Family Violence Initiative

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:

North End Women's Centre (NEWC)

Organization:

North End Women's Centre

Location:

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Target Group:

Women 18 years of age and older and their children.

Contact Name:

Heather Leeman, Executive Director

Phone:

N/A

Email:

info@newc.mb.ca

Website:

www.newcentre.org

Program Overview
History:

NEWC was started in 1984. It has not changed its organizational mandate, but the programs do change annually. Addictions programs, transitional housing, and other services have been added over the years.

Program Description
Goals & Objectives:

To provide a friendly atmosphere, where women can receive the understanding, support and resources they need to make informed choices about their lives; to support women in reducing their use of addictive substances; to assist women in improving their economic well-being; and to provide women and children with the skills and knowledge to have a healthy parent-child relationship.

Traditional/Indigenous ways:

NEWC has incorporated the Medicine Wheel in many of its programs. The facility is applying to have an Elder placed on staff. Most of the staff is trained in cultural sensitivity and in the Aboriginal culture as a whole. The management team attends cultural training sessions. Smudging is made available during the counselling sessions and the facility has access to a sweat lodge.

Components of program:

The facility offers a counselling program to help women who are victims of domestic violence, past or present. It offers a 6 month life skills course that helps clients with day to day life, build self-esteem, find affordable housing, get needed identification, obtain employment and find out what their options are for education. There are also domestic violence workshops, a drop in program and over the phone counselling to those in need. Programming is also geared toward helping clients and their children develop the skills and knowledge needed to maintain a healthy parent/child relationship.

Services/How they work:

Services are available on site at the facility.

Funding:

Funding is provided by the United Way; and the Winnipeg Housing Initiative.

Relationships and Stakeholders
Involvement of Target Groups:

Participants are given opportunities to provide feedback concerning the programs they have attended.

Partners:

Not specified.

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:

Participant surveys are conducted to help gauge the success of the program.

Achievements:

Clients have been successful in completing the program and in getting their children back from Child and Family Services. Women have become stable, employed and gone back to school through the program.

Challenges:

Obtaining funding. Being forced to cut out proven, successful programs due to lack of ongoing funding.

Things to Know to Replicate
Replication Advice:

The program is considered replicable. You need a solid mission and a vision and a purpose and have to think of ways to meet the goals that are set. You need to build trust with funders and participants.

Resources:

Sufficient funding, properly trained and knowledgeable staff and adequate facility space are necessary to ensure program success.