Violence Prevention Month Plans across the Province
Courtesy of the Troubadour
By Carol Hopkins
February is Violence Prevention Month in the province and organizations are gearing up with innovative and creative ways to bring awareness to the issues of violence.
Tracey Fleming, co-cordinator, Eastern Region Committee Against Violence, has a wide variety of events planned to help raise awareness around the issue, from Acts of Friendship with Sparks and Brownies to a free skate and a sliding event as part of the Clarenville Winter Carnival.
Fleming is also working with guidance counsellors at primary and middle schools in the Clarenville area on the Pink Campaign. As part of the campaign, student council, along with guidance counsellors and Fleming ,will set up nail polish booths to paint little finger nails pink, give out pink ribbons and balloons and involve the student body in acts of friendship. “I wanted to make it fun for the kids and for them to be actively involved,” Fleming said.
Organizers hope to target older students as well by handing out lollipops imprinted with the message Bullying Sucks at high schools in the region.
Paula Mallay, co-ordinator of the Burin Peninsula Voice Against Violence (BPVAV), also has an assortment of events planned for towns in the area. BPVAV has partnered with Grace Sparkes House on the Seven Days of Learning project. During Family Violence Prevention Week, Feb.13 to19, electronic postcards will be sent out to service providers that will include facts about violence as well as resources for victims of violence.
In addition, BPVAV will be utilizing placemats with violence prevention information printed on them for restaurants located on the Burin Peninsula. There will be workshops, training sessions and presentations during the month as well as education in local schools through Stand Up Day.
In Gander, the Road to End Violence (REV) organization is kicking off the month with a poster contest.
Group co-ordinator Mary-Lynn Brinson will be busy giving presentations in several schools in the area covering a variety of topics, and facilitating workshops such as one for parents focusing on Internet safety and child luring
The group is also hosting a mother and daughter self defence workshop with instructor Michelle Critch.
Meanwhile, on the west coast of the province, the Bay St. George Coalition to End Violence (BSGCEV), an arm of Southwestern Coalition to End Violence, will be working to bring awareness to the issues through various activities in schools, community events such as a dance with an ‘80s theme, an open house at the Senior’s Centre on Queen Street in Stephenville, workshops for parents and children addressing cyber bullying, among other events.
“It’s all about promoting awareness,” said Bernice Hancock, coalition co-chair. “It’s about building warm, welcoming, and safe communities.”
On Feb. 15 and 16 co-ordinators from the various groups and other interested parties from across Newfoundland and Labrador will gather in St. John’s for the annual provincial stakeholders conference of the Violence Prevention Initiative. The theme of this year’s conference is Violence and Sexual Orientation: Preventing Heterosexism and Homophobia.