Empowering Survivors Through Advocacy https://grants.dudleytdoughertyfoundation.org/proposals-2013/empowering-survivors-through-advocacy https://grants.dudleytdoughertyfoundation.org/@@site-logo/sitelogo-75x75.png

Empowering Survivors Through Advocacy

Additional Information
Used for	This money will support our shelter program through allowing us to increase the hours of our part time shelter advocate.
Benefits	The advocates work closely with men, women and children that are victims of domestic violence. Through teaching skills and helping them to process the violence our clients have experienced, we benefit the world by helping to break the cycle in one more family. We benefit the world by allowing people to fulfill their human right to live free from violence.
Proposal Description	Safe Embrace recognizes the profound social and individual problems caused by domestic violence and is dedicated to stopping the cycle of violence. To this end, we provide intervention and prevention services to facilitate the opportunity for all people to live free from violence. Currently, our 24 hour shelter is staffed by one 1.0 FTE housing manager and one .25 FTE shelter advocate. We have 14 beds for women and their male and female children through the age of 17 and our shelter is consistently full. Our program is a minimum 30 day stay, with an average stay of 45 days, which allows the advocate time to work with the resident and help her achieve her goals. We also work very closely with the children and help them process the violence they have witnessed through play therapy and groups. We teach the parents healthy parenting techniques, and help the children with behavioral issues and tutoring. The advocates conduct several groups with the women during the week, including life skills, financial management, workforce skills, as well as process groups. In addition, the advocates provide peer crisis counseling, legal advocacy, and information to the hundreds of callers we get every year. We pride ourselves on serving the underserved. We are known in the community for being a welcoming nonjudgmental place. We open our doors to women of color, individuals with substance abuse and mental health issues, lesbian and transgender women, and the economically disadvantaged. Recognizing that domestic violence can affect anyone, we also serve women of economic privilege and women who flee to Nevada from out of state. In calendar year 2012 we served 52 women and 72 children for 3,135 bed nights in the shelter. 40% of our clients are women and children of color; in 2012 we served 60% Caucasian, 19% African American, 11% Latina/o, 5% Native American, 3% Asian, 2% Mixed/Other/Unknown in the shelter. We also served 24 men outside of the shelter. Through the services we provide, women are able to escape abusive relationships and rebuild their lives. We focus on empowerment and self-esteem building as the building blocks of a successful and happy life. We help survivors reorient themselves after their trauma, assist them through the process of getting their lives in order, and teach them the skills they need to be successful when they leave the program. We continue to provide case management either through our transitional housing program or on an as needed basis even once they have left the shelter. We track the success of the program through client surveys, documentation of client goals and when they are met as well as documenting when they file paperwork, receive assistance, and obtain employment. Through increasing the availability of shelter staff, at least: • 80% of clients will report an increase in feelings of safety levels, as measured by a pre and post participation survey; • 60% of children and/or parents report better behavior and/or grades in school, as measured by teacher updates and report cards. • 60% will report a decrease in trauma symptoms, as measured by a pre and post participation survey; • 85% will report satisfaction with services, as measured by the exit interviews and monthly focus groups. These services are supplemented with volunteers through our volunteer training program, but volunteer turnover is high due to the stress of the job. Many of our volunteers come from our partnership with the University of Nevada Reno, so many of them are only with us for a semester. We have also strong partnerships with multiple community agencies to help us deliver services that we cannot. However, the demand upon a small staff to assist 14 women and children every day is great. Grant funds from the Dudley T. Dougherty Foundation will allow us to increase the hours of the current advocate from .25 FTE to .50 FTE. A grant from the Dudley T. Dougherty Foundation would also provide us the leverage to seek out additional funds to maintain and increase staff hours.