The PEACE Program (formerly CWWA)

Approximately two to six children and youth in every Canadian classroom have witnessed some form of abuse in the home over the past year.

These children and youth often experience the same types of emotional and behavioural problems experienced by those who have been abused themselves.

South Cariboo Elizabeth Fry Society offers the PEACE (Prevention, Education, Advocacy, Counselling and Empowerment) program for children and youth, aged 3 to 18, who have witnessed and/or experienced abuse.

This service is for children who are no longer at risk of witnessing family violence and helps support the non-offending custodial caregiver to support a child who has witnessed spousal abuse or directly experience violence in their lives.

The goal of the PEACE Program is to interrupt the cycle of violence, provide healthy ways to deal with conflict, to be able to identify healthier ways of relating, and to strengthen a positive regard for self and others.

The program helps children and youth to:

•Identify their feelings and express them in healthy ways
•Recognize their strengths and increase their self-confidence
•Understand what abuse is and that they are not responsible
•Identify support networks and develop a safety plan
•Explore stereotypes and myths about relationships and about violence in the media
•Develop conflict resolution skills

For more information contact Yoriko, the PEACE worker, at South Cariboo Elizabeth Fry Society.

This program was formerly known as the Children Who Witness Abuse (CWWA) Program.