Envision Counselling and Support Centre has received a funding boost from the Canadian Women’s Foundation for a new program, Growing Together. The local agency was one of just two Saskatchewan organizations to receive a violence prevention grant from the Canadian Women’s Foundation (CWF), and one of just 20 in the country.
“We are so thrilled to be recognized by the Canadian Women’s Foundation, as an organization that can provide this specialized program, and that can follow through with the requirements of the grant itself,” says Envision executive director Christa Daku.
The Growing Together program is for families that are enrolled in the Children Exposed to Violence program, where the parent is also involved with Envision Counselling in some way.
“When a child enters the Children Exposed to Violence programming, Envision Counselling will also involve the parents with the therapy, through mini-meetings, phone calls and email contact,” said Daku. “The goal of Growing Together is to improve parenting skills of our clients by providing parents with tools and information to maximize effectiveness of the counselling sessions.
“Parents will reinforce themes that were discussed during session to offer greater opportunity for healing of the children, and of the child/parent relationship, which is often in crisis when there is violence in the home.”
There are four Envision Counselling offices in the southeast, but just one Children Exposed to Violence counsellor. All clients coming into the Growing Together program will need to travel to the Estevan office, however, Daku says there are some funds to help with transportation if this is a barrier to accessing service.
