Family Violence Initiative

COMPENDIUM OF PROMISING PRACTICES TO REDUCE VIOLENCE AND INCREASE SAFETY OF ABORIGINAL WOMEN IN CANADA

INTERACTIONS WITHIN COMMUNITIES

Family Violence Interventions

Program Name:

Ikwe Widdjiitiwin Inc.

Organization/Community:

Ikwe Widdjiitiwin Inc.

Location:

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Website:

www.ikwe.ca

Goals and Objectives:

To address the needs of all women and their children who are abused; sexually, physically or emotionally, and to develop programs to meet these needs so that the women are empowered to make positive decisions affecting their own lives.

Target Group Description:

Everyone (with a focus on women).

Program Description:

Ikwe Widdjiitiwin is a crisis shelter that provides safe accommodation, supportive counselling and advocacy to abused Aboriginal women and their children. The program provides an education component which helps clients identify the risk factors, the impact that these factors have on family, understanding the cycle of violence and how to break the cycle of violence. There is a residential shelter program, a crisis line, a children's program, interim housing program and a follow-up program. Ikwe uses several traditional ways of healing in its service delivery and has access to community facilities such as Thunderbird House. Elders are brought in to provide teachings on the Aboriginal culture. Many of the Staff and Counsellors are traditional and practice a traditional way of life.

Program Successes/Impact:

Successfully providing services to women and their families for the past 25 years, and during this time of increased demand, was able to incorporate new components into the project.

Key Lessons/ Challenges:

The more difficult challenges have been providing support for the children that become victims of the abusive situation. Other challenges include the provincial policy placing a 30 day limitation on the service that can be provided to a client and her family.

Program in operation since:

Approx 1984.

Program:

Ongoing.