What does self-care look like for you? In this month of the heart, we're inviting everyone to consider how to show themselves a little love. Clients visiting our Victoria Women’s Transition House (VWTH) community office are invited to reflect on the ways they look after themselves through a quick, creative exercise: colouring in a flower and adding a few words that describe self-care actions.
Activities like colouring are shown to relax the body and calm the brain; when you are feeling in a more relaxed state it is easier to think about the other times in life when you feel this way. Some self-care tools our staff and clients have shared include:
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- Walk in nature
- Bubble bath
- Turn off my phone
- Reading
- Tea
- Camping
- Laughter
- Baking
- Exercise
- Children
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Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes,
including you!
At our Emergency Shelter on Valentine’s Day, residents will be provided with all the ingredients to make a sugar scrub exfoliant – another example of loving self-care. There will be flowers for all thanks to generous donor Calvin, from U Deserve Flowers, and chocolates too, thanks to an anonymous donor.
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Something Sweet For You!
We asked our Food Coordinator to share a recipe with us this month. This is a consistent favourite with our Shelter women (and kids!). Thanks Corinna for this sweet treat that’s also packed with nourishment.
Yummy Trail Mix Cookies!
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Dry ingredients:
I cup rolled oats
3 tbsp ground flaxseed
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
Wet Ingredients:
2 Tbsp melted coconut oil
¼ cup unsalted, natural creamy nut butter
3 tbsp coconut sugar or cane sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Add-Ins:
2 tbsp dried cranberries, chopped
1 tbsp pumpkins seeds
2 tbsp nuts, finely chopped
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Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together all the wet ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together all the wet ingredients.
3. Pour the wet mix over the dry mixture. Using a sturdy spatula, stir and fold until well mixed. Fold in add-in ingredients.
4. Using a small or medium cookie scoop or spoon, scoop and drop cookie dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing evenly apart. Using a fork, flatten cookies to desired thickness. If cookies crumble at edges a bit after flattening, use your fingers to squish the edges back together.
5. Bake for 11-15 minutes. Oven times and temperatures vary. Place baking sheet on a cooling rack, allowing cookies to firm up for about 15 min. Using a heatproof spatula, transfer cookies directly onto the cooling rack. Allow to cool for 1 hour.
Storing Instructions: Store in an airtight container for 1-2 weeks or freeze in a freezer-friendly, airtight container for 1-2 months.
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VIP Schools Program Going Strong |
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February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month and a good time to check in with the VIP (Violence is Preventable) team about school presentations.
Elementary, middle and high schools across the greater-Victoria area are requesting VIP presentations. These interactive workshops each have a different focus depending on the age of student. At the elementary level, the message is about safety. Kids are encouraged to think about what safety looks like at home, and to know that they are not responsible for behaviours they witness in others. The presentations are approximately 45-minutes long and are fun and energetic, with Murphy the puppet on hand to help deliver the key messaging.
For older youth and teens, our 75-minute, VIP workshops cover topics such as dating violence, healthy communication, consent and accountability, emotional regulation, boundaries and more. The information shared, and the conversations sparked from the presentations, help youth to recognize behaviours in themselves and others that may indicate warning signs or patterns of abusive behaviour (such as, controlling or manipulative tactics, disrespectful language and name calling, and coercive or pressuring actions).
By engaging youth in these conversations, the workshops aim to empower participants to become advocates within their peer groups who will know what to do if they encounter abusive behaviour. Our VWTH counsellors reported that youth actively engaged in the presentations and shared their insights and thoughts in the discussions. Many youth shared that it was helpful to learn about the cycle of abuse, and that they didn’t realize that abuse came in more forms than physical abuse.
Teachers have shared that the presentations are crucial for helping their students learn how to ask for consent, and to develop greater empathy. Frequently, participants approached the counsellors after the workshop and asked if they could talk. Sometimes they disclosed stories of witnessing violence and abuse at home, and were then able to get immediate support and access to VWTH’s individual or group counselling programs for youth.
In November 2022, 22 VIP workshops took place in our community, the highest monthly total to date.
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Digital Dating Violence means physical, sexual, or psychological/emotional violence that occurs between dating partners by texting, social media, and related online mediums. This term is also known as technology-facilitated gender-based violence. |
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Our Violence is Preventable program is supported thanks to generous funding from individual donors and foundations including the VIVEKA Foundation Fund through Victoria Foundation. |
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Fashion Splash
Nomad Market Events are hosting another Fashion Splash event which will include a silent auction with all proceeds to VWTH. This year the event takes place on Saturday February 25 at Kwench, with a runway show featuring Vancouver Island designers, modelled by local talent. There will be a DJ, drinks and a guaranteed great atmosphere. Get your tickets to ‘Sip-Shop-Show’ online
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Goddess Run
Runners and walkers will be taking to the trails at Elk/Beaver Lake on Sunday, March 5 for the 12th Annual Goddess Run! The organizers are expecting a sold-out event which brings women from all over the Victoria area together for a fabulous, inspiring opportunity to celebrate each other and our unique stories.
Our VWTH Charity Champion, Deborah, has been training hard, along with a team of friends from the Saanich Peninsula. There’s still time to help Deborah reach her fundraising goal – all donations directly benefit VWTH programs and donations over $10 will receive a tax receipt. Support our Charity Champion
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Women’s Expo
The Victoria Women’s Expo returns to Pearkes Arena the weekend of March 4 and 5. We are grateful to VWTH volunteers who will be hosting a booth to highlight our services and programs. Pop by and say hello if you are in the neighbourhood! Sharing information about VWTH supports and services is an essential component of our community outreach. When we are at events, we hope to help open the conversation about intimate partner violence, and ensure folks have our Crisis Line number for quick reference. Find all the Women's Expo information
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Our programs and services rely on the generosity of our community. VWTH has received dozens of donations over the last few months. Thank you to everyone who continues to support Victoria Women's Transition House and the work we do helping women and children impacted by intimate partner violence and abuse.
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It was wonderful to meet representatives from Unifor 333-BC when they delivered another generous donation from members, including an extra gift from the HandiDART members.
President Jean Barnes, and Financial Secretary Todd Rogers, presented the cheque to our Communication Manager Deborah.
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Our deepest gratitude to Roslyn Cameron for her thoughtful and generous gift. |
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Sincere thanks to the Eldon & Anne Foote Fund at Edmonton Community Foundation for their continued significant support. |
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There’s lots happening in Victoria this month to celebrate and educate about the impact of Black History in our local community. Check out events such as these:
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Did You Know? We have a Community Education Co-Ordinator who would love to connect with your community group, service club, business or institution. Learn about the services that VWTH provides and ways that you can get involved. Maya can arrange a presentation tailored specifically to your area of interest, and present to you in person, or via zoom. Connect with Maya
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Here are some articles that we recently shared on social media:
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Victoria Women’s Transition House Society collaborates, advocates and educates to address and prevent intimate partner violence and abuse of women and children through supportive shelter, housing, counselling and other community-based services.
Victoria Women's Transition House Society is a registered charity.
Our charitable registration number is: 10817 3501 RR0001.
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Stay Connected with us on social media: |
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It is with much respect to the Lekwungen and SENĆOŦEN speaking peoples of the WSÁNEĆ, Esquimalt, and Songhees Nations, on whose traditional territories the Victoria Women’s Transition House Society is located, that we make this acknowledgment with the expressed shared hope to live in communities free of intimate partner violence.
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