The community is cordially invited to an open house as SWOVA enters its 12th year of service to the community and province.

The public is invited to join the SWOVA staff, board members and youth team for refreshments, informal conversation and a chance to see the new offices at 344 Lower Ganges Road (next to Dagwood’s and Paint Plus) beginning at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 25. SWOVA’s AGM at 6 p.m. the same evening is also open to the public.

The agency has taken quantum leaps in the past year with the addition last year of the Widening the Circle Project which invited parents and teachers into SWOVA’s primary violence prevention efforts.

Another new project, Pass it On, has been added this year to work with girls and young women to explore the top four risky behaviours that are presently threatening their health and safety in our community and leaving them vulnerable to violence and abuse.

A parallel boys’ project will begin in 2009.

Unlike Respectful Relationships (R+R), SWOVA’S award-winning flagship program, Pass it On is a community-based initiative. R+R is a school/community partnership.

Funding for the Pass it On pilot project is jointly funded by Status of Women Canada and the Civil Forfeiture Program.

In its ninth year of delivery in School District 64, Respectful Relationships currently impacts students all across the province.

According to SWOVA’s executive director, Lynda Laushway, “Over 3,000 students in various regions in British Columbia will be able to participate in 12 workshops on awareness and skill-building to have healthy and respectful relationships as part of our R+R outreach this year. SWOVA received significant provincial funding to provide training, support, and implementation money to eight rural or geographically isolated B.C. communities.

“This is a primary violence prevention initiative developed by SWOVA on Salt Spring Island in partnership with our school district.

“It costs about $200 per student each year for the 12-workshop inter-personal relationship violence prevention series, compared with the cost of about $150,000 per year to keep one young person in youth detention.”

While SWOVA has received funding over the years to support all these communities and projects, it is a daily challenge to keep prevention uppermost in people’s minds and keep the projects afloat. Ongoing community support from all over the province is crucial to the success of SWOVA’s programs.

A membership drive is currently underway at the agency. At $5 per person, memberships are affordable for all and help to weave a strong safety net to prevent violence and abuse in our community.

Laushway hopes the community will come out next week and connect with the many people who make SWOVA such an innovative “think tank” for violence prevention, become more familiar with the agency’s programs, as well as look over its extensive lending library.

“We couldn’t do the work we do across B.C without our priceless staff and dedicated volunteers. We hope the community will join us on the 25th for a small celebration of our past successes and our expanding future.”

Requests for memberships or other donations large or small can be sent to the SWOVA office at 344 Lower Ganges Road, Salt Spring Island, B.C. V8K 2V3.