Peer Support Services For Abused Women

OFFERING PEER BASED SUPPORT TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE AT

RISK OF OR HAVE BEEN ABUSED, (AND THEIR CHILDREN)

Our Mission

Creating individual and systemic change to promote respectful, healthy and peaceful relationships

Our Vision

RESPECTFUL, HEALTHY AND PEACEFUL RELATIONSHIPS

Our Programs

Growth Circles Growth Circle programs are offered to women

who have left abusive relationships. In Growth Circles participants share their experiences and learn from other women who have been there too. Growth Circles are facilitated by trained volunteers who may be survivors of family violence themselves. Growth Circle program is 12 week, 2.5 hours per week. Session topics include; dynamics of violence, anger, parenting and self esteem.

Our Programs

Moving on With Mentors The Moving on with Mentors Program offers

individual peer support to women anywhere on the domestic violence continuum. The MOWM program is designed to assist women in meeting their personal goals, achieving self efficacy, accessing communities resources. There is a drop in group component of the program, that included both sharing of experiences and psychosocial learning. The Peer Support Mentor is a woman who herself, may have, experienced family violence and can act as a ‘mentor’ in facilitating growth and change for clients.

Our Programs

Finding Our Voices

Finding our Voices is a self esteem group. The group is available to any women whether she has experienced abuse or not. The group runs for 6 weeks, 2.5 hours a week. Topics include: communication, body image, assertiveness. The workshop is designed for any woman grappling with self esteem issues.

Our Programs

Same Sex Domestic ViolenceThis program is to address the often marginalized issue of same sex intimate partner domestic violence. In partnership with Safety Under the Rainbow, a collaborative initiative to address this issue PSSAW offers workshops to service providers on this issue, participates in awareness campaigns targeted to both the GLBT community and service providers and conducts research on this issue. This program is delivered province wide.

INSPIRING TEENS

Scope of the Issue Most present day issues of violence for teens come in the form

of verbal abuse, bullying, dating violence and disorderly behavior (Bear, 1998, Gabor 1995)

Canadian-based education research suggests that we have high rates of aggression among school aged children.

Young men are under served in the area of sexual health and relationship wellness and that they have been systemically marginalized and require more services than are being offered to them (Calgary Sexual Health and Wellness 2008)

INSPIRING TEENS

Scope of IssueDomestic Violence Statistics for Mountain View

County from Survey in 200871% of respondents said they know someone who

had or was experiencing domestic violence87% of respondents said they see a need in the

community for domestic violence services70% of respondents said that if the services existed

they would use them for themselves or someone they know.

INSPIRING TEENS

Scope of IssueTeens are faced with new types of sexual

harassment and domestic violence (sexting, cyber bullying/violence etc..)

Teens lack basic understanding of the issuesTeens struggle to understanding how to

address conflict as a bystanderTeens struggle with definitions of violence

INSPIRING TEENS

Media – Advertisement AnalysisWhat is the target group of the ad and the

product being sold?What is the primary message of the ad?What is the secondary message of the ad?

INSPIRING TEENS

Being an Engaged BystanderScenario

Who should say or do something?What can be done?(keep in mind your own safety in each situation)

INSPIRING TEENS

Program ObjectivesTeens understand the definition and

dynamics of violenceTeens understand how to be an effective

bystander to stop violenceTeens understand how to deal effectively

with conflictTeens have the tools to live violence free

lives

INSPIRING TEENS

Session Topic Objective Time

1 Understanding Violence To provide participants with an understanding of domestic violence/bullying and harassment and of common terms associated with violence

45-60 min

2 Understanding Relationships To provide participants with an understanding of their definition and expectations of relationships and to understand the attitudes that support dysfunctional relationships

45-60min

3 Gender Stereotypes Participants are able to identify influences, values and stereotypes and how these factors affect relationships

45-60min

4 Media Influences Participants are able to identify the influence of media on relationship definitions.

45-60Min

INSPIRING TEENS

Session

Topic Activities Time

5 and 6 Engaging Bystanders in Violence Prevention

To provide teens with an understanding of how to be a ‘successful’ bystander and how to address cyber bullying.

90-120 Min

7 Problem Solving Participants are able to indentify problem solving strategies and have tools to implement them

45-60 min

8 Violence in Relationships

To provide participants with an understanding of violence in relationships

45- 60 min

9 and 10 Sexual Harassment and Date Rape

To provide participants with an understanding of what sexual harassment and sexting are, what date rape is and how to prevent it.

90-120 min

INSPIRING TEENS – How it works….

Programs are delivered in partnership with the Chinooks Edge School Division.

Classes are part of the regular Career and Life Management curriculum – required by all high school students to graduate

Teachers grade and test students on the students based on the material provided (it is part of their overall CALM grade)

INSPIRING TEENS- How it works….

Students self identify or refer individuals to Peer Support Services for Abused Women if experiencing domestic or sexual violence.

Support of students is provided jointly by the Inspiring Teens facilitator and the Wellness Worker within the school

INSPIRING TEENSOutcomes and Impact

228 Students served in the 2009 – 2010 school year

Delivered in 5 schools in Mountain View County and Bowden

8-10 classes per CALM class

INSPIRING TEENS Outcomes and Impact

80% of teen participants understand the definition and dynamics of violence

86% of teen participants understand how to be an effective bystander to stop violence

82% of teen participants understand how to deal effectively with conflict

87% of teen participants have the tools to live violence free lives

INSPIRING TEENSOutcomes and Impact

Pre – Post survey based on the likert scaleSurvey measures attitudes, behavior and

beliefs

INSPIRING TEENS

Questions and Contact information

Trina Lonsberry – Program Coordinator, Mountain View County

403 556 8909 or trina.lonsberry@pssaw.org

Andrea Silverstone – Executive Director

403 234 7337 or andrea.silverstone@pssaw.org