On this page you will find a detailed outline of our schedule for the forum and descriptions about all sessions. To learn more about the speakers for each session, you can visit our speaker profile page.
Day 1 — September 26
Opening (7:30 am – 12:00 pm)
Registration for our Annual Training Forum will take place on the Lower Lobby. At registration our EVA BC staff will welcome you and you will receive a name-tag, a participant program, and your swag bag.
Buffet-style service for breakfast includes eggs, fruit platters, oatmeal, pastries and hot drinks. If you have any dietary needs, restrictions or preferences, please make sure to note this information in your registration.
Presenter: Lydia Hwitsum, BC First Nations Justice Council
Our Welcome & Keynote will set the energy for the two days of our forum. This plenary session will be available for all participants. More information about our Welcome and Keynote coming soon.
The networking session will be an opportunity for all of our event participants to connect and share their perspectives on the importance of coordination across our sectors.
Lunch (12:00 – 1:30 pm)
Information regarding lunch coming soon. If you have any dietary needs, restrictions or preferences, please make sure to note this information in your registration.
St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program will hold open rooms with Therapy Dogs during lunch time. The Therapy Dog program provides opportunities for individuals to:
- Talk with the volunteer and the dog
- Feel, touch, pet, and cuddle the dog
- Receive unconditional love from the dog
- Carry-out or practice an activity in the presence of the dog
Workshops (1:30 – 3:00 pm)
Please note that these are concurrent workshops (will all happen simultaneously). You can select your workshop of choice during registration.
Presenter(s): Janet A. M. Dickie, Crown Counsel, Policy and Justice, B.C. Prosecution Service
This workshop will provide information on BC Prosecution Service’s policies regarding violent offences and victims, the role of Crown Counsel, and the role of the victim in the Criminal Justice System. There will also be opportunity to discuss best practices for working with Crown Counsel.
The following polices will be discussed:
Presenter(s): Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General (MPSSG):
- Allison Felker
- Grant McKellar
- Nicole Redekop
This session will provide participants with information about current initiatives within the Community Safety and Victim Services Branch. Information that is important to service providers and their clients will be shared as members of the branch leadership team will highlight several key projects and activities (e.g., Crime Victim Assistance Program, Intimate Images Protection Service) and respond to participant questions.
Presenter(s): Chinedum Adebomi, Prince George & District Elizabeth Fry Society
The workshop will explore the intersectionality of intimate partner violence within Canadian communities. It will consider factors such as race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, and disability in coordinating services to support survivors. The participants will discuss strategies for addressing the unique needs of marginalized communities and overcoming systemic barriers to accessing services, building from existing resources and supports available. Participants will identify gaps in services and brainstorm innovative solutions to address them.
Presenter(s):
- Cheryl Melder, Program Director, Family, Trauma and Victim Supports, Family Services of Greater Vancouver
- Kiran Toor, Policy Analyst, Ending Violence Association of BC
- Corporal Sonny Virk, Richmond RCMP
Interagency Case Assessment Teams (ICATs) provide a multidisciplinary approach to supporting highest-risk intimate partner violence cases across British Columbia. Risk assessments are guided by the BC Summary of Intimate Partner Risk Factors (BC SIPVR) to determine designation. An ICAT is co-chaired by police and community-based victim services (CBVS). Core members of an ICAT consist of police, CBVS, probation/correction, and child protection. Other active community members may include agencies or organizations that can support to mitigate risk and enhance safety for survivors, their children and the community. BC currently has 50+ active ICATs supporting the initiative to address intimate partner violence.
During this 90-minute presentation, an overview of the ICAT process along with an introduction of the revised ICAT Best Practices Guidebook and a new risk factor video will be shared. Representatives from the Richmond ICAT will speak to the collaborative work conducted in Richmond to mitigate risk of intimate partner violence.
Presenter(s): Dr. Emma Cunliffe, Professor, Allard School of Law and Principal, Green College, UBC.
In the Nova Scotia mass casualty of April 18 and 19, 2020, a perpetrator inflicted lasting harm on individuals, families, and communities across Nova Scotia. The joint Canada-Nova Scotia Mass Casualty Commission was established to inquire into the causes, circumstances and context of the mass casualty and provide meaningful recommendations on topics including intimate partner violence, gender-based violence, community safety, and coordination among service providing agencies.
In this workshop, Dr Cunliffe (who served as the Commission’s director of research and policy) will explain the Commission’s process, and work with participants to explore the findings, lessons learned, and recommendations set out in the Commission’s final report. Adopting an interactive approach that blends case studies (the mass casualty and other examples) with research and the expertise of the anti-violence sector, this workshop will equip participants with a greater understanding of:
- the April 2020 mass casualty and the findings, lessons learned and recommendations of the Mass Casualty Commission;
- what the Commission learned about the relationships between intimate partner violence, gender-based violence, family violence and mass violence;
- how to cultivate an ecosystem of prevention through a co-ordinated interagency approach to intimate partner, gender-based and family violence that centres the expertise of survivors and frontline workers and acknowledges the limits of criminal law-based approaches; and
- the role of traditional masculinity in male violence, and the importance of cultivating healthy masculinities as part of a prevention-first approach.
This workshop will include opportunities for participants to discuss their work and experiences with peers and the workshop facilitator.
Wellness Sessions (3:30 – 4:30 pm)
Please note that these are concurrent wellness sessions (will all happen simultaneously). You can select your session of choice during registration.
Presenter(s): Kendra Coupland, Spiritual Wellness Coach
Gentle Adaptive Yoga:
This gentle class blends slow and intentional movement with breathwork and meditation.
Without any particular goals or destination, we will explore a meandering practice that cultivates self-awareness and well-being through calm and neutral self-observation.
What to Expect:
Participants have the option of practicing from a mat, or chair, and are invited to go at their own pace using modifications if necessary, to provide an accessible yoga experience for every body. Please wear comfortable loose fitting clothing.
Presenter(s): Elijah Zimmerman, Executive Director, Center for Mindful Self-Compassion
This workshop is designed to support front-line responders, program staff, Executive Directors, and cross-sector representatives in enhancing their well-being and resilience. Through guided meditation and interactive discussion, participants will learn practical mindfulness and self-compassion techniques to manage stress, address burnout, and foster a compassionate approach in their work.
Presenter(s): Fatima Tajah Olson
During this workshop participants will engage in mindful art activities and share their stories and how art impacts them.
Presenter(s): Rianne Svelnis
This workshop invites participants to experience All Bodies Dance Project’s inclusive and accessible approach to dance for people of all embodiments, backgrounds, genders, sizes and ways of moving and perceiving. Participants will move together in community and experience dance as a tool for healing, expression, and empowerment.
Presenter(s):
- Carolyn Schmidt, Breathwork Facilitator and Wellness Professional, The Stretch Space
Discover the subtle yet transformative power of conscious breathing in our workshop “Breathwork for Self-Regulation and Self-Care”. In this session we will discuss the benefits of having a deep relationship with your own breath, especially as someone in a role of service and care. Participants will be guided through different techniques and practices for nervous system regulation, stress reduction and overall embodiment and vitality. Whether you’re new to breathwork or looking to deepen your practice, our experienced facilitators will support you in cultivating a sustainable self-care routine, leaving you with practical skills to integrate conscious breathing into your everyday life.
Networking Reception (5:00 – 7:00 pm)
Make sure you join us for this networking reception where we will be recognizing the work we do across sectors, with charcuterie-style food, networking and activities.
Day 2 — September 27
Morning Schedule
Presenter(s): Elijah Zimmerman, Executive Director, Center for Mindful Self-Compassion
Join Elijah and fellow participants for an early morning session on Mindful Self-Compassion Practice before beginning Day 2 of our Annual Training Forum.
Buffet-style service for breakfast includes eggs, fruit platters, oatmeal, pastries and hot drinks. If you have any dietary needs, restrictions or preferences, please make sure to note this information in your
Workshops (9:00 am – 12:00 pm)
Please note that these are concurrent workshops (will all happen simultaneously). You can select your workshop of choice during registration.
Presenter(s):
- Baljit Khun-Khun, BC Women’s Hospital
- Brooke McLardy, BC Network of Child and Youth Advocacy Centres Society (BCCYAC)
- Wendy Potter, Director, Community Coordination for Survivor Safety (CCSS), EVA BC
- Lucie Vallières, A/Director, Standards and Training Unit, Policing and Security Branch, Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General (MPSSG)
BC Provincial Policing Standards on Sexual Assault Investigations
A new set of Provincial Policing Standards on investigations of sexual assault were recently developed and took effect July 2024. This presentation will provide an overview of the guiding principles to the standards and the binding requirements in the standards on police or police boards. Specifically, in the areas of policy on these investigations, intake and investigations of sexual assault, coordination with other sectors, police interviews of victim and processes related to case reviews.
Third Party Reporting (TPR) and Youth Survivors of Sexual Assault
TPR is an anonymous way for survivors of sexual assault to report an incident to police through a community-based anti-violence program. TPR has been in a number of communities in BC since the 1980s. It has evolved into a provincial protocol, (and now police are required to accept TPR from adult victims as a part of the provincial policing standards starting in July 2024). TPR has also been possible for some cases involving youth (under the age of 19) since 2017. There are many factors that can make situations involving youth survivors more complex including the legal age of consent, the ability for “mature minors” to consent to healthcare without permission from a parent/guardian, mandatory Ministry of Children and Family Development reporting requirements, and survivor confidentiality.
This session will provide an overview of the provincial policing standards on sexual assault and will also provide information on TPR including a recently developed video on the history of TPR in BC, information on working with youth who have been sexually assaulted, and a panel discussion on working with youth.
Presenter(s):
- Michael Gladman, M.Ed. (Counselling Psychology); R.N.; Family Therapist and Men’s Counsellor, retired
- Ninu Kang, Executive Director, Ending Violence Association of BC
- Carol Seychuk, Executive Director, Northern Society for Domestic Peace
- Jane Katz, MA, RCC
This facilitated session will engage subject matter experts working with men to share best practices to end gender-based violence, keeping the safety of survivors as a key priority. This workshop will highlight existing work being done in working with men who have used violence, best practices in coordination, sharing strategies and identifying challenges in changing attitudes of men to create safety for survivors. Participants will be invited to learn through case scenarios and interactive exercises and to reflect on existing knowledge, experiences and values in supporting those who have used violence and caused harm.
Presenter(s):
- Jon Cawsey, Sergeant, Regional Domestic Violence Unit, Saanich Police
- Myra Kohler, Sexual Assault Services Program Coordinator, Campbell River Family Services Society
- Susan Robinson, Victim Service Worker, Regional Domestic Violence Unit
- Karen Wickham, Victoria Sexual Assault Centre
Working together to support survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) has been shown to be one of the most effective ways to increase safety and support for survivors and reduce isolation for those working in the area of GBV. BC has a number of successful models for working together. Coordination committees, Interagency Case Assessment Teams, Domestic Violence Units, Third Party Reporting, Child and Youth Advocacy Centers, and Sexual Assault Centers are a few of the coordinated models throughout BC. In this session, a Domestic Violence Unit, a Sexual Assault Centre, and others will provide an overview of the collaborative work they engage in related to system and community partners as well as participate in a multi-disciplinary panel.
Presenter(s):
- Abby Chow, MA, RCC-ACS, Venturous Counselling and Consulting
- Sarada Bhagavatula, MA, RCC, Venturous Counselling and Consulting
This session contextualizes grief as a form of resistance, providing participants with essential tools to map and respond to their grief. In exploring complicated grief through a therapeutic and systemic lens, touching upon themes of hope and hopelessness, as well as frameworks that contextualize and de-individualizes our responses, attendees will learn skills to support their own grief processes and those within their community, fostering a network of solidarity. To experientially integrate these topics, the workshop will also facilitate community building and collective healing through witnessing and art-making processes.
Presenter(s):
- Samantha Davis, Researcher and Social Work Program Supervisor, Rise Women’s Legal Centre
- Maggie House, Supervising Lawyer, Centralized Legal Services, Rise Women’s Legal Centre
Join Samantha Davis and Maggie House in exploring Rise’s 2024 research findings about how rural and remote communities are innovating accessible justice for all; overviewing the services provided throughout the province; and exploring opportunities to continue to improve access to justice for all British Columbians.
Samantha Davis (she/her) is a Researcher and Social Work Program Supervisor and Maggie House (she/her) is the Supervising Lawyer with the Centralized Legal Services at Rise Women’s Legal Centre. Both Sam and Maggie have extensive experience working with clients, advocates, and support workers in BC’s northern, rural and remote communities.
Lunch (12:00 – 1:00 pm)
Information regarding lunch coming soon. If you have any dietary needs, restrictions or preferences, please make sure to note this information in your registration.
St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program will bring their therapy dogs during lunch time. There will be limited capacity to meet with them based on the number of volunteers and therapy dogs. More information to come.
The Therapy Dog program provides opportunities for individuals to:
- Talk with the volunteer and the dog
- Feel, touch, pet, and cuddle the dog
- Receive unconditional love from the dog
- Carry-out or practice an activity in the presence of the dog
Closing (1:00 – 4:00 pm)
shameless hussy productions: Written By Meghan Gardiner; performed by Emmelia Gordon
DISSOLVE confronts the topic of drug and alcohol facilitated sexual assault and is written from a survivor’s perspective. The play follows a young woman on a night out and the people she encounters, with the actor morphing fluidly between a flurry of 16 characters, including a bartender, girlfriend, doctor, criminology professor, and others. Designed to encourage thoughtful dialogue about sexual consent, DISSOLVE challenges us to change our beliefs and behaviour surrounding alcohol, drugs, the role of bystanders, and sexual assault.
Meghan Gardiner, writer of Dissolve
Join Meghan Gardiner, writer and original performer of “Dissolve” as she shares the history of the show and the healing journey she underwent while performing the show over 850 times across the continent.
Join us as we gather all participants back in one space to close our two days together and honour the work that we all do for survivors and for our communities.
