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In Our Communities

Relationship Safety Project (RSP)

The Relationship Safety Project is hosted by Family Services of Greater Vancouver. Founded in 1928, this broad-based, family serving, non-profit agency is dedicated to helping families, individuals, and young people who are experiencing new or difficult challenges, crises, or conflict. The agency offers professional counselling, family life education, advocacy, youth services, and a range of special programs that support at-risk families and individuals. These programs include counselling for children affected by family violence, and the Relationship Safety Project.

RSP has been operating since 1979, providing service within Vancouver. It was established in response to a growing recognition of the specialized services needed in families where women were being assaulted by male partners. This service provides information, support, and trauma treatment to facilitate healing and create safety. It also focuses on helping women regain control over their lives in meaningful ways. RSP provides individual and group counselling for women experiencing violence and/or other forms of abuse in their relationships. All services are free.

RSP offers:

• individual trauma therapy
• a weekly drop-in group on Thursday evenings*
• 12-week art therapy groups for women who have participated in individual counselling and/or the weekly drop-in group*
• 10-week facilitated peer support/job readiness groups for women who have
  completed individual counselling and/or the art therapy group.*

* Free onsite childcare and bus tickets for participants in the above groups.

Community Coordination for Women's Safety (CCWS)

Research has shown that violence against women is reduced when service providers and systems responders work together to coordinate their interventions. CCWS works in rural and isolated communities to help develop new models of coordination on violence against women, and other communities to enhance existing coordination initiatives. The project also tracks and develops negotiated solutions to issues that arise locally but may require response at a regional or provincial level.

This project:

• helps BC communities develop new models or enhance existing models of coordination on violence against women
• focuses on rural, remote, and isolated communities, and women who face particular discrimination in those communities (including Aboriginal women, women of colour, immigrant women, low-income women, women with disabilities, lesbians, transgender women, older women, and young women)
• promotes systemic change through strategic planning, with a working group that includes representatives from the criminal and civil bar, the Justice Institute of BC (the provincial training body for police and corrections personnel), RCMP E Division, the BC Association of Chiefs of Police, community-based service providers, and representatives from Aboriginal and culturally diverse communities

Current activities include:

• Community Leadership Training, a skills-based course designed for a broad range of anti-violence workers, and providing participants with opportunities to increase their leadership skills in working with interdisciplinary community initiatives.
• An online discussion forum at www.endingviolence.org. Email
  Administrative Coordinator Sarah Leavitt at leavitts@endingviolence.org for
  guidelines and a password.
• Development of a Partnership Guide based in large part on interviews with justice system personnel and community-based anti-violence workers across BC who have created cross-sector partnerships that contribute to systemic action for women's empowerment and safety. Available in 2004.
• Participation in regional discussion groups on subjects such as peace bonds and other criminal and civil protection orders.
• and much more.

CCWS is managed by the BC Association of Specialized Victim Assistance and Counselling Programs, with funding from the Law Foundation, National Crime Prevention Centre and Ministry of Community, Aboriginal and Women’s Services. For more information visit www.endingviolence.org and choose CCWS, or contact Sarah Leavitt, Administrative Coordinator at 604.699.9998 or leavitts@endingviolence.org.