Family Violence Initiative

COMPENDIUM OF PROMISING PRACTICES TO REDUCE VIOLENCE AND INCREASE SAFETY OF ABORIGINAL WOMEN IN CANADA – COMPENDIUM ANNEX: DETAILED PRACTICE DESCRIPTIONS

INTERACTIONS WITHIN COMMUNITIES

Raising Awareness in Broader Community

Program name:

Strategic Framework to End Violence against Wabanaki Women in New Brunswick

Organization:

New Brunswick Advisory Committee on Violence Against Women

Location:

Fredericton, New Brunswick and surrounding communities

Target Group:

Everyone.

Contact Name:

Sonja Perly / Norma Dube

Phone:

506-462-5023 / 506-453-2975

Email:

sonja.perley@gnb.ca

norma.dube@gnb.ca

Website:

www.gnb.ca/0012/womens-issues/wabanaki-e.pdf

Program Overview
History:

The Strategic Framework was first developed in 2008, and the Aboriginal Advisor/Policy Coordinator was hired in 2009. Work on implementing the recommendations of the Framework is ongoing.

Program Description
Goals & Objectives:

The goal of the Framework is to reduce violence against the Aboriginal women of New Brunswick, largely by increasing awareness and education, as well as facilitating opportunities and partnerships.

Traditional/Indigenous ways:

Working to improve cultural competency and education and awareness of Aboriginal culture by service providers has been an important focus of the Framework to date.

Components of program:

The Aboriginal Advisor/Policy Coordinator works with various communities and stakeholders to create opportunities for awareness, education and partnerships in order to implement the recommendations of the Framework. Working groups have been created with stakeholders, for example, to create opportunities for education of service providers to ensure that services are culturally relevant for Aboriginal women. Partnerships have been created in order to improve the coordination and collaboration of service providers. The Aboriginal Advisor/Policy Coordinator also works with communities and various stakeholders to ensure that there is awareness of the various services and funding opportunities that may be available for community-specific concerns.

Services/How they work:

Services are rendered on site at the facility.

Funding:

Funding for the Aboriginal Advisor/Policy Coordinator is provided by the Government of New Brunswick. No program funding has been attached to the position.

Relationships and Stakeholders
Involvement of Target Groups:

The Advisory Committee meets bi-annually to discuss progress on the recommendations and to develop strategies. The Aboriginal Advisor/Policy Coordinator also meets with representatives from the various communities to better understand community specific concerns and to tailor strategies to the needs of the communities.

Partners:

Service providers, community representatives, grassroots and not-for profit

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:

Success is measured against: community engagement; an increase in awareness; increasing the abilities of communities to better access funding and create partnerships.

Achievements:

Increased dialogue between stakeholders. Successful community engagement in the program. Being able to provide training and awareness for service providers to increase cultural competence.

Challenges:

Obtaining funding. The challenge of working within project based funding models with no long term core funding models. Programs and development lack the involvement of dialogue with Aboriginal women at the grass roots level.

Things to Know to Replicate
Replication Advice:

The program is considered replicable. Initiatives of this kind need to include dialogue and input from Aboriginal women from the outset.

Resources:

Adequate funding and appropriate staffing would need to be gained to ensure program success. Approaches must be community-specific, there is no "cookie cutter approach" possible across Canada.