 |
| HISTORY |
The Vancouver & Lower Mainland Multicultural Family Support Services Society was formed in September 1991. The Ministry of Social Services (now known as the Ministry for Children and Families Development) accepted a proposal submitted by Immigrant and Visible Minority Women of BC to set up a new organization to serve immigrant and visible minority women and their families experiencing family violence.
|
|
OUR GOALS: |
We provide a safe and non-judgemental environment for women and their children in their own language and culture. Individual counselling is provided at the office, out of the office and over the phone. We also provide group counselling and support and counselling to women victims of sexual assault and to adult survivors of sexual abuse, emergency interventions and referrals to appropriate resources. Our approach is to empower women in dealing with their issues, help them to develop coping skills, assist them in self-exploration, and to support them while they go through the different stages of rebuilding their lives at their own pace, in a culturally sensitive environment.
We promote awareness and understanding of the dynamics of family violence within the multicultural perspectives to professionals working with immigrant families. We offer educational programs within the multicultural communities about the dynamics of family violence and alternative models of treatment.
|
|
SERVING THE COMMUNITY |
We offer educational programs on the dynamics of family violence to the ethnic communities, reaching out to them through the ethnic media and through collaboration with other agencies. We focus on the prevention of family violence by promoting awareness of available alternatives. We offer parenting programs to help families cope with the issues arising out of parenting after separation.
We have established an on-going
cooperation with the schools by:
Accepting referrals from schools
Organizing educational group sessions for parents of
minority cultures in their language.
Organizing support groups for children that witness
violence.
Organizing workshops for school professionals
Distributing the lesson plan
|
"What is Abuse?
Discipline vs. Abuse "
Since 1998, through the ethnic media, radio as well as television, we have been reaching out to the ethnic minority communities in order to provide information and open a dialogue on the issue of family violence which include wife abuse, child abuse and seniors' abuse. These educational radio and television series, aimed at eleven ethnic communities, were broadcasted in the language of origin and presented in a culturally sensitive manner, in collaboration with other professionals from these communities.
In 2000, in collaboration with Immigrant Services Society, we have developed "Let's Talk: Families Across Cultures," a training manual for bi-cultural parenting, especially focussed on parents/youth conflict. Our aim is to make the project available throughout the province in order to offer learning opportunities to bi-lingual, bi-cultural individuals to then train parents from these cultures in parenting skills.
We regularly participate in interagency councils, community meetings and other community initiatives. We advocate and promote awareness of the immigrant women's needs and issues.
|