South Okanagan Victim Assistance Society is a
Community Resources Charity located in Penticton, BC.
Services Provided by South Okanagan Victim Assistance Society
SOVAS continues to provide its mandated programs with the Ministry of Justice: Community Based Victim Assistance and "one on one" counselling for women. In addition SOVAS co-facilitated a two-2 day workshops on Trauma Informed Practice. This was a partnership program with Mental Health and other local societies in the trauma field. The objective was to develop awareness among practitioners and organizations who deliver services for clients with histories of violence and trauma with a emphasis on safety and trustworthiness. "Healthy Relationships" workshops were presented by SOVAS to eight different groups of high schools students between the ages of 14-17. The main conversation was around "Sexting" and how harmful it can be. Through grants and fundraising SOVAS: - Increased the "one on one" Men's counselling program hours to 24 hours a week to assist in reducing the waitlist. - Put on a "Resisting Burnout" Workshop recognizing our goal of shaping a positive future for both victims of crime and service providers. The resisting Burnout workshop was aimed at anyone who works with client groups impacted by victims of crime. Workshop topics include: vicarious trauma, burn out, compassion fatigue, collective care, individual self-care techniques. - Three Art Therapy Sessions that were available to both service providers and victims of crime, and provided an opportunity to learn about and practice self-care techniques. - Provided "Educating Youth about Sexual Abuse" program.
