History

A Commitment to Training and Employment for Women (ACTEW) began in 1985 as CATEW, the Community of Alternative Training and Education for Women. In a proposal to Status of Women Canada they had a (then) growing concern that programs offered by traditional educational institutions “are not providing women with the essential core life and generic skills that will prepare them for long-term financial independence.” The proposal noted that every effort must be made to ensure that women in and entering the labour force will have equal access to available employment and that "the trends which have led to job and economic segregation be reversed.”

CATEW received a grant leading to the publication of “The Needs of Community-Based Training Programs for Women in Metro Toronto: Some Recommendations.” This was the basis for the establishment of ACTEW. The organization was incorporated in 1987 as Advocates for Community-Based Training and Education for Women.

ACTEW is now a coalition of 70 community-based agencies and programs that provide employment and training services for women in Ontario. While many ACTEW members is located in the Greater Toronto Area, our membership is expanding and now includes agencies in South River, Hamilton, Ganonoque, Oshawa, Thunder Bay, Ottawa, and Kitchener. Our interactive Women’s Online Training Community web site has raised our profile across the province and expanded our capacity to work in the women’s training sector. Our publications and resources are circulated widely through our web site, our membership, and through our sister umbrella organizations.

In 2003, as part of a three-year strategic planning process, ACTEW officially changed its name to A Commitment to Training and Employment for Women, to reflect our emphasis on research and public education. In 2005, ACTEW became a registered charity.