PAVE Prevention, INC is teaming with Nellie’s, Toronto area women’s shelter, education, and advocacy center, to provide violence prevention training to staff. PAVE will be utilizing local instructors with careers in Empowerment Self-Defense, martial arts, and trauma-informed practices to assist with the program, along with PAVE contributor Heather F. Turnbull, and CEO Arlene Limas OLY.
Nellie’s is a community-based feminist organization which operates within an anti-racist, anti-oppression framework, whose mission is to operate programs and services for women and children who have and are experiencing oppressions such as violence, poverty, and homelessness. They are committed to social change through education and advocacy, to achieve social justice for all women and children.
PAVE will be assisted in instruction by JB Ramos, Owner and Head Filipino martial arts instructor at Combat Science: Warrior Arts of Asia, certified Empowerment Self-Defense instructor, and certified GCT Use-of-Force instructor. Also instructing is Clara Porter, Director of PACMaine, who holds a Masters of Social Work degree and certifications in Empowerment Self-Defense and advanced Trauma First Aide from the National Women’s Martial Arts Federation and the Center for Antiviolence Education.
Nellie’s Executive Director, Jyoti Singh, shares: “Nellie’s is very excited about our partnership with PAVE. The global pandemic has put a spotlight on gender based violence and highlighted the need for preventive measures. Shelter and community programs after abuse in violence is only one part of the solution to GBV. Band aid solutions will not end violence, we need empowering approaches to give women the confidence and tools to change the story of violence and abuse.
At Nellie’s we are excited to learn about the PAVE model which is an innovative measure that provides a trauma informed, self empowerment approach to violence prevention. I look forward to the day when we will not have a need for GBV shelters; I believe that the PAVE approach will get us one step closer to a world without gender based violence. “
This project is PAVE Prevention’s first organizational violence prevention project in Canada, consisting of two days of ESD-based professional development training for Nellie’s staff and partner allies through two 2-day sessions beginning April 25th.