LATINOS IN VIRGINIA EMPOWERMENT CENTER

EDUCATION AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM: THE CENTER IS COMMITTED TO TRANSFORMING THE WHOLE COMMUNITY BY HELPING TO IMPROVE THE WAY THEY ADDRESS THE ISSUES OF VIOLENCE IN THE LATINO COMMUNITY. THAT'S THE REASON THAT IN ADDITION TO OUR ADVOCACY AND VICTIM ADVOCATE PROGRAM, WE FOCUS ON COMMUNITY INITIATIVES. THESE INITIATIVES INCLUDE PARTICIPATION IN TASKFORCES AND COMMITTEES TO BRING THE VOICE OF LATINO COMMUNITY TO THOSE SETTINGS, CREATING MULTILINGUAL SPACES THAT PROMOTE THAT MONOLINGUAL SPEAKERS CAN INTERACT AND BUILD RELATIONOSHIPS, AND PROVIDING TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR OTHER AGENCIES AND PROFESSIONALS IN THE COMMUNITY. THE LIVE CENTER HAS AN 15 YEAR HISTORY OF WORKING WITH LATINO FAMILIES AFFECTED BY VIOLENCE, AND A COMBINED 100+ YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AMONG ITS TEAM MEMBERS. REGARDLESS OF THE QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF EXPERIENCE, WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE CANNOT FULFILL OUR MISSION BY OURSELVES AND WE WISH TO EXTEND IT BY TRAINING THOSE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES TO DO THE JOB OF "HEALING FAMILIES, AND ENDING VIOLENCE". THE LIVE CENTER CONTRIBUTES TO FILLING THE GAPS OF SERVICES FOR SPANISH-SPEAKING VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE BY FOLLOWING THE EVIDENCE-BASED MODEL OF LEADERS AND PROMOTERS, DEVELOPED BY CASA DE ESPERANZA. THIS IS A PEER MODEL THAT AIMS TO TAP INTO THE ABILITIES OF COMMUNITY INDIVIDUALS TO SHARE CRITICAL INFORMATION AND RESOURCES, AS WELL AS BUILD COMMUNITY AND PROMOTE HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS. RESEARCH INDICATES THAT THE PEER LEADERSHIP MODEL HAS BEEN EFFECTIVE IN PROMOTING A POSITIVE CHANGE IN ATTITUDES, BELIEFS AND BEHAVIORS AROUND THE TARGETED ISSUE (IN OUR CASE VICTIMIZATION AND VIOLENCE IN THE LATINO/HISPANIC COMMUNITY), AS WELL AS INCREASING ACCESS TO RESOURCES AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE TOPIC FOR PARTICIPANTS. THE INTENT OF THE LIVE CENTER IS TO UTILIZE THIS MODEL IN ORDER TO DEVELOP A WORKFORCE OF BILINGUAL AND BICULTURAL VICTIM ADVOCATES WHO CAN SUPPORT THE DELIVERY OF DIRECT SERVICES TO VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE, WHO CAN PLAY THE ROLE OF EDUCATOR, MENTOR, OUTREACH WORKER, AND ROLE MODEL, AS WELL AS SERVE AS LIAISONS BETWEEN THEIR COMMUNITY AND OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS. AT THE LIVE CENTER WE KNOW THAT OFFERING CULTURALLY SPECIFIC TRAUMA-INFORMED ADVOCACY IS MORE THAN JUST BEING BILINGUAL. ADVOCACY IS LOOKING AT THE ENTIRE SITUATION OF AN INDIVIDUAL, INCLUDING THEIR CULTURE, THEIR VALUES, THEIR BELIEFS, THEIR FAMILIES, AND SUPPORTING THE DECISIONS THEY MAKE. OUR HIGHLY TRAINED ADVOCATES AND VOLUNTEERS, ALL BILINGUAL AND BICULTURAL, ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE TRAUMA INFORMED SERVICES BY ACCOMPANYING INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR FAMILIES THROUGH THEIR JOURNEY. BY FOLLOWING THEIR LEAD AND SUPPORTING THEIR GOALS AND CHOICES. AFTER ALL, PEOPLE ARE THE EXPERTS OF THEIR OWN LIVES AND JOURNEYS. MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE LISTEN. WE MEET INDIVIDUALS WHERE THEY FEEL MOST COMFORTABLE; WE GO AT THEIR PACE; AND WE HELP THEM IDENTIFY WHAT THEY WANT, WHAT THEY NEED, AND HOW TO GET THERE. BY LOOKING AT INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR ENTIRE SITUATION, WE CAN IDENTIFY AND BUILD ON EXISTING INFORMAL SUPPORT SYSTEMS AND CREATE STRONGER NETWORKS.