Envision Counselling and Support Centre recently received a funding boost for a new program called Growing Together. The local agency was one of just two Saskatchewan organizations to receive the Violence Prevention Grant from the Canadian Women’s Foundation, and one of just 20 in the country.

"We received a grant for $22,500 from the Canadian Women's Foundation to enhance our Children Exposed to Violence program and the whole idea behind this request from them was to allow us to have our councillor full time and for us to enhance our CEV program to include single parents and the parenting support component," explained Christa Daku, executive director of Envision Counselling and Support Centre.

The Growing Together program is for families that are enrolled in the Children Exposed to Violence program, where the parent is also involved with Envision Counselling in some way. When a child enters the Children Exposed to Violence programming, Envision Counselling will also involve the parents with the therapy, through mini-meetings, phone calls and email contact.

“Parents will reinforce themes that were discussed during session to offer greater opportunity for healing of the children, and of the child/parent relationship, which is often in crisis when there is violence in the home,” Daku said.

There are four Envision Counselling offices in the southeast, but just one Children Exposed to Violence counsellor, which is located in the Estevan office, however, Daku said they hope to get one for the Weyburn area as well. As for now, people can apply for funding to travel to Estevan for the program.