Our Story

SWOVA Community Development and Research Society is a non-profit society and registered charity in Canada.  The society has been working for two decades to prevent violence in all forms. All of the work of the society is based on solid research and evaluation. SWOVA is an incubator where strategies and solutions for violence prevention are created, nurtured and shared.

Our Mission:

  • To promote healthy relationships and prevent discrimination, bullying, assault and abuse.
  • To develop and deliver innovative, evidence-based social-emotional education programs for children, youth and adults.
  • To inspire and train others to deliver our program models.
  • To foster violence-free communities through education, research, awareness-building and collaborative action.

Our Roots 

Our organization was created in response to a horrific incidence of violence against a woman and her daughter in our community a number of years ago. A small group of women came together and chose to take this incident as a ‘wake-up call’ for action. The formation of SWOVA is an example of the positive energy that can rise out of such tragedy.

Our goal is to create a world where women and children are valued and able to live without fear of violence and abuse.  We are committed to working in our local community to provide education, raise awareness, and develop solutions to prevent violence and abuse. We also work much further a field, providing resources, training, and education to communities seeking solutions and strategies for violence prevention.

Through our free resource library, schools-based violence prevention education programs, Respectful Relationships,  community events, and outreach to other communities provincially, nationally, and globally, we are working to make the world a safer and more respectful place.