days a week. Casey said a handful of people did have issues implementing the four-day work week, although the overwhelming majority found it positive. The researchers say the implementation of a shorter work week can also lead to higher recruitment and retention, as more people would like to work fewer days for the same pay and use that extra time for leisure. "Organizations are increasingly tasked with designing work structures prioritizing employee well-being while sustaining their daily operations and mandate," the report states. Casey says the results of the pilot program will be shown at a presentation in the United Kingdom this summer to further discuss what shorter work weeks could look like in the field.
CBC
10-07-2025
- Health
- CBC
Growing rural homeless population facing unique challenges, researchers say
Homelessness is getting worse in rural parts of Nova Scotia and significant service gaps are creating unique challenges for homeless people and the organizations trying to help them, researchers say. Two separate counts by teams at Acadia University and Cape Breton University tracked the approximate number of people experiencing various types of homelessness in the western and eastern zones of the province last year. "I think what this count is telling us is that there's an acute issue that needs a collaborative cross-sector response to house our community members in more dignified ways," said Mary Sweatman, an associate professor in Acadia University's department of community development. Both counts revealed a significant increase in the number of people living without permanent shelter since this type of data was last collected, as well as an increasing strain on the organizations that support these individuals. Last year's western zone count, which was expanded from previous years to include the South Shore, was done in response to requests by these organizations for updated numbers, Sweatman said. "They really wanted an outside organization to prove what they were seeing anecdotally and that is that there is a rising concern of homelessness in rural Nova Scotia," she said. Numbers are an underestimation At least 672 people were experiencing homelessness across western Nova Scotia. That's up from the 231 recorded in a 2022 count. The western Nova Scotia count was based on information collected in November by 47 organizations. Staff completed anonymous surveys with people who use their services and then shared the results with the researchers. The count included people living outdoors, in emergency shelters, with loved ones or friends, or individuals who are at risk of losing their housing. The latest count covers a larger area than previous ones, so Sweatman isn't surprised the number is higher. But she said it's still an underestimation of the overall problem. "Because it only counts those that have access to services and so we know we're missing people and that's an issue," she said. The western zone count was modelled after similar research done in the eastern zone, Sweatman said. Cape Breton University has been tracking homelessness in that part of the province since 2016. The latest count was conducted last July and found 254 people were homeless in rural Cape Breton and surrounding counties. "We saw a 72 per cent increase in homelessness in these rural parts of the eastern zone since 2021," said Catherine Leviten-Reid, an associate professor of community economic development at Cape Breton University. The challenges facing homeless people in rural areas are similar across the province, according to the researchers. In addition to a lack of affordable housing and shelters, they said there are service gaps from community to community and transportation barriers for people to access support. "If I look at research projects in other parts of the country on rural homelessness, the conclusion is that these people just go without services," said Leviten-Reid. Trading sexual favours for rides to appointments The increase in homelessness and a lack of support are adding more pressure on front-line organizations. "The impact on those of us in this work is huge, but also that just speaks to the impact on the people who are living it," said Kimm Kent, director of the Windsor, N.S.-based Peer Outreach Support Services and Education, or the POSSE Project. Many people working for organizations that help vulnerable people go on long-term leave because of what they experience on the job, she said, which creates even more strain on services already at the brink. Kent was working to find a permanent home for a man before he was found dead in a tent in November, while the western zone homelessness count was underway. The results of the counts legitimize the work done by organizations like POSSE and the need for sustainable funding from all levels of government, Kent said. Decentralizing services in rural areas is essential to helping people who are homeless instead of expecting them to travel significant distances, she said. "I know people who have to, like, exchange sexual favours for rides to their medical appointments and that shouldn't be a reality of rural Nova Scotia."
02-07-2025
- Health
Nutrition warning labels are hitting shelves near you — earlier than expected
Health Canada's new front-of-package nutrition warning labels are beginning to appear on store shelves six months ahead of the food industry's deadline. First announced in 2022, (new window) the black-and-white labels alert shoppers if a product is high in sugar, sodium and/or saturated fat, which the federal department says can lead to increased health risks like stroke, obesity, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and some types of cancers. I think these can be a really great starting point for people that are looking to use labels as nutrition information sources. But I do think that there are some limitations, said Brittany Brown, a dietitian based in Dartmouth, N.S. ... Right now, it's just going to be kind of functioning as a nutrition warning label, so it's going to give consumers the information when things are high in sodium, high in saturated fat [and] high in sugar, but it's not really going to tell them more details than that. Brown said flipping over the package will show details about percentages of daily value. She said the new label is automatically placed on foods that have 15 per cent or more of the daily value of sugar, saturated fat or sodium. A picture taken on February 28, 2023, shows Nutri-Score scales on the packaging of products sold at a supermarket in Nantes, France. Photo: afp via getty images / Loic Venance If something only has 14 per cent of the daily value of sodium, it's not going to trigger the nutrition warning, so that's a bit of a missed opportunity. The intention behind the labels, according to Health Canada (new window) , is to help shoppers make quick and informed choices when buying food and support health professionals in educating people about food. Brown said other countries have been using front-of-label packaging for years. For example, some European countries use Nutri-Score, (new window) which grades foods between A and E. A foods would be high nutritional quality while E would be lower nutritional quality. Brown said while Health Canada's labels can be useful, they don't address certain complexities around food like cost. We know that food security is a really big challenge that people are faced with. So even if I am looking at the grocery store and I see that something is high in sugar, but my dollar only goes so far, I'm still going to have to choose that food item potentially, Brown said. For example, Brown said things like frozen entrees could end up with these labels, but for some that may be all an individual or family can afford. So I think that there is a bit of a risk with making us feel a little bit more judgy about some of the foods that we're eating, and we really need to be careful about not putting that on to people. Liesel Carlsson, a professor of nutrition and dietetics at Acadia University in Wolfville, N.S., said she thinks shoppers may be surprised when the labels begin to appear on daily staples, like cereal, breads and some dairy products, but she could see that changing with time as companies adjust their recipes to no longer trigger the label. These labels don't look good on packaging, so the real story here and part of the reason that industry was given a very long time in order to get their labels onto their packages is that many industry players will reformulate their products, Carlsson said. But what's most interesting, she said, is that these labels are likely to result in more products that are inexpensive that are still in this highly processed category but are less damaging to health. In terms of the labels themselves, Carlsson said there is evidence to show they're effective (new window) . Even when consumers are not even seeking nutrition information, this type of front-of-pack label will catch people's eyes, she said, but added the look of Canada's labels are a little bit underwhelming, especially when compared to some South American countries, which use large black stop signs to communicate a similar message. Although the food industry has until Jan. 1, 2026, to put the front-of-package labels on the foods, some products already have it. The Nova Scotia-based grocery chain Sobeys, for example, has the label on many of its store-brand products, like Compliments and Big 8. These included items in the frozen food and snack aisle, like microwave popcorn, frozen chicken wings, burgers and pop. We are committed to meeting the Health Canada front of pack labelling requirements and to empowering customers with clear information that supports the choices they make in our stores every day, Sobeys said in an email to CBC News. We have made good progress to make the labelling changes to our Own Brands assortment ahead of the deadline by working proactively with our supplier partners. The labels are mandatory for prepacked foods, but Health Canada notes there are some exemptions. Certain dairy products such as plain milk, plain yogurt and cheese are exempt because they are important sources of calcium that is needed to promote bone health and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Health Canada said raw, single-ingredient ground meats and poultry are exempt to avoid giving the impression they are nutritionally inferior to whole cuts that do not carry a nutrition label. Butter, sugar, salt and other products used for the same purpose are also exempt. Some products are also exempt for technical reasons, like foods in very small packages. Anjuli Patil (new window) · CBC News
CTV News
16-06-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Nova Scotia Lighthouse Project awards funding to address childhood obesity
Brett Chiasson and Meg Jackson, employees of Upward Mobility Kitchens East Inc., prepare meals at The Nook in Halifax. Upward Mobility Kitchens East Inc. is one of three funding recipients through the Nova Scotia Lighthouse Project. (Source: Province of Nova Scotia) The Nova Scotia Lighthouse Project has awarded funding to three organizations to address childhood obesity and chronic disease in the province. The successful recipients are Acadia University, Upward Mobility Kitchens East Inc. and Wasoqopa'q First Nations. The total amount of the funding is $1.05 million. Acadia University will receive $320,643 to create a self-sustaining farm-to-school initiative that includes a greenhouse. The initiative will integrate nutrition education, sustainable agriculture and mental health support directly into the school curriculum at Northeast Kings Education Centre in Canning. 'The best way to build a healthier tomorrow is to begin upstream – where good food, joyful movement and self-worth take root early,' said Tavis Bragg, project lead, Grow & Go; adjunct professor at Acadia University, and teacher at Northeast Kings Education Centre. 'Grow & Go is how we nurture that growth: from greenhouse to classroom, from kitchen to community. This is more than a project – it's a path forward, and we invite others to walk and grow it with us.' Upward Mobility Kitchens East Inc. will receive $334,384 to transform The Nook on Gottingen Street in Halifax, into a hub for youth-focused cooking classes and food literacy education. Wasoqopa'q First Nation will receive the remaining $400,000 to create a space that fosters physical activity, mental resilience and community well-being through traditional Mi'kmaw teachings. The project will include an outdoor structure to promote traditional food sourcing, cleaning and preparation from Mi'kmaw teachings. 'When our Mi'kmaw youth are free to move, play and learn in culturally safe spaces, they build strength not only in body, but in spirit,' said Melanie Robinson-Purdy, director, Community Enhancement and Cultural Revitalization, Wasoqopa'q First Nation. 'When our Mi'kmaw families and community members have our own culturally safe spaces to learn through land-based knowledge and traditional food harvesting on our lands, we reclaim our health, our identity and our honour. We will build strong foundations for all our relations from our neighbouring communities and all Mi'kma'ki. That is true reconciliation.' Ninety-seven organizations applied for the Nova Scotia Lighthouse Project funding, nine of those organizations were invited to submit a proposal. The Nova Scotia Lighthouse Project is in partnership between the province and Novo Nordisk Canada Inc. It invited businesses and academic and community organizations to submit proposals for funding to address barriers and challenges that contribute to poor health outcomes. The initiative is delivered in collaboration with the Nova Scotia Health Innovation Hub and Life Sciences Nova Scotia. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
