Manuel Batshaw

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Manuel Batshaw: The Story of a Name

"In 1993, 5 institutions for English-speaking youth: Shawbridge Boys Farm, Youth Horizons, Allancroft, Mount St-Patrick and Ville-Marie Social Services were merged. These institutions unanimously decided to name their new organization "Batshaw Family Youth Centres""

Manny Batshaw.

Born in Montreal, Manuel G. Batshaw devoted more than 50 years of his professional career to social work with various institutions to help families, young people and old people. He played a key role in the construction and the exploitation of a community centre sheltering 20 social agencies, two low rent buildings for the elderly, a recreational centre for elderly and two for young people. He also directed the "meeting" program centered on the strengthening of bonds between the Francophones and The Jewish Community of Quebec.

Mr. Batshaw was a graduate in social sciences from McGill University. He was responsible for social services in the Canadian Army in Quebec during the Second War. He also sat on the Quebec Superior Council of Education. At the time of the Vietnamese refugee crisis, he volunteered to organize the efforts of hundreds of other volunteers whose mandate was to raise funds and find host families for those refugees. Mr. Batshaw always attached great importance to the welfare of children. He held posts as diversified as head scout with Camp Tamaracouta and as a social worker for children with psychological difficulties.

In 1975 there was a crisis in an institution for French-speaking children caused by ill treatment. Mr. Batshaw proposed to the Quebec Ministry of Social Welfare to inquire into these allegations. His offer was accepted; he formed a committee which produced a report recommending solutions to these problems. The recommendations were approved and the Ministry asked Mr. Batshaw to study 73 other centres for children in difficulty. This working group took the name the Batshaw Committee. A report of 11 volumes was presented after 11 months. This examination involved not only considerable improvements in a great number of institutions, but also the adoption of a new law for the protection of children in Quebec.

In 1993, 5 institutions for English-speaking youth: Shawbridge Boys Farm, Youth Horizons, Allancroft, Mount St-Patrick and Ville-Marie Social Services were merged. These institutions unanimously decided to name their new organization "Batshaw Youth and Family Centres" in recognition of a whole life devoted to the community of Montreal and to the development of measures improving the welfare of youth in Quebec.

Over the years, Batshaw was honoured with numerous tributes and awards, including an honorary doctorate from McGill in 1998; the Order of Quebec in 1995; and the Order of Canada 2003. Manny Batshaw passed away on July 18, 2016 at the age of 101.

*** Original story on Manny Batshaw from the Shawbridge Campus Voice Newsletter, volume 1, number 2 - April 2002 with additional information from wikipedia.