An Update from the SafeSpace Office!

Hello everyone!  The SafeSpace Program has been one busy place lately!  We wanted to write and let you all know what we have been up to! 

This past week both Brenda and Ann were off to the Q&A (Queers & Allies) conference in Seattle Washington.  The LGBTQ program there, the Northwest Network for LGBTQ Survivors put on their annual Q & A and we went down jazzed up to learn some from them.  They are a great group of folks who provide amazing services to the LGBTQ community in Seattle.  We did get hung up with the weather....6 hours in the Newark, NJ airport but once we were there it was great! 

We have also been continuously offering our two support groups, one held on Tuesday's for survivors of violence, Brenda and Ella (from Outright Vermont) facilitate that group and they have been meeting for quite some time now - more than a year and going strong!  There is also a group for male identified survivors of violence that meets on Sunday's.  Damien facilitates this group and things are going very well for them,  If you or someone you know is interested in attending a support group please give us a call at the SafeSpace office to chat about that -863-0003.

On November 13, 2009 we hosted our first statewide conference at the Double Tree Hotel in South Burlington - what a HUGE success that was.  Avy Skolnik, formerly of the NCAVP (National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs) was our keynote and people just loved him!  There were about 110 people in attendance that day and we got some great feedback.  Yes, we are in the process of planning the next conference for the Fall 2010!  Stay tuned for information on what the next one will look like.  We were so fortunate to have an immense amount of Community Support and the BEST planning committee ever!  A huge thank you to everyone who helped with the conference - we were so successful and could not have been without your support!! 

As a result of the November conference came quite a number of smaller training requests.  So far we have been to the Franklin County Sheriff's Department in St. Albans, we have trained Court Staff at the Franklin County Court, and this month we will provide training to the Department for Children and Families, Family Services Division in St. Albans as well as the Guardian ad Litems in Chittenden, Addison and Franklin Counties.  If your office has training needs please contact Ann or Brenda to chat about having us come in and provide some training to you and your staff!!  

Please contact us if you or someone you know needs assistance.  We are here to provide support, information and referrals.  

A great big thank you to all of you who support the Center in a variety of ways.  We appreciate the support!