Family Violence Initiative

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

INTERACTIONS WITHIN COMMUNITIES

Healthy Relationships: Children and Youth

Program Name:

Youth Scrapbooking

Organization/Community:

Hay River Family Support Centre and Safe Home Network

Location:

Hay River, Northwest Territories

Website:

N/A

Goals and Objectives:

To teach clients that violence in a relationship is not normal. To build an awareness of available services and to connect clients to a wider supportive women's' community.

Target Group Description:

Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal teen girls up to the age of 20.

Program Description:

The program holds weekly scrapbook sessions on the K'stl'odeeche First Nation reserve's youth centre. The program introduces clients from Hay River to others on the reserve helping the clients to build a network of supportive women their own ages. Videos concerning family violence, healthy relationships and health issues are viewed. There is also individual in person or phone crisis intervention counselling available to those girls in need of it. The scrapbook activity focuses on knowing and honouring one's family history.

Program Successes/Impact:

An increase in clients dropping in for support, information and counselling. Maintaining consistent staffing has provided us with greater program stability.

Key Lessons/Challenges:

Challenge in getting to reserve when no ice road is available.

Program in operation since:

2010.

Program:

Ongoing.