And still they rise…

Elmwood

When one door closes, another opens.

For the past three years, the Elmwood Community Resource Centre has run the Still I Rise program, a survivor-centred initiative supporting people and families affected by gender-based violence (GBV). In that time, it has supported more than 300 individuals and families, not only in Elmwood but across Winnipeg and past the Perimeter.

Now, after three successful years, the project is wrapping up, but the work to serve the community will continue.

“We provide resources for women and usually we provide some kind of counselling, if necessary, for persons who have faced GBV issues,” program co-ordinator Damati Amiesimaka said. “We also use trauma-informed and sensitive ways to get people to talk about their fears, and the ways systems have not served them. We try to sensitize them so that they feel comfortable talking about issues that are important to them.”

The project received federal funding via Women and Gender Equity Manitoba and was geared to women in Black, Asian, and Arabic communities, owing to high incidence rates and recognition that those communities face gaps in accessing services.

“Someone who is in that space might have the same… challenges that they face, but you’re adding in language barriers, racial discrimination, and citizenship and immigration precarity, which adds additional complexity,” explained Anne Oserin-Pinnock, director of clinical programs and initiatives at ECRC.

On Friday, March 27, ECRC will host a special community event marking the conclusion of the Still I Rise project. It is intended to bring together survivors, community partners, service providers, and advocates to reflect on the program’s impact and reaffirm collective commitment to ending violence.

“It’s been three years, and we’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback from clients and partners involved,” Amiesimaka said. “We want to take time to step back and honour our resilience and strength. We want to continue to break down the barriers that the diverse people we serve may face.”

Since 2001, ECRC has provided a broad variety of family supports including counselling, employment assistance, adult literacy, youth outreach, newcomer settlement services, and community engagement programming. The organization will continue to offer support for those in need through other avenues.

“While the project, in its current state, is technically ending, and we’ll be producing the report and sharing results… a lot of the services and supports will continue at ECRC,” Oserin-Pinnock said. “We have a new (child and family services) liaison, and a new project focusing on building literacy of newcomer folks, women in particular, so they are able to connect with services more fully. We also have a new program to work with men as allies against gender-based violence.”

The Still I Rise celebration will be held Friday, March 27 at 5:30 p.m. at 180 Poplar Ave. For more details about the event or to RSVP, contact Damati at gbvcoordinator@elmwoodcrc.ca

For more information about services provided by the Elmwood Community Resource Centre, visit elmwoodcrc.ca