Ishtar Transition Housing Society
Guest contribution by Angela Johnson
The Children Who Witness Abuse (CWWA) program at Ishtar Transition Housing Society in Langley, BC serves children and youth between the ages of 3-19 years. The mandate of the CWWA program is to support children and youth who have witnessed, or who have been victims of domestic violence. Prior to receiving services, children and youth must be residing in a safe environment; that is, they must no longer be at risk of experiencing domestic violence. The goals of the CWWA program include:
• Ending the intergenerational cycle of abuse
• Addressing myths related to family violence
• Providing a safe environment for children and youth to express feelings
• Teaching children and youth appropriate and healthy ways to communicate feelings, solve problems, and manage conflict
• Provide information about the nature of abuse
• Advise children and youth about their personal rights
Children and youth receive services either through individual or group counselling. In the summer the CWWA program also partners with PRDA to provide a therapeutic horse camp for clients.
The CWWA program has benefited from the generous donation from OPUS Langley during their Christmas 2007 donation drive. Thank you again to all who contributed to this great cause. This program has used (or will be using) supplies purchased with the gift card for various art therapy activities, including:
• Through the process of mask-making, clients explore feelings and thoughts that they hide from others
• Sharing feelings about experiences of abuse through the use of various media on paper (pastels, paints)
• Decorating horse camp T-shirts with fabric paints
• Creating a group project about things learned at horse camp with fabric paints and other media
For further information, please contact Angela Johnson, Child Support Counsellor at angela@ishtarsociety.org
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