St. Clair College has won a gold award in the Working Toward Wellness - Healthy Workplace Award presented recently at a gala honouring companies and organizations in the community.
Sponsored by Health Action Windsor-Essex and the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, the awards are presented to companies who have demonstrated a strong commitment to improving the health of their employees, retirees, and their families. The committee looks for companies and organizations show have implemented events and activities that address modifiable chronic disease risk factors such as poor eating habits, lack of physical activity, and use and exposure to smoke. They have created awareness, provided educational and skill-building information and/or contests, and they provide environmental supports to make it easier in the workplace to modify those behaviours.

A number of initiatives have been undertaken by the College to provide opportunities for staff and students to improve their health and wellness including the Employee Assistance program designed to help employees and their families with personal issues to improve their quality of life. As well, the College also developed a full-service Health Centre where employees can access a wide-range of primary care services with a Nurse Practitioner and Registered Nurse on staff. “The success of the institution depends on individuals who are able to maintain healthy minds and bodies,” says Judith Harris, Vice President Corporate and Community Services. “The College is committed to providing quality health care and health education that focuses on the needs of our employees and our students. The response from the staff to the services offered has been well received.”

Other gold medal winners in the community include CAW Local 200, DJ Galvanizing, Enwin Utilities, Honeywell Specialty Chemicals, Hotel Dieu Grace Hospital, Miller, Canfield, Paddock, and Stone, LLP, WCL-CAW Wellness Committee and Windsor Regional Hospital.