COMPENDIUM OF PROMISING PRACTICES TO REDUCE VIOLENCE AND INCREASE SAFETY OF ABORIGINAL WOMEN IN CANADA – COMPENDIUM ANNEX: DETAILED PRACTICE DESCRIPTIONS
HISTORICAL LEGACY
Healing and Renewal of Family Roles and Responsibilities
Program name:
Appreciative Inquiry (Program for Men who use Violence)
Organization:
The Department of Justice, Government of the Northwest Territories
Location:
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
Target Group:
Northwest Territory men of all ages and cultural backgrounds.
The Coalition Against Family Violence has been researching men's healing programs since 2004. The Appreciative Inquiry research process was carried out in the summer of 2010. This research process has led to the development of a healing program pilot project for men who use violence. The name of this healing program is "A Program for Men Who Use Abuse in their Intimate Relationships". This program is now in the testing stage (February 2012).
Program Description
Goals & Objectives:
To raise public awareness about the ways men choose non-violent and respectful actions instead of abusive or violent actions; to produce a video, "Non-Violence, A Strength-Based Community Inquiry", with facilitator notes, for use with men throughout the NWT; and to provide a research-based foundation for the development of the healing.
Traditional/Indigenous ways:
All the men interviewed for the video "Non-Violence, A Strength-Based Community Inquiry" described the importance of the land, and traditional wisdom/customs, in their own healing journeys. Most of the men discussed the many ways in which their Elders had assisted them.
Components of program:
The Appreciative Inquiry (Program for Men who use Violence) research process was composed of the following components: hiring of an appreciative inquiry research team from the Centre for Response Based Approach; seeking permission from chiefs and First Nation band councils, in twelve NWT communities, to approach community men who might be willing to be interviewed for the video; locating, interviewing and filming men in twelve NWT communities; asking the men to speak about how they overcame the use of violence in their own lives and asking them to offer advice to other men who wish to leave violence behind them; distributing the resulting video, "Non-Violence, A Strength-Based Community Inquiry", throughout the NWT; and producing a twenty week healing program pilot project, "A Program for Men Who Use Abuse in their Intimate Relationships".
Services/How they work:
Services are not ongoing as this was a data gathering process for a potential pilot project.
Funding:
Funding is provided by the NWT Department of Justice. Some initial funding was also received from the Department of Public Safety Canada's National Crime Prevention Centre.
Relationships and Stakeholders
Involvement of Target Groups:
The Appreciative Inquiry (Program for Men who use Violence) research process involved women in the planning process. In particular, the Coalition Against Family Violence (a group of agencies and government departments) was instrumental in the design and direction of the research process.
Partners:
Yellowknife YWCA; the Centre for Northern Families; the John Howard Society; the Salvation Army; the NWT Status of Women Council; the NWT Department of Health and Social Services; RCMP; the NWT Department of Justice
Other relationships:
N/A
Details of Program Evaluation
Evaluation:
No evaluation has been completed.
Highlights of Evaluation Findings:
N/A
Program Outcomes
Measures of Success:
Success may be partially measured by reduced charges and convictions of men for the use of violence in their personal relationships. Success may also be measured by men's increased participation levels in various types of healing programs (including traditional and contemporary healing approaches).
Achievements:
The Appreciative Inquiry (Program for Men who use Violence) research process has given NWT men an opportunity to tell their own story of recovery from the use of violence.
Challenges:
N/A
Things to Know to Replicate
Replication Advice:
The program is considered replicable. A reasonable level of funding is necessary to carry out a research process over a large territory. The production of a video is also expensive.
Resources:
Adequate funding and trained staff are necessary for the program to succeed.
