VWTH Spring 2012 Newsletter - Victoria Women`s Transition House
Transcription
VWTH Spring 2012 Newsletter - Victoria Women`s Transition House
Community Support in Action www.transitionhouse.net S PR I N G 2012 Silent No More I WAS EXPECTED to be silent and not say anything bad against my abusive partner as it could hurt my child’s relationship with him. So I kept quiet hoping that my silence could shield my daughter from the abuse. I hoped somehow she wouldn’t ever know. I know now that children don’t need to be told, they already know the truth of a situation and that’s a step to breaking the cycle. I initially resisted counselling for her, as it would reveal the truths that I just couldn’t. I remember how she came home from The Children Who Witness Abuse program. She seemed a different — older, wiser — version of herself. She said that she no longer felt alone or different from other girls. She had been keeping that secret — and no longer had to. I felt relieved that “it” had a name; we could talk about it free from shame. She differs from the child who hid behind my skirts staring at the floor with a wary gaze full of mistrust. Her confidence astounds me; just the other day she came home and declared, “I don’t Vision : A community free of relationship violence and abuse like the mean boys in class; I only like the nice ones.” Past generations of women in my family suffered in silence, whereas, I feel blessed that my daughter and I found a place where we can dare to speak about the unspeakable. n E M P OW E R I N G Youth Girls OUR SECOND youth girls’ group has been another great success! These groups offer safe space for girls to come together to share their stories, reflect, learn, and grow. Through discussion, journaling, art, theatre activities, and education, girls gain a sense of empowerment and agency, comfort in their shared experiences, and invaluable knowledge about healthy relationships. The value of all of this is clear with statements like this from 12-year old Kayla, “I deserve freedom, equality, trust, and to have a voice in all of my relationships.” n I N SI D E Call to Action Extreme Makeover: Playroom Vo lu n t eers H e l p t he CWWA Program R A I S E AWA R E N E S S A B OUT Dating Violence prevention of intimate partner violence in our communities is a vital goal for the Children Who Witness Abuse Program (CWWA). To help us provide more education and presentations on dating violence in high schools, some enthusiastic and dedicated VWTH volunteers are stepping up! n STRIVING FOR S.A.F.E. Program Success A New Program… News and Events 2 2 3 3 4 CRISIS LINE 250-385-6611 COMMUNITY OFFICE Suite 100 – 3060 Cedar Hill Road Victoria BC V8T 3J5 P 250-592-2927 Ext 210 F 250-592-9279 E [email protected] Charitable No. 10817 3501 RR0001 www.transitionhouse.net Call to Action NEXT ENTS: V E APRIL 18 Love to Sew? Scrappy Endings Join in for an afternoon of constructing and sewing beautiful handbags for a great cause. The 3rd Wednesday of every month, 1–5pm. MAY This FREE event includes early catered dinner at 4:30. 16 JUNE 13 … a fundraising venture dedicated to supporting Victoria Women’s Transition House by selling handmade products and donating 100% of the proceeds. Fabric scraps, swatches and remnants are used to create beautiful handbags. Demand is high and sewing participants are needed! To register, contact Elissa Bergman 250-592-2927 ext 210 or [email protected] Held at: Sawyer Sewing Centre, 201 – 3400 Douglas St. All materials supplied. transitionhouse.net scrappyendings.ca E x t reme M a k eover : Playroom Edition THE CWWA PLAYROOM , used for counselling children ages 3–18, has recently undergone a huge transformation. Thanks to the hard work of the Development Manager, Elissa Bergman, and some very generous donors and volunteers, we were able to see our wildest wishes for this space come to fruition! With new counters, cabinetry, and furniture, the renovated room is now impeccably fresh and organized, which offers a great sense of comfort to children whose lives are often fraught with chaos. The warm paint, soft flooring, and cozy ‘safety corner’, invoke feelings of both calm and fun within the room. Evidence for how invaluable these changes are has already become clear when the CWWA counsellors observe their small clients joyfully explore the new room, and like 5-year old Meadow, exclaim “wow it looks so beautiful in here! I just love it!” Thank you to the donors and volunteers: Cloverdale Paint Cedar Hill X Road, Harbour City Kitchens, Island Floor Centre, Ruffell & Brown, and Power to Be. n 2 COMMUNIT Y SUPPORT IN ACTION S.A.F.E. PROG R A M Success (Self-sufficiency and Assets through Financial Education) “MARY” is excited about participating in the SAFE Program at Harrison Place. Sixty years old, finally in safe housing, her abuse and bankruptcy behind her, she is ready to face the future with hope. She receives $906 a month from the Province because of her serious health issues. She is feeling better but will never be the same. She knows she must put her disappointments and feelings of regret aside. She never imagined she would be starting her life over at this age. She is allowed to earn $500 a month and hopes to use her talents to start a home business to increase her income. The first financial workshop in the SAFE Program, Your Relationship with Money, got her thinking about her attitudes about Money and how her past influences her financial decisions. Her income barely covers her Needs, and her Wants must be controlled because of necessity. Since her bankruptcy she has no credit card and hopes to learn how to rebuild her credit through the Program. She knows it will be a lot of work. The homework for this month is to get receipts for everything she spends. This is the first step to learning how to budget. Kind of a hassle, and she will have to do this for at least 18 months! But if she successfully completes the SAFE Program she will have the personal and financial resources to change her life. She is thrilled to hear the wonderful response from donors who will match what she saves. With the support of staff and donors she knows she can make it. n A N E W PROG R A M ! T he After-Program Group an inspiring wo men ’ s circ l e THANKS TO A GRANT from the United Way, Victoria Women’s Transition House has a new group for women who have been at the Shelter or who have used our services. The group meets for two hours Thursday mornings. We have a check in, discussion on a topic, education or an activity, and a checkout. We will also have guest speakers and field trips. The purpose is to learn, share, and have some fun. The focus for March is Self Awareness — It’s all about Me! We learn so much from one another: n Favourite books: The Secret Daughter (Shilpi Somaya Gowda), The Forgotten Garden (Kate Morton) n Favorite Ted Talks: Brene Brown: The Power of Vulnerability; Jill Bolte Taylor: Stroke of Insight ; Nigel Marsh: How to make work-life balance work (Listen to find out his version of a perfect day!) n Resources that have made a difference: Native Friendship Centre; Mustard Seed Food Bank n Google NPR Radio and listen to Regina Spekter. For more information about the group, call the Shelter: 250-385-6611. n Your Support Helps us raise nearly $800,000 each year for our programs and services. COMMUNIT Y SUPPORT IN ACTION 3 Keep up to date via Facebook/ Victoria Women’s Transition House Follow our website blog: Subscribe to our electronic newsletter at the bottom www. of our transitionhouse. Home Page net/blog …or scan to subscribe www.transitionhouse.net News and Events Scrappy Endings Join in for an afternoon of fabric cutting, ironing, and/or sewing beautiful handbags for a great cause. This monthly gathering is from 1–5pm at Sawyer Sewing Centre, 201-3400 Douglas Street. Bags are sold to profit Transition House. Upcoming Dates: April 18, May 16, June 13. Contact Elissa at [email protected]. Soup Sisters 200 bowls of nurturing and nourishing soups are prepared by Soup Sisters Victoria in partnership with The London Chef every month for women and children in the shelter. Space available on May 1, July 30 and September 24. Details: www.soupsisters.org www.transitionhouse.net Garage Sale Royal LePage Coast Capital Realty offices are combining to hold a huge garage sale to support local women’s shelters. May 12, 9am–3pm at 4460 Chatterton Way. Victoria Goddess Run This Women’s Only 5km, 10km, and Half Marathon is being held on Sunday, June 3, 2012 in Langford. Five dollars of the entry fee goes towards your choice of charities so think of walking or running and contributing to Transition House. Details: victoriagoddess.com Victoria Gold Club Charity Events The Victoria Golf Club is holding their 17th Annual Charity Tournament. This year there will be a men’s tournament on June 16 and a women’s tournament on June 21. These tournaments combined with a Monte Carlo Gala Night aspire to surpass the $100,000 raised last year. To golf, sponsor or for more information: www.vgccharity.com Goodlife Fitness Victoria Marathon On October 7, 2012, we will have a team walking, running and cheering in the kids run, 8km, half and full marathon. To join or sponsor us contact [email protected]. n