BC Association of Specialized Victim Assistance and Counselling Programs

A project coordinated by the Ministry of Women's Equality, with representation on the Steering Committee by our Association, as well as counsellors in STV programs housed in Specialized Victim Assistance Programs, Women's Centres and Transition Houses, to create counselling practice guidelines to enhance the work of practitioners in these programs.

An initiative coordinated by the Ministry of Skills and Training, to fund and develop programs and policies throughout university and college campuses to better insure issues of safety, accessibility and equality. Our Association played a key role advising this Committee of issues related to violence against women and also advised on proposed policy and program appropriateness to those affected.

A project taken on by this Association in partnership with the BC & Yukon Society of Transition Houses to develop tools and plans to assist the organizational needs of women serving and victim serving organizations in the area of human resources, labour relations, management coaching and organizational growth and change.

An initiative taken on and coordinated by our Association, in partnership with the BC&YSTH, to develop a paper for the Transition Commissioner regarding the possible options for shifting the social service delivery system as it relates to services to children within women's services.

An initiative taken on by this Association in partnership with the BC Women's Hospital to develop analysis and a provincial proposal for the introduction of nurse examiners in hospitals throughout BC to conduct sexual assault medical and forensic examinations.

An initiative conceived of by our Association to pay tribute to work being done by organizations, individuals and businesses across BC to prevent violence against women. We subsequently established a partnership with the Ministry of Women's Equality and the BC & Yukon Society of Transition Houses to push ahead with this project designed to encourage, recognize and honor the outstanding work being done across BC in building a safer future for women and a violence free society. There are four categories: individual, partnership, organization and corporate.

The Association has worked to put processes in place that reduce the burden on anti-violence programs associated with the Accreditation process and to provide support through the process. We were able to secure funds through the Multi-Lateral Task Force from the Ministry of Advanced Education and the Ministry of Women's Equality (now MCAWS) to move forward to create some supports to programs going through this process.