Programs
THE SOLUTION
Preventing work-related stress, trauma, and exhaustion conditions requires a multi-level approach. Our programs and services are open to both individual professionals and organizations in the anti-violence field.
MAKE CHANGE ON A NATIONAL SCALE
"If even one advocate needs support, the anti-violence movements must move. There is no more time to waste. Advocates deserve our best so that they can provide the critical services needed in our communities." -Trace Fleming-Trice, SCFA Founder
Taskforce on Advocate Wellness
We firmly believe that if we are using the social ecological model for the prevention of burnout and vicarious trauma, it’s time to move past the individual and move towards organizational and community change. Advocates can’t be left to handle the damage created by these work hazards alone and leaders who want to make changes, need support. The only way we see this happening is if the coalitions are given tools to change their standards to reflect practices that protect advocates and funders information they need to make grant funding requirement changes that support living wages, health care, and other benefits.
To this end, SCFA is proud to be a member of the Taskforce on Advocate Wellness (TAW). The TAW is a unique organization of members of the Anti-Violence’s Movements at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels who have been tasked with:
Identifying advocate wellness needs concerning better supports for survivor-advocates, those facing workplace bullying, and protections against burnout.
Identifying critical macro level issues that create barriers to advocate wellness.
- Creating an advocacy plan to that insists on macro-level change to improve advocate wellness.
NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ADVOCATE SELF-CARE
A multi-day virtual experience.
Self-care is critical- and community care makes that possible. Workshops throughout the conference will explore individual self-care methods and ways our organizations can be proactive in fighting burnout.
Self-care is critical- and community care makes that possible. With general admission- Up to 10 hours of social work continuing education credit will be available and up to 10 hours of NOVA continuing education credit will be applied for each year. Throughout the conference will explore individual self- care methods and ways our organizations can be proactive in fighting burnout.
ALL proceeds will fund SCFA’s advocacy efforts specifically for anti-violence advocates.
NATIONAL ADVOCATE NEEDS SURVEY
The Self-Care For Advocates (SCFA) Advocate Community Needs Assessment is a tool designed to support a better understanding of the lives of anti-violence advocates across North America, the information gathered helps us develop programs for advocate wellness.
SCFA recognizes that the term “advocate” may be subjective. For the purpose of this survey, advocate is defined as: Trauma-focused
professionals in the fields of victim advocacy. This may include, but is not limited to, prevention education, public health, nursing, social
work, mental health, law enforcement, and related disciplines to prevent, respond to, or provide direct care to people impacted by violence
such as family violence, sexual assault, suicide, human trafficking, substance abuse, certain mental health issues and the like.
If this definition resonates with you, we encourage you to participate.
We believe that this survey will take between 20 to 60 minutes to complete depending on your experiences.
Your responses to anonymous surveys via our online survey system are completely anonymous. Responses to anonymous surveys cannot be traced back to the respondent. No personally identifiable information is captured unless you voluntarily offer personal or contact information in any of the comment fields. Additionally, your responses are combined with those of many others and summarized in a report to further protect your privacy. If this survey is responded to and returned to SCFA by way of email or any other means, your information will be kept confidential.
*THE LATEST SURVEY IS EXPECTED TO BE AVAILABLE IN JULY 2023*
AVAILABLE WORKSHOPS AND PRESENTATIONS
SCFA offers a variety of wellness workshops that can be customized to fit your organization’s needs. The most requested workshops include:
- No More Empty Cups: Making Space for Self-Care Within Our Organizations Using humor, this presentation breaks down the differences between compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, and burnout and addresses the barriers so many advocates face when they need self-care.
- Broke and Burnt Out: The Impact of Income and Agency Support on Advocate Health and Wellness We’re tired of hearing organizations tell advocates that they do The Work “for the outcomes, not the income.” This presentation explores the findings of the SCFA 2021 National Advocate Community Needs Assessment.
- When We Know Better, We Do Better: Trauma Informed Supervision Many advocates report that they wish that they had better supervision in the workplace. Many supervisors tell SCFA they wish they had more information on how to be a better supervisor. Let SCFA walk you through practical solutions for trauma informed supervision.
- The Great Irony: Connecting Workplace Bullying and Burnout in DV/SV Organizations Workplace bullying is a massive issue found in workplaces across the globe. DV/SV organizations are no exception. Together, we’ll explore workplace bullying dynamics and what advocates are telling us about their experiences with it and burnout.
Online Support
Join our Facebook group! Make self-care a social experience and join our online community of helping professionals. Get peer-to-peer support, share resources, and connect with thousands of other advocates just like you!
