Ailene Wittstein, left, Executive Director of London’s Merrymount Family Support and Crisis Centre, shares a laugh with Faculty of Education Dean Vicki Schwean at an event last week announcing the establishment of the Mary J. Wright Research and Education Centre at Merrymount, a partnership between the university and Merrymount.
Due to open in January, the centre will serve as a bridge between a team of researchers from Education, Science, Social Science and Health Sciences and the community members who can benefit most from their work across three signature areas of research, including environmental effects on brain development and toxic stress; cognition, language, literacy and numeracy; as well as social, emotional and behavioural resiliency and wellbeing.
“This has been very exciting, because what we’re going to be doing is research and practical practice, together, and I think our history in the community has always been to see research turn to practice, and to be able to change our practice accordingly,” Wittstein said. “Merrymount works with 7,000 families a year, going through crises and transitions.
“Mary’s (Wright) dream was really of a vulnerable family and vulnerable child being able to be the best they can be. She loved this centre, and I think she would be proud of this. We’re all excited in the community. I’m kind of thinking of this like Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, and Western is coming to be a part of that neighbourhood.”
