SARAH (Survivor's Hope Crisis Centre INC)

Board of Directors Seeks New Members

by Betty McCamis, Board Chair

Are you looking for a meaningful way to serve your community?  Would you like to be a part of a registered charitable organization that delivers valuable programs to the region?  Consider joining the Board of Directors of Survivor's Hope Crisis Centre Inc.

The mission of Survivor's Hope is to provide crisis intervention and support to survivors and secondary victims of sexual assault and to provide sexual assault education within the North Eastman Health Association Region.  This mission is fulfilled through the Sexual Assault Recovery and Healing (SARAH) and Sexual Assault Discussion Initiative (SADI) programs.

The SARAH program provides crisis intervention and support to survivors and secondary victims of sexual assault.  Volunteers, who have been trained by facilitators from Klinic' Sexual Assault Crisis Program in Winnipeg, are available to provide 24/7 support to emergency sexual assault calls from the hospitals in Beausejour, Pine Falls and Pinawa.   At present we have a dedicated group of four trained volunteers in Beausejour, nine in Pine Falls, and six in Pinawa.

The SADI program delivers educational workshops on topics related to sexual violence. Informative workshops are offered to service providers (clergy, police, medical staff, and school staff) who are often the first point of contact for sexual assault victims.  During the 2006/2007 school year, we are delivering approximately one hundred and twenty workshops to students enrolled in grades eight through senior four in schools in Sunrise School Division, School District of Whiteshell and Sagkeeng First Nations Education. The demand for these workshops exceeds our availability to deliver.  Some topics covered in the school workshops are: sexual harassment, healthy relationships, self-esteem, Internet relationships, relationship violence, date rape, and date rape drugs.

The Board of Directors is composed of volunteers from the region and is responsible for administering the programs and the finances of the corporation.   Board meetings are held approximately six times a year. Directors are entitled to mileage to attend meetings held outside their home community.   Directors are encouraged to use their unique skills to benefit the organization.  This could involve writing articles, making presentations, planning volunteer appreciation activities, writing grant applications, or fund raising at the local level.

The annual general meeting of Survivor's Hope, followed by a meeting of the Board of Directors, will be held in Pinawa on Wednesday, March 7.   If you are interested in being a director or finding out more information, phone either Holly Parcey, Executive Director, at 753-3150 or Betty McCamis, Board Chair, at 753-2967.

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