Our Programs
The Harvey Centre for Advocacy & Systems Change
Addressing systemic barriers. Advancing meaningful change. Creating pathways to opportunity.
About the Centre
An established program of the Foundation
The Harvey Centre for Advocacy & Systems Change is an established program of The Harvey Foundation for Justice & Opportunity.
The Centre strengthens access to education, professional training, mentorship, and pathways toward economic stability for individuals and families materially affected by criminal justice-system involvement.
Through educational research, institutional collaboration, program development, and community engagement, the Centre addresses systemic barriers that interfere with educational participation and long-term opportunity.
Our work examines economic abuse, financial coercion, coerced debt, interrupted education, limited access to mentorship, and institutional practices that affect the Foundation's eligible population.
The Centre supports and strengthens community organizations and institutional systems rather than replacing frontline or emergency services.
Our Mission
To strengthen educational access and economic opportunity for justice-impacted individuals and families through research, educational programming, institutional collaboration, and survivor-informed program development.
Our Four Areas of Focus
Where the Centre concentrates its work
Economic Stability & Educational Access
We examine how economic abuse, coerced debt, financial coercion, and financial instability affect educational participation and economic opportunity.
Our work includes educational resources, research, financial literacy education, institutional collaboration, and recommendations to reduce barriers to educational financing.
Institutional Education & Program Development
We collaborate with educational institutions, financial institutions, and community organizations to strengthen educational accessibility.
Our work includes institutional training, program design, mentorship frameworks, organizational capacity-building, and program evaluation.
Mentorship & Opportunity Development
We strengthen pathways to educational and professional opportunities through mentorship, career development, educational goal-setting, and professional connections.
Our approach connects eligible individuals and families with resources, educational institutions, and community networks.
Research, Knowledge Exchange & Policy Education
We conduct research and develop educational policy recommendations addressing barriers to education, training, and economic stability among justice-impacted individuals and families.
Our work includes research reports, community consultations, educational policy briefs, and institutional knowledge-sharing.
Flagship Initiative
The Economic Barriers to Education Initiative
The Economic Barriers to Education Initiative examines how coerced debt, financial coercion, and economic abuse affect access to post-secondary education, professional training, and long-term opportunity.
Our areas of work include
- Research on coerced debt and educational financing.
- Financial abuse education.
- Institutional training and policy education.
- Community education workshops.
- Financial literacy resources.
- Collaboration with financial institutions and educational providers.
- Recommendations to improve educational accessibility.
Who We Serve
The Centre serves individuals and families who have been impacted by, or are at risk of being impacted by, criminal justice-system involvement, financial abuse, exploitation, trauma, and systemic barriers to education and economic opportunity.
This includes survivors of crime, justice-involved individuals, at-risk youth, and individuals and families experiencing circumstances that may increase their vulnerability to exploitation, financial instability, or involvement with the criminal justice system.
Our work focuses on prevention, education, advocacy, and creating pathways to long-term stability and opportunity.
Our Approach
We believe meaningful change requires collaboration between communities, educational institutions, financial institutions, researchers, and organizations providing direct services.
Our approach emphasizes lived-experience perspectives, accessible education, institutional accountability, evidence-informed program development, and long-term opportunity.
Our Role
The Centre focuses on educational programming, research, institutional collaboration, and systems improvement.
We do not operate emergency shelters or crisis-response services. Where specialized legal, financial, or clinical support is required, we encourage appropriate referrals to qualified providers.
Partner With the Centre
Interested in Collaboration?
The Harvey Centre for Advocacy & Systems Change welcomes opportunities to collaborate with educational institutions, financial institutions, researchers, nonprofit organizations, and professionals committed to reducing systemic barriers to education and opportunity.
Explore Collaboration Opportunities