What's Your Action?
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WHAT’S YOUR ACTION? Celebrating National Victims of Crime Awareness Week 2014 Taking Action What’s New? The theme recognizes that: Community Justice Society • Throughout Cana- The CeaseFire Project beginning this National Victims of Crime Awareness da, countless dedicat- month! We are working towards de- Week is held in April every year. The ed professionals and creasing gun violence in the community, goal of Victims Week is to raise aware- volunteers are taking particularly the African Nova Scotian ness about issues facing victims of action to better serve Community. crime and the services, programs and victims of crimes ev- ADDvocacy ADHD and Life Skills Coaching laws in place to help victims and their ery day. Criminal jus- Adding more coaches and expanding families. tice service providers reach of services throughout the prov- give information and ince. Also collaborating with CEED, meaningful support to EDN, Teamwork Cooperative, March of victims and their fam- Dimes, Self Help Connection, etc. All of ilies at the communi- which are exciting new initiatives Community Justice Society of- ty, provincial, territori- Avalon Sexual Assault Centre fers various programs to young al and federal levels Huge organizational overhaul we even people who are in conflict with the changed our logo, and launched the • Over the last three public awareness campaign “Start By law. The Society is involved in vic- decades, Canada Believing”! tim and community participation, has made significant Soon we will provide sexual assault crime prevention, public education therapuetic counselling services to trans advances towards individuals 16+. Now legal support and and advocacy and is committed giving victims a more advocacy is available in 2014/15. to providing an environment that is effective voice in the non-threatening and free from dis- criminal justice sys- African Diaspora Association of the tem. By working to- Maritimes crimination. gether collaboratively, We are offering a “Community in Mind” The victim plays an integral role all levels of govern- workshop series where the purpose is within the Restorative Justice pro- ment are taking action to distigmatize mental illness, promote mindful well-being and self-care and cess. Through their participation, on issues important to provide resources to the African Dias- the victim is provided a safe and victims of crimes. The pora Community- if you would like more supportive environment to express Govenrment of Can- information on these, be in touch with the ada will continue to A.D.A.M. their feelings and seek restitution. build on this momen- Victims who choose to participate tum to make meaning- 4 C’s Program are given the opportunity to partic- ful change for victims In upcoming months, 4Cs will be focus- of crime in Canada ing on projects that build the capacity of ipate in a talking circle; a conversa- organizations with mandates that align tion which is guided by trained fa- • All Canadians can be with our value of building a community cilitators and attended by the youth, taking action by help- of care around children. the victim and their respective sup- ing victims of crime Laing House port people as well as justice and access the services Their interactive website provides the community participants as appro- available to them. Vic- steps to become a member of their priate. The talking circle provides tims Week 2014 pro- organization and take part in their vibrant vides a backdrop for events on their calendar. victims with the opportunity to ask a national discussion questions and understand why the about the laws, ser- Youth Project harm occurred. Most importantly, Celebrating 20 years, March 2014! A vices, and programs bowl-a-thon fundraiser in May, and 2 the process allows victims to have available for victims of awesome summer camps in summer a say in what needs to be done to crime. 2014! make things right. Survey Participants Community Justice Society|ADDvocacy ADHD & Life Skills Coaching LTD|Holla- back!Halifax|Avalon Sexual Assault Centre|Canadian Mental Health Association NS|Dartmouth Family Centre|Phoenix Youth Program|African Diasphora Association of the Mari- times|4 C’s Foundation|Wee Society|Laing House|Halifax Regional Municipality|The Youth Project|HRP Victim Services|Halifax Public Libraries|St. John Ambulance|Clean NS|Coverdale Courtwork Society Website:communityjusticesociety.org Volunteers:75 Location : 1256 Barrington St, Halifax, NS Employees:24 Service Area: HRM Served: 150+ Phone: 424-5473 COMMUNITY JUSTICE SOCIETY Our mission/vision “To provide a community-based restorative justice process, offering meaningful ways to repair the harms caused by youth crime and restoring positive relationships among youth in conflictwith the law, victims ofyouth crime, and our community. To foster and nurture restorative justice, the Society educates and advo- cates for community engagement in crime prevention and the building of positive relationships among all community members.” Our services Advocacy; Referrals; Victim Reparation; Educational Programming; Community Service Hours; Conferencing; Com- munity Building We believe the HRM requires more of the following services for victims: Crisis Intervention; Couseling; Support Groups; Accompaniment throughout justice system Phone: 857-1061 Website:http://www.weesociety.ca/ Volunteers:20 Location : Hubbards, NS Employees:2 Service Area: Dartmouth Served: 21-80 WEE SOCIETY Our mission/vision “To ensure that diverse women are included in Community based Economic Development in Nova Scotia. Our program is designed to build upon their life and employability skills through a combination of personal development, job preparation, computer skills, GED preparation and self esteem building.” Our services Short and long-term emotional support, Support groups, Training facility We believe the HRM requires more of the following services for victims: Information, Counseling, Advocacy, Short and long-term emotional support “Without the NOW program I would not have had the confidence or believe I could go back to school and end up with a professional career. My life story has been foster home to foster home and I am of mix race and bisexual women, along with spending most of my time in and out of prison. The NOW program made me feel alive again and to believe I was important. I am now a woman with her welding papers and living out west making a good living. I am in a relationship in which I hope will be my life partner. Yvette and Denise will always have a special place in my heart. Oh! And I have written a manuscript about my life I hope to publish, which I hope to sell one day” - Wee Society Client Website:avaloncentre.ca Volunteers:15-20 Location:1526 Dresden Row, Halifax, NS Employees:11-15 Service Area: HRM Served: 150+ Phone: 422-4240 Ages:0-60+ AVALON SEXUAL HEALTH CENTRE Our missionvsion “We aspire to a world in which individuals are empowered and mobilized to share responsbility in creating communities free from sexualized violence and abuse. We provide a leadership role in raising awareness, supporting those who have experienced sexualized violence, holding sexual perpetrators accountable, and influencing social and systematic change. Our services Information; Crisis Intervention; Counselling; Advocacy; Short and long-term emotional support; support groups; court preparation;Accompaniement through justice system, Referrals; Sexual Assault Nurse Examin- er Program, Public Awareness/Community and Legal Education/Professional Training/ Resource distribution We believe the HRM requires more of the following services for victims: Information; Crisis Intervention; Counseling; Emergency Shelter; Advocacy; Short and long-term emotional support; Support groups; Court preparation; Accompaniment throughout justice system; Information sharing with vitims of federally sen- tenced offenders; Referrals “At the age of fifteen I made a whispered phone call from the payphone of my highschool to the Avalon Centre. Like many girls and women I was looking for a way to understand and cope with the challenging and painful experience of childhood sexual abuse... The feminist and women-centered approach and the sisterhood I have experienced in my time as a client of Avalon is unparalleled. I have experienced healing and growth that has assisted me to become an empowered advocate for social change related to violence against women” - Avalon Centre Client Website:http://tinyurl.com/HRPVSs Volunteers:25 Location:1975GottingenStreet,Halifax, NS Employees:4 Service Area: HRM Served: 150+ Phone:490-5300 Ages:12-60+ HRP Victim Services Our missionvsion “To provide information and support to victims of crime with particular emphasis on victims of domestic and sexual violence” Our services Information, Crisis Intervention, Advocacy, Referrals We believe the HRM requires more of the following services for victims: Short and long-term emotional sup- port; Support groups; Information sharing with victims of federally sentenced offenders “They really help you. They call you in to meet with you, to speak with you and explain to you that it’s not your fault. You shouldn’t feel guilty about things you have no control over. You can’t control what the other person does or says. Victim Services was a breath of fresh air.” -Victim Services Client Website:http://coverdale.ca Volunteers:N/A Location: 2346 Hunter Street Employees:3 Service Area: HRM Served: 150+ Phone: 422-6417 Ages:12-60+ COVERDALE COURTWORK SOCIETY Our missionvsion “To provide support and services to women