BC Association of Specialized Victim Assistance and Counselling Programs

The Renewing Resources for Safer Communities Project is an innovative partnership between the anti-violence sector and the resource sector (particularly forestry and mining) that aims to improve the resource sector’s capacity to respond to violence in relationships.

The BCASVACP and the Ending Relationship Abuse Society (ERA) have come together to manage this one-year violence prevention project, working in partnership with WorkSafe BC, the BC Federation of Labour, and the United Steelworkers Union.

What is unique about this project is the focus on the resource industries and the partnerships with labour. While violence in relationships is not necessarily more common in these industries, project organizers chose to focus on them for two reasons:

• Including the needs of rural and isolated communities is important and these industries are major employers in rural and isolated communities.
• Involving men in speaking up about the issue of relationship violence is critical to creating safer and healthier communities, and these industries are operated by a predominantly male work force.

The action plan of the Renewing Resources for Safer Communities Project includes hosting free training sessions around the province in key areas identified by forestry and mining personnel. At these sessions, participants will learn what exactly defines “violence in relationships” as well as what constitutes an appropriate response from a corporate, union and individual perspective. They will also receive a Tool Kit on CD to assist with proactive prevention strategies, including a draft policy. The vision of this initiative is to reduce violence and to assist employers to develop skills and knowledge to respond. At the end of it all, we hope to make our communities a safe place to work and live.

Part of the Renewing Resources project is the film Men Speak Up, Ending Violence Together.

For further information and registration details, phone: Sandra Beggs at 250-559-8831 or 604-315-1134, or Habiba Rashid at 604-633-2506 (ext 10). Email: sandra@qcislands.net or renewing@qcislands.net.

References
Klie, S. (2008, April 7). HR Canadian Reporter. Retrieved April 2008, 22, from HRReporter: http://www.hrreporter.com/loginarea/members/viewing.asp?ArticleNo=5966

A Ministry of Community Services Partners in Prevention Project

The BCASVACP and CCWS have worked with the RCMP, municipal police and the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General to find ways that victims can get information to police without having to engage with the justice system. RCMP and municipal police in BC have now adopted a provincial protocol for third party reporting.

Download background document on Third Party Reporting (pdf).

Training sessions are now scheduled for Community-Based Victim Assistance workers, Police-Based Victim Assistance Workers and police. See Calendar of Events for training sessions in May and June 2008.

Download application form.

Training is funded by the National Policy Centre for Victim Issues and the RCMP Family Violence Initiative.

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.

A special two day training event that was jointly sponsored by this Association and the BC Women's Hospital to bring together for the first time staff from BC Hospitals and front line workers at Sexual Assault/Woman Assault centres and Specialized Victim Assistance programs. The event was funded by grants from the federal Department of Justice and the BC Ministries of Attorney General and Women's Equality.