Posted on: July 2nd, 2020 by Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council
What are Porch Chats?
Porch chats are an opportunity for the community to come together and have conversations about what’s happening in our community. They are to promote understanding, build community connections and facilitate action among citizens and communities. Porch Chats are part or the Friends of Crime Prevention initiative and chat ideas are brought forth my members of our community. Some porch chats have been recorded and can be found below.
Brought to you by the Friends of Crime Prevention, All 2020 Porch Chats are part of the #KeepFamiliesSafe Campaign. #KeepFamiliesSafe is rooted in raising awareness of family, friends, neighbours and people in the work place about family violence especially under the strain and isolation of the pandemic. It encourages community to pay attention and equips them with ways they can help.
Usually Porch chats are held on the porch and surrounding gardens of the historic Governor’s house, home of the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council at 73 Queen St. N. in Kitchener. But, adapting to Covid-19, we will meet on a virtual porch. BYOL (Bring your Own Lemonade) See you there!
We have had four Porch Chats on Prevention Family Violence over summer all delivered in English. With the help of generous community members we have been able to offer Porch Chats in languages other than English. If you would like a Porch Chat facilitated in your language please contact Julie Thompson.
Upcoming Porch Chats :
Impact of Migration on Families and the added Risks During Covid 19
Recognizing that family violence takes place in all cultures, we have worked with the #KFS coalition partners to extend the conversation into languages other than English. Lucky to meet Asmaa Cober, she helped coordinate four of these Porch Chats, in four different languages starting with those she spoke. These are the first Porch Chats facilitated in languages other than English. We hope to extend the conversation into others of the rich and diverse communities that make up Waterloo region.
In this porch chat, we will build understanding how family relationships, mental health, and stress levels change after arrival to a new home and how is that connected to Covid 19 situation. We will have a dialogue about cross generational and cross cultural conflict that can lead to family violence. We will present signs of abusive relationships and discuss what we can do as community members in helping families stay safely together. We will explore some tips to help adults and children to use conflict resolution skills to solve problems. We will elaborate on some services that are available to help families improve relationships and maintain family peace. Our main goal help communities come together to keep families together and safe.
We are a coalition of 18 organizations concerned about the impact of the Pandemic on families. Like the increased stress and isolation of the pandemic, family strain is universal and we need each other now more than ever. Please help us get the word out.
In Farsi : عنوان این گفت‌وگو «تأثیر مهاجرت بر روابط خانوادگی» است
در این گفت‌وگو، ما به چگونگی تغییر روابط خانوادگی، بهداشت روان و بالارفتن سطح استرس پس از ورود به خانهٔ جدید (کشور میزبان) و نیز ارتباط آن با وضعیت همه‌گیری بیماری کووید ۱۹ (کرونا) خواهیم پرداخت.
همچنین ما درمورد درگیری‌های بین‌نسلی و میان‌فرهنگی گفت‌وگو خواهیم کرد؛ عواملی که هر یک یا با هم می‌تواند به بروز ناآرامی و خشونت در خانواده منجر شود.
ما نشانه‌هایی از روابط خشن یا دارای آزار را ارائه خواهیم داد و سپس درمورد آنچه می‌توانیم به‌عنوان اعضای جامعه انجام دهیم تا کمک کند خانواده‌ها در امنیت و آرامش کنار یکدیگر زندگی کنند به بحث خواهیم پرداخت.
نکات ما، برخی راه‌های برای کمک به هر دو گروه بزرگ‌سالان و کودکان در استفاده از مهارت‌های حل تعارض را در برمی‌گیرد و همچنین در مورد برخی خدماتِ روان‌شناختی و اجتماعیٍ دردسترس که برای کمک به خانواده‌ها در بهبود روابط و حفظ آرامش توضیح خواهیم داد. هدف اصلی ما حفظ خانواده‌ها در کنار یکدیگر در محیطی امن و آرام است.
Monday, November 30, 2020: Register Here
In Arabic : تاثير الغربة على العلاقات العائلية
خلال الجلسة سوف نركز على النقاط التالية : التاثيرات والتغييرات في العلاقات العائلية والصحة النفسية بعد الهجرة الى مكان جديد، وارتباطها بوباء الكورونا. سوف نناقش الازمات المتعلقة بالاجيال والثقافات المختلفة والتي قد تؤدي الى عنف ضمن الاسرة. أيضا، سوف نتكلم عن مؤشرات العلاقات الغير صحية أو المسيئة وماذا نستطيع ان نفعله كاعضاء في مجتمعنا لمساعدة العائلات، لكي يشعروا بالامان مع بعضهم البعض. سنتطرق ايضا الى بعض المفاتيح الاساسية لمساعدة الاولاد والكبار بتطوير مهارات حل النزاعات. كما سنتكلم عن الخدمات المتواجدة لمساعدة العائلات بتحسين العلاقات فيما بينهم والمحافظة على السلام والسكينة. هدفنا الاساسي هو المحافظة على وحدة وسلامة الاسرة.
Dec 2; Register Here
In Turkish : Göçün Aile İlişkilerine Etkisi
Yeni bir yaşama başladığımız bu yeni ülkede, aile ilişkilerinin, akıl ve ruh sağlığının, ve kişisel stres seviyelerinin nasıl değiştiğini ve COVID19’un bu değişimdeki etkisini konuşacağımız bu sohbette, aile içi şiddete yol açabilen, nesiller ve kültürler arası çatışmalarla ilgili diyaloglar da kuracağız.
Kötüye kullanılan, suistimal edilen ilişkilerin izlerini sürecek, toplum olarak ailelerin nasıl bir arada huzur içinde ve güvende yaşamasını destekleyebileceğimizi ele alacağız.
Yetişkinlerin ve çocukların fikir ayrılıklarını nasıl çözebilecekleri ile ilgili bazı ipuçları paylaşacağız. Ailelerin ilişkilerini iyileştirmelerine ve aile huzurunu sürdürmelerine yardımcı olmak için mevcut olan bazı hizmetlerin üzerinde duracağız.
Bu sohbetteki ana hedefimiz ailelerin bir arada ve güvende olması için ne yapmamız gerektiğini bilmek, gerekeni yapmak ve iyileştirici adımlar atılmasını sağlamaktır.
Dec 8 Register Here
In Kurdish (Sorani and Badini): ‘ئه م دئ جاوه دانوستاندينئ دگه ل خو و خيزان و زاروكين خو كه ين’
ئه ف بابه ته دئ ل سه ر وئ جه ندئ بيت ئه م دئ جا وه خو و خيزانا خو دير كه ين ژ نه ئارام بونا ميشيكي و هزرا و هه ر نه ئارام بونه كي ده مئ دهيه وه لاته كئ ني و تايبه ت في وه ختئ ئه م هه مي تيدا دژين يئ كورونايئ دا (COVID 19)و هه روه ها دئ جاوه خو و خيزانا خو ژ في فايروسي پاريزين.و دئ جاوه كه لتوري خو كونجيني دگه ل كه لتوريت دي و سه ره ده ريئ و هاريكاري دگه ل ئيك كه ين دا پيكفه ده ستيت خو بكه ين ئيك بو ئارام بون ژ لايه نئ ميشكي ڤه و دلا.
Tuesday, Dec 15: Register Here
More Porch Chats may be announced.
Some of our past Porch Chats have been recorded and posted below.
Past Porch Chats 2020:
Understanding Emotional Abuse and Precursors to Violence in the Home – Link to recording below
Understanding the Impact of Trauma and Abuse on Children Aug 12:
Resolving Conflict in Families – Aug 19
Becoming An Active Bystander Registration – Click here to view recording. Aug 24, 2020
Stay Tuned!
Click here to visit our Events Calendar for more details.
Hats off to this amazing coalition!
Posted on: August 15th, 2016 by Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council
Earlier this year Friends of Crime Prevention hosted Porch Chats, a series of engaging community conversations about complex topics. Each week we gathered on the porch of the Governor’s House where community leaders led us through conversations about local Truth & Reconciliation processes, Racism & Islamophobia, and Sexual Assault & Consent.
Thanks to everyone who attended our Porch Chat series and joined in the discussion. Through these conversations people shared suggestions for further learning, and, where appropriate, action. Several people cautioned against jumping to action without spending enough time listening to those most affected, and carefully considering our own role in making or supporting change.
Caitlin Cull, a Friend of Crime Prevention, attended all three Porch Chats and was invited to share her reflections with us. As well we have outlined a few of the suggestions for further learning and/or action.
Reflections, Learning & Action
Learning Circles from a First Nations Perspective: Truth & Reconciliation (June 9)
“I believe it’s every person’s responsibility to look for opportunities to address blind spots in our understanding. As I listened, I heard stories of intergenerational trauma of Indigenous people in Canada. It was clear that each of us can play a part in implementing the recommendations from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.” (Caitlin Cull)
- Kelly Nixon extended an invitation to the Reconciliation Sharing Circles she holds four times a year (next one is November 27, 2016).
- Maureen Trask shared the TRC Reading Challenge, a challenge to all Canadians to read the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report Summary (or listen to it).
- Derek Haime described the work of the TRC Learning Circle, a sub-committee of the Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council. They’ve been meeting monthly to develop a proposal for a WRCPC response to the justice-related Calls To Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report.
Naming the Issue: Race, Religion and Creating Welcoming Spaces (June 16)
“I was moved to hear stories of racism and racial profiling of young men in our community. As a white woman with white children I will never need to worry about my children in this way. I cannot even begin to imagine how it must be for mothers to have these sorts of concerns for their children. These stories are important to hear. Ultimately it can be so easy to turn a blind eye, but we mustn’t.” (Caitlin Cull)
- Fanis Juma-Radstake shared the work of Young City Growers in engaging newcomer youth & harnessing their skills for community building. Fanis’s work to create safe and welcoming spaces has also continued through her role in facilitating a wider community dialogue about addressing racism.
- Sarah Shafiq is involved with Coalition of Muslim Women and Interfaith Grand River – watch for upcoming hate crime prevention initiatives.
- Sarah also worked with community partners to get the Anti-Racism Directorate to come to Waterloo Region this fall to collect local ideas on addressing systemic racism. Look for it on October 24, 2016.
What’s Your Role? Sexual Violence & Consent (June 23)
“The discussion on gender-based violence really highlighted the importance for me of making sure that we are addressing root causes and not treating symptoms. As a mother of sons I have a responsibility to raise children that are able to handle rejection and understand that others do not owe them anything. Working with young men is the first step to really addressing this problem.” (Caitlin Cull)
- Eleanor McGrath shared some of her research into youth’s knowledge of the legal definition of sexual consent. Recently she launched #ConsentED, an exhibit that transforms facts about consent and sexual assault into a vibrant, social-media friendly campaign. #ConsentED shows at the Laurier Campus library until December 21, 2016.
- Stephen Soucie told stories about Male Allies, a project of the Sexual Assault Support Centre. Over 100 men have been trained as Male Allies in Waterloo Region and thousands of other men and boys participate in Male Allies workshops each year.
- Joan Tuchlinsky talked about the need to call out micro-aggressions in everyday life. Speaking up when someone makes a racist or sexist comment helps creates a culture where hate-based and gender-based violence is not tolerated. The Sexual Assault Support Centre introduced a training program for all OHL teams about respect for women and consent. The Kitchener Rangers will pilot the training this fall.
Let’s keep the conversation going. Let us know about local initiatives that you are involved with that demonstrate further learning and action.
