Jessica Ball receives Aboriginal child care award

Jessica Ball, School of Child and Youth Care professor, received the BC Aboriginal Child Care Society’s Perry Shawana Award which is presented to an individual whose leadership, commitment, advocacy, policy-making, research or volunteerism has demonstrated support for high quality child development environments for BC’s First Nations children.  Ball’s exceptional research advances in the development and implementation of quality programming and clinical ancillary services in First Nations communities and academic mentorship of Aboriginal students was celebrated with this distinguished award. In 2005 the society created an annual award in honour of Perry Shawana who was a barrister and solicitor specializing in Aboriginal issues in the law. An Anishnawbe from the Serpent River First Nation in Northern Ontario, Shawana worked tirelessly to advance Aboriginal self-determination and community-based child care programs. This is the first time that a non-Aboriginal person has been presented with this award.