The Violence Awareness and Action Training (VAAT) was developed in 2001 by the Provincial Violence Prevention Initiative. The overall goal of the training is to improve services to victims of violence by increasing the awareness and understanding of violence related issues of front line workers and volunteers in the public service.

The Model

Curriculum: A one day action-reflection workshop with nine distinct modules on violence awareness and planning for action at the individual and agency level
Delivery: sessions are co-facilitated by two certified VAAT Facilitators from the region
Trainees: Each VAAT session has two seats available to front line staff and volunteers from each of the partner organizations listed below.

Training Objectives

• Assist participants in examining attitudes, values, beliefs that support violence in our society
  
• Provide information (facts and causes) on different forms of violence
  
• Provide, through group discussion, in an empowering and reflective environment, which encourages personal insight into the experience of survivors of violence
  
• Provide a networking opportunity for participants in which they can develop a better understanding of the roles that other service providers in their community play in assisting victims of violence
  
• Promote an inter-agency approach to government and community violence prevention
  
• Encourage post-training action planning at community & agency level
  

Upcoming Training

Fall 2010 - Bonavista & Clarenville

* If you would like to be put on a list to be notified when the training dates are announced, please email ercav@gov.nl.ca

The Newfoundland and Labrador Sexual Assault Crisis and Prevention Centre is currently working on a project called 'Together We Can: Empowering Communities to End Sexual Violence, NL'.

Part of the project will consist of providing workshops to frontline and community agency workers who may encounter people who have been victims of sexual violence. The workshops will cover basic information about sexual violence, as well as how to help victims/survivors. Take home toolkits filled with valuable resources and information will also be provided to assist workshop participants in their daily work in the community.

Training sessions for service providers are expected to be done in Clarenville and Bonavista in late November/early December 2009. Please check back for more details as they become available.