The Direct Service Team at SAVA offers advocacy, support and crisis intervention to all individuals affected by sexual assault. In 2017, SAVA provided direct services to over 916 individuals in Larimer and Weld Counties, and we expect the number will continue to increase. Despite these challenges, we are looking forward to the new year!
Here are five new year’s resolutions for our team in 2018:
Develop our Work/Life Balance
With all of the demands that come with providing direct services such as maintaining and answering the hotline, doing outreach, helping walk-ins, providing support during police reporting, and providing on-going case management, it can be difficult to find time to truly disengage from all of our daily tasks and practice good self-care. In 2018, our resolution is to work together as a team to find ways to support ourselves and each other, and create work/life balance so that we may continue to help and support survivors.
Practice More Self-Care
Practicing self-care can be a difficult task due to the many demands of working as an advocate for SAVA. Therefore, in addition to developing our work/life balance, our team’s second new year’s resolution is to intentionally practice and incorporate more self-care into our daily lives. It is essential to practice self-care in order to provide provide adequate services and be effective advocates for the survivors we serve. Self-care should be an integral part of both our personal and professional lives.
Continue to Build and Strengthen Partnerships
Here at SAVA, we strongly believe in the importance of creating and maintaining partnerships with other members and organizations in our community. Collaboration is an essential part in meeting the needs of survivors.In 2018, we hope to strengthen the partnerships already in place and we hope to continue to build more of these partnerships to provide our clients with the resources they need that SAVA alone cannot provide.
Expand our It’s On Us Program
In the fall of 2015, Fort Collins, Colorado launched the first It’s On Us Community campaign. SAVA and the City of Fort Collins introduced the city-wide campaign featuring local leaders aimed at raising awareness about and preventing sexual assault in Fort Collins. In the coming year, our resolution is to continue to expand the It’s On Us Program by providing technical assistance and support to other cities interested in starting their own It’s On Us campaign and spread awareness about how sexual assault affects our communities. We will also continue our Raise The Bar program, and provide patron-safety training for staff who work in bars, restaurants, and breweries.SAVA recognizes that It’s On Us to create change in our communities and end sexual violence.
Reach More Underserved Populations
The SAVA Center offers accessible and inclusive therapy and advocacy services to victims regardless of income, race, ethnicity, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion, immigration status or any other characteristic. Through our partnerships and our outreach, we hope to continue to reach more individuals from underserved and marginalized communities who are in need of our services. Our final resolution for the New Year is to expand our outreach and make changes within and outside of our organization that will allow our services to be accessible to everyone affected by sexual assault.
This year, the SAVA Center has provided services to more survivors than in any previous year. With more survivors coming forward to share their stories of sexual harassment and sexual assault, and with the rise of the #metoo movement, we expect more survivors will continue to speak out and stand up against sexual violence. And as they do so, SAVA will be here to support survivors and their loved ones while creating cultural change to end sexual violence in our community.