Emily Hepburn, from the Salt Spring Island Foundation, presents cheques to Lynda Laushway, Executive Director of SWOVA. The SSI Foundation donated $5,000 towards SWOVA’s local Respectful Relationships program and $5,000 towards their new Pass-It-On for Boys Program. The presentation took place at SWOVA’s fundraiser dance with Auntie Kate and the Uncles of Funk on 9th May 2009, at Fulford Hall.

 

Executive Director's Report – 2009

We have had a year of ups and downs at SWOVA. For most of the year we operated more programs, with more staff than ever in our history as an organization. Much was accomplished for youth and for communities. As ever, SWOVA’s commitment to evaluating our work was carried out and we have a number of primarily positive evaluation reports available for viewing in our office. Towards the latter part of this past year we have begun to really feel the effects of the economic slowdown and government cutbacks and shifting priorities.

Programs

Respectful Relationships (R+R) Program in School District #64

The Southern Gulf Islands School District #64 has the R+R program in the classroom for the tenth consecutive year, with approximately 500 students in grades 7,8, 9, and 10 participating in the program. Christina Antonick and Sean Mulligan are the Adult Facilitators for the program delivery, and Lynda Laushway is the Program Coordinator. They are assisted by twenty-six Youth Facilitators from the high school, our largest Youth Team in the history of the program. Workshop delivery is currently ongoing in both the High School and the Middle School, and will be completed by the end of February 2009. The Outer Islands workshops need to be scheduled for the spring.

A new workshop on Cyber-bullying is being pilot-tested this year in our school district, for students in grade 9.

R+R Outreach

The communities of Kamloops and Valemount/McBride were able to secure their own funding and offer the R+R program in their communities this year. Over the summer we had three summer students who assisted with R+R curriculum updates. The revised curriculums were distributed to these two outreach communities.

Pass it On

The Pass it On: Women and Girls Working Together for Health and Safety pilot project was completed at the end of September. Final reporting has been accepted by the funders. A manual and education cards were produced as part of the project materials. We have applied to Status of Women Canada for Phase ll funding for the program and are waiting to hear if it will be approved.

The Pass it On: Men and Boys Working Together for Health and Safety pilot project got under way in the spring. Project Coordinator, Bob Campsall and Adult Facilitator, Stephen Chadwick have been working with a group of senior high school young men, who are mentors to a group of grade 8 boys. They have organized a number of activities for the youth. A steering committee of community members has been meeting regularly throughout the project. A series of four educational workshops will be delivered to all grade 8 boys over the next few weeks. The project will be completed by the end of December.

Communication and Education

On an ongoing basis, SWOVA offers a free lending service of print and video materials, as well as organizing community education events. A new edition of our newsletter ‘Roar’ has recently been published and distributed. Our website is updated on an ongoing basis (info@swova.org). We also offer a referral service for people seeking information or assistance with issues related to violence prevention.

Each year we mark December 6th as a day of remembrance for prevention of violence against women, with a candlelight vigil in Ganges.

Recognition

SWOVA staff were pleased to have a meeting with John Abbott this past spring. John is from England and is a proponent of The 21st Century Learning Initiative. The essential purpose of the initiative is to facilitate the emergence of new approaches to learning that draw upon a range of insights into the human brain, the functioning of human societies, and learning as a community-wide activity. John is very supportive of SWOVA’s programs.

Conclusion

In these times of global economic hardship and government cutbacks, non-profit societies are being hit very hard and are struggling to survive. Many long-standing sources of funding for violence prevention have closed their doors. SWOVA is struggling along with many worthwhile charities to keep our doors open and keep delivering our programs.

 

About SWOVA

SWOVA Community Development and Research Society is a non-profit society and registered charity in British Columbia. Its members are women and men who work for social change, helping to create a world where women and children are valued and able to live without fear of violence and abuse.

The mandate of SWOVA is

To work to prevent violence.

To develop community solutions to violence.

To promote research into violence issues.

To support and enhance violence prevention in the schools.

The objectives of the society are

To conduct research in order to better understand the complex issues surrounding violence and abuse against women and children.

To educate the public about violence and abuse issues through media, workshops, vigils, letter writing campaigns, etc.

And to work within our community to eliminate violence and to empower local girls and women.

Our Policy on Inclusiveness
As a society, SWOVA acknowledges the inherent worth and dignity of every person. We strive to foster a world that honours diversity. SWOVA is an equality-seeking society. We actively oppose all forms of discrimination based on sex, race, sexual orientation, age, spiritual choice, or ability. SWOVA works to re-dress the unequal distribution of power, resources, and privilege, that we see in society. We actively work in the community and schools to stop oppression in all forms, including sexism, racism, and homophobia.

 

 

"Young people should be at the forefront of global change and innovation. Empowered, they can be key agents for development and peace. If, however, they are left on society's margins, all of us will be impoverished. Let us ensure that all young people have every opportunity to participate fully in the lives of their societies."
--Kofi Annan

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