Provincial Eating Disorder Awareness Week (PEDAW)

February 1-7, 2009

Jessie’s Hope Society is developing resources that will be available to individuals, organizations and communities across British Columbia to develop awareness activities during the Provincial Eating Disorder Awareness Week February 1-7, 2009.

PEDAW Mission

Our goal for the Provincial Eating Disorder Awareness Week is to reduce the stigma and bring a higher awareness of eating disorders and prevention to communities around British Columbia, ultimately preventing and reducing eating, weight and body image issues and increase resiliency in our children, youth and adults. We are reaching out to individuals and groups around the province and support them with resources that will assist them in providing awareness activities and information around healthy eating, weight and body image.

What is PEDAW

Provincial Eating Disorder Awareness Week is a province-wide collective effort of volunteers, eating disorder professionals, health care providers, counsellors, educators, social workers, and individuals committed to raising awareness around prevention, early intervention and treatment of eating disorders and around resiliency, healthy body image and self-esteem.

Jessie’s Hope Society is recruiting Volunteer PEDAW Participants in communities around British Columbia. All participants will be able to register on our website, to organize events, share stories, and disseminate educational materials and resources to schools, fitness centres, doctors’ offices, places of worship and community centres, throughout the week.

By registering to participate as a PEDAW Volunteer, you be the voice in your community to increase public awareness around eating disorders, body image, resiliency and prevention initiatives.

You will have direct access to the PEDAwareness Week Resource Webpage containing resources to assist you in planning awareness activities. You will also have the opportunity to post your contact information and advertise your events on the PEDAW webpage.

Participants will be able to access directly resources such as posters; promotional videos with Jessie’s Hope Society’s prevention messages and the 2008 Award Winning YouTube video, “What makes you strong?” by high school student, Sun Gill of Maple Ridge; Jessie’s Hope Society’s “I’m Perfect” documentary; a list of suggested Awareness Week events for your community; Eating Disorders Provincial Resource List and websites; Jessie’s Hope Society’s information brochures and fact sheets; and press release templates. All materials are available here for download free of charge.

PEDAW Poster

Jessie’s Hope Society’s Youth Advisory Council created this year’s Provincial Eating Disorder Awareness Week Poster.

Click here to download this year's poster.