Supporting Children and Youth Experiencing Domestic Violence (支持受家暴兒童與青年)

Time: 
11/06/2019 - 09:30 to 11/06/2019 - 11:00
Room: 
302a
Type: 
Proposal(Workshop / Presentation)
Coordinating organization: 
BC Society of Transition Houses
Theme: 
Emerging Issues
Language: 
English
Organization Name: 
BC Society of Transition Houses (英屬哥倫比亞中途之家)
Organization Introduction: 
The BC Society of Transition Houses is a member-based, provincial umbrella organization that, through leadership, support and collaboration, enhances the continuum of services and strategies to respond to, prevent and end violence against women, children and youth. BCSTH provides support provides support to Transition, Second and Third Stage Houses, Safe Homes and PEACE (Prevention, Education, Advocacy, Counselling and Empowerment) for Children and Youth, and Violence is Preventable programs. BCSTH is located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Proposer: rhiannonwong
Describe your workshop/presentation (300-500 words): 
Twenty-six years ago, transition house (shelter) workers saw a need to provide specialized support for children and youth who were coming into emergency shelter and exposed to violence against their mother. It is from this collective awareness that the BC Society of Transition Houses began researching and developing a counselling program that specifically addresses children's experiences of violence. 6 Children Who Witness Abuse Programs began in British Columbia in 1992 and today there are 86 provincially coordinated programs in British Columbia. We are the only province and territory in Canada that has a provincial program for children and youth.

The Children Who Witness Abuse program is a is a free, confidential program across BC for children and youth aged 3 to 18 who have experienced violence against women. Our programs use psycho-educational methods including group and individual counselling to help children and youth to:

- Understand what violence against women is, that they are not alone, and that the violence is not their fault
- Identify support networks and develop a safety plan
- Identify their feelings and express them in healthy ways
- Recognize their strengths and increase their self-confidence
- Develop problem solving and coping skills

In this workshop, participants will learn about the Children Who Witness Abuse program and the practical plans, toolkit and other resources they can use in their work with children.

We will also provide outlines for our Violence Is Preventable and BELIEVE programs that respond to the research that shows that 3-5 children in every classroom experience domestic violence. Violence is preventable (VIP) is a free, confidential, school-based violence prevention program for school age children and youth in grades K through 12 who have been exposed to violence.

VIP programs link school districts and individual schools with CWWA programs. Through these links schools and CWWA programs work together to ensure that children and youth who have been impacted by violence in their relationships receive the necessary support and services. VIP programs:

- Increase awareness and knowledge of the effects that violence has on children and youth
- Challenge and change attitudes about the silence and misperceptions about violence against women
- Facilitate partnerships between schools and communities to respond to the emotional, social, academic, and psychological needs of children exposed to violence against women
- Support educators, counselors and administrators increasing effective, sustainable support services for children and youth in schools

As an extension of the Violence Is Preventable Program, the BELIEVE project provides coordinated provincial response to sexual violence in BC schools.

Through presentations in schools, this project is focused on helping students in grades 6-8 understand healthy relationships and sexual violence specifically on topics such as consent, sexting, sexual harassment and how one can access support.
All Speakers:
Name: 
Pakka Liu
Biography: 
Pakka is passionate about ending violence against women and all forms of oppression. Having worked frontline in transition house, rape crisis centre and women’s centre, the diversity of her experience provides her with an understanding of the challenges that women face and their resistance. Pakka incorporates an anti-oppressive intersectional feminist framework throughout her trainings to provoke meaningful dialogues on the complex, multifaceted factors that contribute to inequality and social injustice. Pakka is a strong believer in creating social changes through information, education and collaboration.