Alberta
Violence Prevention Grants

The YWCA of Banff                                                                                         
2010: $26,200
The YWCA of Banff provides resources for women and their children fleeing family violence and access to safe, affordable housing for low-income residents.

The program supported by CWF provides toolkits to owners, managers and supervisors of local businesses on the effects of relationship violence in the workplace. Emphasis is placed on direct costs to employers like the decrease in employee productivity, and indirect costs like diminished workplace morale. The YWCA also provides employee groups with resources for survivors of relationship violence. Women are offered group sessions, resource referrals and counselling.

Discovery House
Calgary                                                                       
2010: $28,000
Discovery House is a second stage shelter (provides longer-term shelter than a transition house) which serves a growing immigrant and refugee population in Calgary.

A recent sector-wide report revealed that women leaving shelters were not accessing follow-up services despite the need. Many women ended up re-entering crisis and were too overwhelmed to begin a new relationship with a counsellor. Funding from CWF is helping Discovery House provide stronger follow-up support for women leaving the shelter. Counsellors work intensively with the families to develop a strong relationship during their time at the shelter, and then continue to work with them once they leave. Follow-up support includes help securing safe and affordable housing, advocacy, counselling and guidance, safety plan development, and a comfortable transition back into the community.  

The Vocational and Rehabilitation Research Institute (VRRI), Tackling Dating Violence Against Women with Disabilities
Calgary        
2010: $25,000
Women living with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to abuse: they are up to 10 times more likely than non-disabled women to experience violence, and their risk of sexual abuse is 150% greater than it is for non-disabled women.

Currently, there is a great need for accessible and comprehensive dating violence resources for women with disabilities in Alberta. Tackling Dating Violence Against Women with Disabilities is an innovative series of accessible resources to help women with disabilities recognize, understand and prevent dating violence and abuse. Distributed in collaboration with project partners, women with disabilities will have access to the materials through multiple outlets including print, internet and outreach workshops. Users will also have the opportunity to provide input on their needs and vision for the resources, and provide evaluation on their accessibility and usefulness.

Women's Centre of Calgary
2010: $20,000
This initiative helps service providers (who work with women who’ve experienced violence and/or poverty) develop the skills to impact public policy and build connections between the marginalized women they work with and community activists. Participants have access to workshops, mentoring and policy development experience, and will collaborate on a developing a poverty reduction strategy for Alberta. 

Boys and Girls Clubs of Calgary, The Hera Program
2010: $25,000
The Hera Program works with girls, aged 13-17, who are at risk of experiencing sexual exploitation. Many of the participants are highly vulnerable and are more likely than their peers to have experienced challenges in school, social isolation, poverty, risky sexual behaviour, substance abuse,  family violence or mental health issues. The program uses a holistic, therapeutic approach to help girls overcome psychological, physical and emotional issues, develop new skills and move toward a healthy, positive adulthood.

Victorian Order of Nurses for Canada-Western Region, PIC Program
Edmonton       
2010: $25,000
The PIC Program empowers abused women and their families to navigate and manage their health needs. A much-needed service, it is sometimes be the first point of entry into the health care system

Working directly in shelters for abused women, visiting nurses works with women to address health issues like substance abuse, suicide prevention, sexual assault, mental illness, childhood development, as well as specific conditions like diabetes, pregnancy and even head lice. The nurses also provide additional emotional support to women staying in a shelter and validate their experiences and feelings. In addition to these services, PIC nurses provide evidentiary documentation like Body Maps and Strangulation Assessments for criminal cases.

Brigantia Place- A Camrose Society for a Women's Shelter
Camrose   
2010: $28,000
Funding from CWF is helping to provide childcare for women attending group sessions after they leave the shelter, and to hire additional staff so that Brigantia can increase and enhance their Outreach Service.

Many women who stay at the shelter have had little experience setting up accommodations for their family, and once they leave, find they need support in securing affordable housing. The outreach staff work with women to find suitable accommodation, and develop partnerships with local landlords to give women prime access to affordable housing.

Strathcona Sexual Assault Centre (SAFFRON), ONYX Teen Girls Program
Sherwood Park
2009: $28,000
ONYX Teen Girls Program provides a safe environment of empowerment for girls aged 10 to 16. Participants learn to be critical thinkers as they gain awareness of issues including self identity, gender stereotyping, dating safety, conflict resolution and assertiveness.

Alliance to End Violence (AEV), Planting Peace in the Family: Faithlink
Calgary
2009: $20,000
Planting Peace in The Family: FaithLink trains community leaders to address family violence in Southeast Asian immigrant and refugee communities that experience significant social, linguistic and economic struggles. Participants will be trained to identify, support and refer people who are experiencing violence to community service providers.

Alberta Council of Women's Shelters, Domestic Violence Survivor Assessment Tool
Edmonton
2009: $25,000
The domestic violence survivor assessment (DVSA) tool helps front-line counsellors assess the concerns and needs of women who have experienced violence (related to safety, health, culture etc.) and enhances their ability to provide relevant and meaningful interventions.

Funding from CWF is supporting training and on-going assistance for participating shelters.

Discovery House
Calgary
2009: $28,000
Discovery House is a second stage shelter (provides longer-term shelter than a transition house) which serves a growing immigrant and refugee population in Calgary.

Funding from CWF supports operational funding for the Immigrant and Refugee Women's Advocate, a staffing role which provides counselling, referral, support, advocacy, and education to the immigrant and refugee residents of Discovery House (many of whom are dually disadvantaged by domestic violence, resettlement and war). The advocate also provides cross-cultural support to internal and external service providers.

Medicine Hat Women’s Shelter Society, Musasa House – Breaking Barriers
Medicine Hat
2009: $28,000
Musasa House is the only second stage housing program south of Calgary. Breaking Barriers helps abused women and their children rebuild their lives after abuse by recognizing, addressing and helping to mitigate the multiple challenges and barriers they face to live their lives independently and free from violence.

High Level Native Friendship Centre
High Level
2008: $25,000 (2006: $20,000)
This organization, located in a remote Northern community, offers support to women survivors of violence through group counselling, workshops and information sessions. High Level incorporates First Nations cultural practice (healing circles, smudging ceremonies and communal prayer led by an Elder) into programming. 

Discovery House
Calgary
2008: $23,000
This initiative provides counselling, referral, support and advocacy to immigrant and refugee women residents of Discovery House (a downtown second stage shelter). The shelter is responding to a large increase in the number of residents, primarily from Sudan, who have experienced domestic violence, resettlement and war. By building the capacity of agency staff and customizing program and policy development around this particular population, the shelter aims to better meet their clients' needs and support their transition after leaving the shelter. 

Medicine Hat Women’s Shelter Society
2008: $25,000 (2007: 20,000)
Musasa House provides long-term, safe accommodation and support services for women and children.  Using a holistic approach to education and counselling 10 residents and their families will be offered programming and resources that help them rebuild their lives after abuse and re-integrate into the community. Services include a “children witnessing violence” group, a financial literacy program and individual counselling. More than half of the residents are First Nations women. 

Edmonton Financial Literacy Society
2008: $25,000 (2007: $10,000)
This initiative provides financial literacy training to women in partnership with the Wings of Providence Shelter. CWF funds go directly to support a matched savings fund – every $1 saved by a woman is matched 2:1. Each woman choose an asset-building activity to undertake with her savings: examples include completing high school education, upgrading skills, and providing deposits for rental accommodation. 

SAFFRON Strathcona Sexual Assault Centre
Sherwood Park
(2006: $20,000)
ONYX Teen Girls Program provides a safe environment of learning for females aged 10 to 16. Currently running in Sherwood Park and Fort Saskatchewan, participants learn to be critical thinkers as they gain awareness of issues including: self identity, dating safety, conflict resolution and assertiveness. The program is adult and peer-facilitated. As some of the topics may be sensitive or upsetting, a youth therapist is available for counselling. CWF funded the ONYX pilot program in 2006. 

YWCA, Lethbridge and District
2008: $10,000  
This initiative offers time with a First Nations female Elder to women and children staying at the YWCA’s Harbour House Emergency Shelter. The Elder is available for spiritual guidance, smudging and traditional rituals, Blackfoot language translation and will also support personal and group healing work.

Calgary Family Services Society, FaithLink program
2007: $20,000
The Cambodian and Laotian Community Enhancement Program focuses on raising awareness about violence against women within the Cambodian and Laotian faith communities. Activities include developing Khmer and Laotian language materials, producing culturally and religiously sensitive educational resources and presentations, and training community leaders so they can provide victims with basic support and information about local resources.

Medicine Hat Women’s Shelter Society
2007: $20,000
“Musasa House Second Stage Program” works with women and children to help them understand the causes of family violence, heal from abuse and make positive changes in their lives. This two-phase, intensive support program includes services such as legal counsel, transportation, education and information, parenting and skill development. Support and counselling is available for children to teach them healthy ways to deal with anger and anxiety, inform them about safety planning, and help them to resolve behavioural problems resulting from exposure to violence.

African Sudanese Association of Calgary
2007: $5,000
The goal of this initiative is to offer greatly needed support to Sudanese women and girls in Calgary who have experienced violence. CWF is providing a planning grant and the help of a CWF volunteer, who works at a shelter in Calgary, to further develop the program.

Parkland Turning Point Society (PTPS)
Stony Plain
2007: $10,000
"PTPS Women's Phase II Program" explores the nature and impact of abuse in intimate relationships through education, support, healing and hope. Participants gain insight into how their past experiences, such as family-of-origin issues, child abuse or addiction, have impacted their lives and relationships. They are also encouraged to let go of negative messages, beliefs and behaviours which limit their ability to make healthy choices. Thirty nine women are expected to take part.

Alberta Council of Women's Shelters
2006: $23,000
The Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters is a province-wide, voluntary organization supporting women’s shelters and their partners through education, research and services for the benefit of abused women and their children. Through this grant, the Council provides guidance and materials to help shelters make a case for second stage housing in their community, and works with existing second stage houses to develop tracking and measurement tools and win government support.

Odyssey House
Grand Prairie
2006: $5,575
The goal of this initiative by Odyssey House is to help girls aged 13 to 15 increase their knowledge about violence and help them to make good decisions. Presented in a fun and interactive way, the program covers topics that include women in the media, healthy and unhealthy relationships, overcoming obstacles, and facing the world. Graduates of the group will have the opportunity to come back as peer facilitators.

Strathcona Sexual Assault Centre, ONYX Teen Girls Program
Sherwood Park
2006: $20,000
ONYX Teen Girls Program is a one-year pilot project that provides a safe environment of learning for females between 12 and 14. Participants learn to be critical thinkers as they gain awareness of issues including: self identity, dating violence prevention, and assertiveness. The program is adult and peer-facilitated. As some of the topics may be sensitive or upsetting, a youth therapist is available for counselling.

Prostitution Awareness & Action Foundation of Edmonton
2006: $20,000
Creating Options Aimed at Reducing Sexual Exploitation (COARSE) is a multi-faceted court diversion program that connects women with crisis and/or long-term support through community and government resources. Participants may have experienced sexual violence, addiction, homelessness, mental health challenges, or conflict with the law.

Brigantia Place- A Camrose Society for a Women's Shelter, The Mentoring Program
Camrose
2005: $12,000
The Mentoring Program at Brigantia Place pairs women up with volunteers who assist them in coping with the challenges they face after leaving the shelter. Mentors provide guidance on court proceedings, life skills, connection to community services, and assist participants with finding and evaluating child care providers. Also offered is the Transition Program which helps women obtain the items they need to set up their new homes.

Shining Mountains Living Community Services, Building Boundaries
Red Deer
2005:
Building Boundaries helps women (primarily Aboriginal) to reclaim their lives from the after experiencing abuse. Services include follow up counselling and support to women who have been in a shelter. Building Boundaries is designed to provide the women with a method of regaining their power through the symbolic use of the Medicine Wheel. The four sections of the program are: Recognition, Reclaim, Construct, Nurture and Act.

The Women’s Centre of Calgary, Girl Power Camp
2005: $13,050
Girl Power Camp focuses on sexism, violence, stereotypes and empower girls to dispel societal myths. Participants (aged 9-16) are those who might not otherwise be able to participate in a camp of this style. Curriculum for this project is loosely based on findings from the pilot project conducted in 2004, and feedback from the girls who participated in it.

Planned Parenthood Association of Edmonton, Expecting Respect
2005: $15,000
Expecting Respect Peer Education Program helps teens make good choices by increasing their knowledge, confidence, leadership and presentation skills. Peer educators are trained to present to students on one of three topic areas: healthy relationships, bullying or harassment. Presentations are made in school and are age-appropriate.

Sonshine Society, FaithLink
Calgary
2004: $21,500
The focus of the FaithLink project is to build bridges between religious/spiritually-based communities and domestic violence services in Calgary. Its goal is to help religious communities become an integral part of the larger community's response to family violence by increasing their awareness and assessment skills. CWF funding is being used to extend services to the Jewish community, enhance educational materials on domestic abuse for the Christian community and assist family violence service providers to address the importance of spirituality for those women from religious/spirituality-based communities who access their services.

Edmonton Community Loan Fund Society, Assets for Independence
Edmonton
2004: $25,000
Assets for Independence helps reduce the economic vulnerability of women who have left an abusive situation. A matched saving program and workshop is offered to educate women on asset building, goal setting and financial management. The program has five components: incorporation of the sustainable livelihoods model, savings, financial literacy workshops, monitoring and evaluation, and dissemination. One of the main objectives of the project is to have the women participating act as mentors to the organization in the project design and delivery and also as mentors to other women.

Eagle Women's Emergency Shelter, Black Diamond
2004: $28,000
This is an outreach program for women living in rural communities who are experiencing abuse and/or at risk of experiencing abuse. Rural women experiencing abuse are at a higher risk of homelessness than their urban counterparts. The project addresses the needs of the women and educates the community about domestic violence. The program includes follow-up services for women who have been through the shelter program, crisis intervention, counselling and support groups. Women share the impact abuse has had on their lives and develop social bonds with other abused women in their community.