Building Supports is designed to enhance the capacity, practices and policies of transition house staff and management to better support immigrant and refugee women leaving violence. Participants will gain an understanding of promising practices and policies that can enhance current transition house service delivery and ensure that they are culturally safe and relevant.

Pre-requisite: Foundations in Violence Against Women v2.0

Full member fee: $60.00 CDN
Associate member fee: $90.00 CDN

 Non-member fee: $125.00 CDN

Instructor(s)

BC Society of Transition Houses

The BC Society of Transition Houses develops and delivers online and in-person training tailored to the needs of anti-violence workers who work directly with women, children and youth experiencing violence.

Course curriculum

  • 1

    Introduction

  • 2

    Unit 1: The Need For Culturally Safe and Equitable Transition Houses

  • 3

    Unit 2: Understanding Cultural Safety

    • Who Are Immigrant and Refugee Women?

    • Who are Immigrant and Refugee Women?

    • Immigration and Colonialization

    • The Danger of a Single Story - Chimamanda Adichie

    • Reflection: The Danger of a Single Story

    • Culturally Responsive Approaches

    • Reflecting on Your Current Practice Approaches

    • What is Cultural Safety?

    • Key Aspects of Cultural Safety

    • Privilege and Power

    • Equity vs. Equality

    • Broadening Our Lens

    • Cultural Safety Assessment
  • 4

    Unit 3: Promising Practices: Promising Approaches

    • Introduction to Promising Practices

    • Practicing Self-Awareness

    • Practice Tips: Self-Reflection

    • Building Trust and Credibility

    • Reflection: Building Trust

    • Practice Tips: Conducting a First Meeting or Intake

    • Practice Tips: Support and Safety Planning

    • Making Services and Information Accessible

    • Language and Accessibility

    • Providing Interpretation

    • Practice Tips: Providing Interpretation

    • Reflection: Making Services and Information Accessible

    • Ensuring Equity in Access

    • Reflection: Ensuring Equity

    • Being Responsive and Flexible

    • Boundaries & Worker Wellness

    • Recognizing Women's Pre-arrival Experiences

    • Provide Outreach, Advocacy and Accompaniment

    • Outreach, Advocacy and Accompaniment in Practice

    • Practice Tips: Information and Referrals

    • Case Study #1
  • 5

    Unit 4: Navigating Complex Legal Systems

    • Complex Legal Systems

    • Legal Issues Impacting Immigrant and Refugee Women

    • Important Legal Resources and Information

    • Activity: Power and Control Wheel

    • Lawyers Responses that Empower Immigrant Women Leaving Violence

    • Navigating a Complex Legal System and How to Keep Women Safe

    • Case Study #2
  • 6

    Unit 5: Conflict Resolution and Education

    • Conflict Resolution and Education

    • Strategies for Addressing Conflict

    • Handling the Discussion

    • ​ What If I Make a Mistake?

    • Conflict Resolution: Resources
  • 7

    Unit 6: Promising Practices: Organizational Approaches

    • Foster Cross-sector Support and Collaboration

    • Cross-sectoral support and collaboration: What does it look like in practice?

    • Encourage Staff Development

    • Raise Awareness

    • Six Key Factors for Effective Awareness Raising

    • Engage Community

    • Work with Men

    • Case Study #3
  • 8

    Unit 7: Implementing Culturally Safe Promising Practices

    • How to Implement Promising Practices

    • Making an Action Plan

    • Addressing Challenges

    • Additional Resources For Action Planning

    • Final Reflection
  • 9

    Additional Resources

    • Building Supports Practice Guide

    • Sample Intake Form in Different Languages

    • Legal Information

    • BCSTH Policy Template Guide

    • Empowering Non-Status, Refugee and Immigrant Women who Experience Violence (BWSS)

    • Needs of Newcomer Women Who Experience Intimate Partner Violence: Adjusting to New Life in the Prairies (PATHS)

    • Gender-Based Violence and Access to Justice for International Students at Canadian Post-Secondary Institutions (FREDA Centre)
  • 10

    Course Feedback

    • Course Feedback