The Honourable Helen Conway Ottenheimer, Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Minister of Justice and Public Safety, today announced funding for 16 projects through the Province’s Indigenous Violence Prevention Grants Program. The program supports Newfoundland and Labrador’s Indigenous Governments and Organizations in their efforts to prevent violence against Indigenous women, children and gender-diverse people.
Projects receiving a share of $361,848 include initiatives focused on:
- Increasing public awareness, education and training.
- Investing in leadership development.
- Building community capacity.
- Enhancing opportunities for healing.
The Office of Women and Gender Equality has been providing funding for Indigenous-led violence prevention projects since 2005.
Quotes
“Investing in violence prevention for Indigenous Governments and Organizations isn’t just about funding projects, it’s about funding safety, healing and strength. Violence prevention begins when communities have the resources, wisdom, resilience, and leadership to protect their own people.”
Honourable Helen Conway Ottenheimer
Minister of Women and Gender Equality
Minister of Justice and Public Safety
“We know that Indigenous women, children and gender-diverse people are disproportionately impacted by violence. By supporting Indigenous women, their governments and organizations, and listening to their concerns, we will make positive strides together to prevent violence in our communities.”
Honourable Lela Evans
Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation
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Indigenous Violence Prevention Grants Program
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BACKGROUNDER
Assembly of First Nations Office of the Regional Chief Newfoundland (Conne River)
Funding will be used to conduct a virtual women’s gathering for survivors of gender-based violence.
Grant Awarded: $17,250
Benoit’s Cove Indian Band Inc.
Funding will be used to establish a community violence prevention team, develop culturally relevant education and outreach materials, establish a youth mentorship program, establish accessible, culturally relevant counselling services and develop a resource map for other services currently available from the Band office.
Grant Awarded: $24,400
Burgeo First Nation
Funding will be used to increase awareness surrounding missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit people through a series of community workshops, Red Dress Day ceremonies, community walk, and crafting workshops.
Grant Awarded: $4,750
Empowering Indigenous Women for Stronger Communities (Corner Brook)
Funding will be used to conduct a peer support program by bringing together 30 trained facilitators for a multi-day professional development gathering.
Grant Awarded: $23,000
Exploits Native Women’s Association (Bishop’s Falls)
Funding will be used for Rise Through the Noise, an online, anti-violence program that uses workshops, sharing circles and storytelling for youth to develop skills around digital safety and expression.
Grant Awarded: $21,000
First Light (St. John’s)
Funding will support out-of-province travel to a Two-Spirit symposium, as well as workshops to create Two-Spirit medicine bundles and other cultural items.
Grant Awarded: $16,100
Flat Bay Band Inc.
Funding will be used to finalize curriculum and media materials, train Mi’kmaw facilitators and conduct a pilot for a five-day trauma informed training initiative.
Grant Awarded: $30,000
Indigenous Cultural Revival Association (Gander)
Funding will be used to support a 24-week program of sharing circles and cultural crafting sessions to address gender-based violence. This program will also see the creation of an Indigenous social worker/Indigenous violence prevention navigator position.
Grant Awarded: $23,095
Innu Nation (Sheshatshiu)
Funding will be used to facilitate women’s walks and boys’ land-based activities, including a three-week ocean expedition for young adults to start conversations surrounding gender-based violence.
Grant Awarded: $30,000
Lnu’sgw (Grand Falls-Windsor)
Funding will be used to facilitate healing circles, violence prevention workshops, a youth mentorship program, and the creation of a cultural toolkit for the restoration of the traditional guardian role of men – to help reduce gender-based violence through community connection.
Grant Awarded: $30,000
Mi’kmaw Cultural Foundation (Stephenville)
Funding will be used for a youth initiative that will see language programs, land-based learning and elder-led teachings as a means of addressing inter-generational trauma, while also growing and strengthening community and cultural connections.
Grant Awarded: $30,000
Newfoundland Indigenous People’s Alliance (Port Saunders)
Funding will be used for a series of training and awareness gatherings, workshops and crafting activities to facilitate a comfortable space for discussions on violence prevention.
Grant Awarded: $15,000
NorPen Mekap’sk Mi’kmaq Band (Port Saunders)
Funding will be used for educational presentations and workshops, crafting activities, and the distribution of resource materials to facilitate a healing environment for those affected by gender-based violence.
Grant Awarded: $15,000
People of the Dawn Friendship Centre (Stephenville)
Funding will be used to support men in addressing the root causes of violence through gatherings, land-based activities, sharing circles, ceremonies and elder-youth mentorship pairings.
Grant Awarded: $28,750
Qalipu First Nation (Corner Brook)
Funding will be used to produce a series of promotional videos addressing gender-based violence.
Grant Awarded: $30,000
St. George’s Indian Band
Funding will be used to conduct a 15-week, inter-generational men and boys’ mentorship program and gathering/conference to address men’s mental health, modern masculinity and the root causes of violence.
Grant Awarded: $23,500