Spring into Celebration
CWAVS has a new Leadership Team!
Join us in welcoming Juliet King as the new Communications and Development Director.
Juliet has a deep-rooted connection to the Cowichan Valley, proudly calling it home for the better part of her life. Having dedicated over five years to working in the non-profit sector, Juliet brings a wealth of experience and a profound understanding of the local community.
To read her full bio, check out the “Our Team” section.
We also welcomed another incredible director this February. Jacquelyn Valentine is CWAVS’ new Programs and HR director.
Jacquelyn brings over a decade of non-profit experience with a heartfelt dedication to empowering the lives of marginalized individuals. As a military veteran with a background in international humanitarian law, Jacquelyn's passion for preventing gender-based violence is both a professional and personal dedication.
Check out the “Our Team” section to read her full bio.
UPCOMING EVENTS
CWAVS Walking Group
Join CWAVS for an incredible walking series. Connect with others while exploring the healing properties of enjoying nature. These walks will be led by CBVS counsellor, Carli.
Participants don’t need to commit to any number of walks, just register for the ones you want to attend! CWAVS can offer limited transportation, but if that transportation has reached capacity, additional participants are more than welcome to meet the group at the hike location.
Call Carli at 250 748 7000 extension 105 to register.
Rent Smart
HPP at CWAVS is offering the RentSmart course starting April 4th!
The RentSmart Certificate course is designed to help participants learn important skills to build knowledge and confidence to find and keep housing. This free certificate is also recognized by many housing providers, including BC Housing.
Call us at 250 748 7000 or email outreachhp@cwav.org to register ✨️
International Women’s Day 2024: Inspire Inclusion
This year, we celebrated International Women’s Day with friends old and new at the Duncan Community Lodge.
International Women’s Day is not only a day to remember our past, but to celebrate the incredible achievements of the amazing women in our community, and all over the world.
We are still fighting for stronger, peaceful communities where everyone feels safe, welcome, and thrives. CWAVS invites you to celebrate, uplift, and dismantle systems that oppress women not only March 8th, but every day.
We want to thank our wonderful caterers, Barnes and Maracle, and our bar sponsors Red Arrow, Stillhead, and Phillips for making the event refreshments spectacular. We also want to thank Rotary and RBC for their generous donations and event volunteering, as well as our bartenders and All Occasions DJ for making the event a blast!
If you attended and haven’t filled out the feedback survey, you can find it here. Event feedback is essential in creating future community events that are more inclusive, equitable, and fun for all ❤️
THANK YOU ALSO TO OUR SILENT AUCTION DONORS
With the community’s generosity, CWAVS was able to raise just over $4000 toward programming and services.
Enjoy the IWD 2024 Event video made by a local student of videography!
April 14th - 20th is Prevention of Violence Against Women Week
Work to be Done
On the opposite side of celebrating the incredible achievements of women comes the dark reality of Post-Covid-19 violence statistics.
“Recent statistics from the Canadian Femicide Observatory for Justice and Accountability paint a grim picture of the challenges many women and girls still face. In 2023 alone, 189 women and girls were violently killed in Canada, with 145 cases involving primary or sole male accused (88%), marking a horrific 19% increase from 2019.” -BWSS
Resources
CWAVS has several programs to help survivors of abuse find their voice again. Stopping the Violence, PEACE, and Community Based Victim Services are counselling services for women and children who have experienced or are currently fleeing violence. CWAVS also has a transition house, Somenos House, where women and women and their children can go while they access support services.
If you’re looking for online resources, Battered Women Support Services is an incredible hub of knowledge. This organization offers a comprehensive amount of resources regarding what you can do to end violence, what you can do to help someone experiencing violence, and what you can do if you need support.