Supporting family violence prevention efforts

The Building Gaps, Building Bridges Project is a one-year research, policy and capacity building initiative to assess family violence in newcomer communities. The project will gather data from 30 member agencies to examine how family violence manifests within newcomer communities and systemic gaps. The findings will inform the development of policy toolkits to help newcomer-serving agencies address family violence. 
 

The First Responder to Sexual Assault and Abuse Training Curriculum Refresh is helping to improve organizational bystander training. The initiative will redesign and pilot the training and help build capacity among facilitators. The goal is to increase participants’ understanding of the impact of sexual violence through an intersectional lens that centres around the lived experience of survivors of sexual violence.

The Real Strength, Real Change Project engages men and boys in rural Alberta through education, individualized support and innovative programming to foster healthy relationships, challenge harmful gender norms and promote emotional regulation. It focuses on removing barriers to accessing family violence prevention programs by providing services directly to men and boys, including youth programming to build resilience and teach positive relationship skills. 

The Cricket for Change: Tackling Family Violence Through Sports Project leverages cricket to engage men and boys to prevent family violence. The project engages an experienced facilitator to lead workshops on healthy masculinity, gender equity and bystander intervention to educate and empower participants to challenge harmful gender norms and adopt positive behaviours.

The Newcomer Family Wellness Initiative seeks to provide safe, supportive and inclusive spaces where newcomer immigrants and refugees can promote healthy relationships, enhance awareness and skills and receive valuable resources to address the unique challenges faced by these communities. 

The Change from Inside Out Project provides family violence and bystander training for adults and youth (14-18 years) from ethnocultural communities to recognize and respond to family violence, shift worldviews regarding gender norms, power relations, hypermasculinity and misogyny, and promote a culture of healthy relationships, consent, equity, respect and dignity for all. 

The Growing Together: Building Strong Foundations Project consists of two-gender specific programs: WiseGuyz and EmpowHer designed to equip boys and girls with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to build respectful relationships, challenge stereotypes and take responsibility for fostering safe, inclusive communities. 

The Champions of Violence Prevention and Healthy Relationships Project trains and engages young champions to provide support services, lead awareness workshops on family violence and the importance of maintaining healthy relationships, while prioritizing equipping youth with the required skills to build respectful connections, resolve conflicts positively and recognize signs of violence.
 

Working in collaboration with Catholic Social Services, the Welcome to Play Program supports up to 480 participants ages 5 to 18 of newly arrived refugee children and youth to build social connections and emotional well-being through sports and educational programming.

The Hands Lifting Hearts Initiatives Society prioritizes the wellbeing of families by engaging fathers, mothers and the entire family unit through education, mentorship and economic empowerment initiatives to promote healthy, resilient families. The culturally tailored initiatives in this project target African, Black and Caribbean families to help ensure equitable access to prevention services and address the root causes of family violence.

The New Perspectives Project addresses the multifaceted impacts of family violence, grief and loss and provides tools to help participants build and maintain healthy relationship through the delivery of group session and community outreach activities. It is designed to educate participants on the dynamics of abusive relationships, support the emotional well-being of parents and children, promote healthy communication and conflict resolution and foster a culture of healthy parenting.

The Indigenous-led Body Science Project takes a holistic approach that embeds Indigenous knowledge, culture and practices to foster cultural pride and connection, respect, boundaries and promote teachings about safety in a culturally meaningful way.

The Financial Abuse Awareness and Education Program supplements outreach programming offered by the shelter to assist clients with financial abuse, money management, debt repayment and tech safety.  
 

The EvolveMENt Boys Leadership Program utilizes educators and male mentors who have been trained and equipped with strength-based skills and knowledge to guide and inspire young men to be leaders in violence prevention. It is designed specifically for a rural and small urban context where harmful masculinities, gender norms, behaviours and attitudes are prevalent.

The Online Targeted Prevention Initiatives Project leverages technology and digital marketing strategies to promote awareness and understanding of family violence in communities within Strathcona County. The project aims to use targeted messaging to increase awareness in communities about the signs, risks and impacts of family violence and provide support to those seeking information and support services, including those at risk and those at risk of harming others.
 

The Sylvan Lake and Area Family Violence Prevention and Capacity Building Project will hire a Family Violence Prevention Coordinator to lead, coordinate and provide relevant information and resources targeting Indigenous groups, newcomers, refugees, 2SLGBTQIA+, rural communities, youth and people with disabilities in Sylvan Lake and communities.

The University of Calgary received funding for two projects. The Advancing Primary Prevention Project focuses on equipping organizational leaders with tools to embed primary prevention into their agencies, policy, legislation, programs and practices through collaboration and partnerships. The project will work with Government of Alberta and community-based leaders and organizations to socialize recommendations from the Alberta Primary Prevention Framework.

The other program funded, called Promoting Safe and Healthy Relationships: Preventing Male Perpetration of Domestic, Family, and Sexual Violence in Alberta, will build a foundation to conduct population-level research.

The Indigenous Family Violence Prevention Services Initiative serves the greater Edmonton area and is designed to make resources on family violence available to First Nations and Metis settlements across Alberta. It focuses on the development and implementation of a module that will offer training and equip individuals with tools to successfully reach targeted populations impacted by family violence. 
 

The Sohkisiwin Family Violence Prevention Program serves the greater Edmonton area and aims to provide immediate safety, support and long-term stability for Indigenous women and families fleeing family violence. It combines emergency response, trauma recovery, economic empowerment, advocacy and community education to break the cycle of abuse and foster independence.

The Nâķatohkîtân "Take Care of Each Other" Initiative serves the communities of Edson, Marlboro and Yellowhead by helping raise awareness about family violence as well as provide tools and resources to Indigenous families and communities to address violence. The initiative emphasizes the importance of proper family function and helps equip participants with tools and resources to resolve conflicts and engage in healthy relationships.
 

The Healing Together: Strengthening Families and Communities Initiative serves the communities of Marlboro, Edson, Grande Cache, Jasper, Hinton and Yellowhead County. It aims to address family violence prevention and increase support in rural and remote Indigenous communities by expanding access to culturally relevant services, increasing community engagement and developing innovative prevention-based programs.

The Addressing Gaps in Violence Prevention Services for Indigenous Women in Alberta Initiative serves Fort Vermilion. It is intended to complement existing programs and supports offered to Indigenous women and their families by identifying barriers to accessing support, soliciting input from partners and developing action plans to improve supports.

The Kikino Wellness and Connection Program: Men’s Group and Inclusive Youth Group Initiative applies a trauma-informed approach targeted to men that emphasizes healthy relationship guidance, communication skills and emotional regulation strategies. It incorporates land-based healing practices, mentorship and physical activities to foster a strong community of positive male role models.

The Mannawanis Sacred Path for Men Group Initiative serves the Kikino, Buffalo Lake, Fishing Lake and Elizabeth Metis Settlements and Frog Lake First Nation, Kehewin Cree Nation, Beaver Lake Cree Nation and Paul First Nation. It is designed to promote behaviour change, accountability and healthy relationships by assisting participants in recognizing harmful patterns, developing non-violence coping strategies and building empathy and respect.

Serving the Calgary area, Spirit Rising is an inclusive program designed to provide support, resources and healing opportunities for Indigenous families, women, girls and gender-diverse individuals and their families who have experienced violence within their homes and community.

The Safety for Our Families Project serves the greater Edmonton area. It aims to address root causes and increase family violence awareness among youth with a focus on the challenges faced by Indigenous families. Program services are particularly focused on supporting youth between the ages of 12 and 22 who are attending school and are already identified as struggling.

The Empowering Youth Through Identity, Belonging and Culture Initiative serves Medicine Hat, Dunmore and Redcliff. It aims to work in partnership with other stakeholders to offer outreach for youth and families impacted by intergenerational trauma and/or family violence. It is also intended to address service gaps and improve access to prevention supports and services for Indigenous youth and families through facilitated group sessions, safety planning and access to community resources for those directly impacted by intergenerational trauma and family violence.

The Niitoiyis Family Support Society received funding for two initiatives. The Unity Healing Together Initiative serves the Calgary area and is designed to support families of Indigenous victims who have lost their lives through targeted violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people. The project aims to support healing and build community connections through storytelling, cultural teachings, land-based teachings, healing medicines and equine therapy.

The 'Men and Boys Teachings' Initiative also serves the Calgary area and aims to promote Indigenous cultural awareness and traditional knowledge among Indigenous men and boys who were not raised within their cultures. It applies an Indigenous awareness model that engages Elders and Indigenous Knowledge Keepers to provide stories, activities and supports to allow men and boys to experience personal and cultural growth and connection.
 

The Sky Sisters Project serves Calgary and the Siksika, Kainai (Blood Tribe), Piikani, Tsuut’ina and Stoney Nakoda Nations. It aims to increase awareness of systemic barriers facing Indigenous women, girls, transgender women and Two-Spirit non-binary youth that contribute to violence empowering participants with practical skills in storytelling.