News Release Archive
JUSTICE-VICTIMS' ASSISTANCE FUND ANNOUNCED
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A total of $290,470 from the Victims' Assistance Fund has been
awarded to nine community-based projects to benefit victims of
family violence, sexual assault and child abuse.
The approved projects cover a wide range of activities, from
support services to elderly victims of violence to a training
program for crisis intervenors.
"By putting the funds back into the community, we are helping
victims to deal with the trauma they have experienced, so they
may begin rebuilding their lives," said Justice Minister Bill
Gillis.
The Victims Assistance Fund is financed through a surcharge
applied to court fines levied in Nova Scotia. This is the fifth
year for the program.
The projects funded in 1995/96 are:
Volunteer Training Bank for Peer Counsellors: ongoing project to
assist women as victims of violence
Sponsor: Annapolis County Women's Coalition, Lawrencetown
Amount: $5,342
This project is aimed at facilitating the availability of
volunteer peer counsellors capable of meeting the special needs
of women who are victims of violence and who request support and
assistance at the women's centre.
Breaking the Abuse Cycle: a deaf community initiative
Sponsor: Coordinating council on deafness in Nova Scotia, Halifax
Amount: $34,329
The goal of this project is to empower the deaf community by
providing them with the literature and knowledge to explain
violence issues.
Response to Child Sexual Abuse in Pictou County: non-offending
parent education and support
Sponsor: Kids First, New Glasgow
Amount: $47,893
The purpose of this project is to develop and implement a
sustainable model of peer support and education for non-offending
parents of sexually abused children.
Family Violence Awareness Project for New Canadians
Sponsor: Metropolitan Immigrant Settlement Association, Halifax
Amount: $48,830
Project aims at creating awareness and fostering understanding,
recognition and appropriate responses to domestic violence within
ethnic communities in Metro Halifax.
Community Assessment of Nova Scotia Native Council-Zones 5 & 9
Sponsor: Native Council of Nova Scotia
Amount: $28,209
The goals are to identify the needs of aboriginal victims of
family violence in Lunenburg and Queens Counties, and to develop
a service protocol for the services and resources specific to the
aboriginal community.
Pictou County Victims Outreach Program
Sponsor: Pictou County Help Line, New Glasgow
Amount: $4,504
The goal of this project is to ensure that victims of crime are
aware of Help Line's services (information, referrals, phone
support and crisis intervention) and what telephone counselling
may be able to do to assist them.
Common Ground
Sponsor: Planned Parenthood of Nova Scotia, Halifax
Amount: $41,972
The purpose is to develop, promote and distribute a 20 minute
youth focused peer education video resource, Common Ground, about
teenagers breaking the cycle of violence in their families.
Survivors Helping Survivors: continuing the work in self-help
groups
Sponsor: Self-Help Connection, Dartmouth
Amount: $38,391
This project is aimed at bringing a minimum of 60 survivors
together in a 2 1/2 day event aimed at developing skills for
women survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
Volunteer Supports for the Elderly Victims of Violence
Sponsor: Victorian Order of Nurses--Kings Branch, Kentville
Amount: $41,000
Program is designed to match older persons who are victims of
violence with volunteers who can act as advocates, counsellors or
information resources.
The approved projects went through a five-step approval process,
which included reviews by staff in the Victims' Services division
of the Department of Justice; staff in the departments of
Community Services, and Health; senior staff in the Department of
Justice, Priorities and Planning Committee and Cabinet. The
criteria for judging proposals includes type of service, clarity
and completeness of concept, community endorsement,
sustainability, management and evaluation plan, and budget.
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Contact: Michele McKinnon
902-424-8998
trp Oct. 11, 1995
