DVN Celebrates Many Accomplishments in 2018 Thanks to Network Collaboration
By: Kelsey Gurganus, Director of Research & Evaluation, DVN
As we enter the last month of 2018, we have started to reflect on what has been quite a year for Domestic Violence Network! We could not have done it without our amazing network of advocates, supporters, service providers, community partners, and more. We are very thankful for all of the amazing champions in our corner, supporting us along the way. Here are just a few highlights from 2018 that YOU helped us achieve:
- OUR STAFF DOUBLED IN SIZE!
- We have an amazing new Americorps Public Ally, Gage Bentley. Gage is very gifted, including being a talented investigative journalist and researcher. He will be helping DVN by making our youth curriculum more creative and expanding our programming and outreach to college students. He will be with DVN through mid-July.
- Our Training Program has improved and expanded, offering new and improved trainings. Our complete menu includes Dynamics of Domestic Violence (DV101), DV101 and the Medical Community, DV101 at Work, Domestic Violence in the LGBTQ+ Community, Adverse Childhood Experiences, and Trauma-Informed Care When Working With Families of Domestic Violence Victims.
- Our Youth Program has expanded with the inception of DVN’s very own Summer Garden Program in collaboration with The Julian Center. The program educates youth through social emotional learning while also empowering them through the development of valuable hands-on gardening skills.
- Our Community Wide Plan is expanding and we are very excited to announce future intersectional topic areas! Our current Community Wide Plan focuses on Intersections and we would like to build off of those intersections by focusing primarily on the inclusivity of populations that have traditionally not been at the forefront of conversations surrounding domestic violence.
- We had our highest attendance EVER at our annual Night with the Network event, selling more than 370 tickets.
- We established an exciting new partnership with Beyond Monumental to join the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon Run for a Cause program.
- Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) recently approved to amend their Title IX policy to include teen dating violence and detailed prevention and response guidelines for students affected by abuse, harassment, and violence.
- The FIRST EVER Marion County Youth Coordinated Community Response (YCCR) team convened on November 27, and included participation from a variety of community sectors. The YCCR team will initially have a school-based focus building off the momentum behind the IPS Title IX policy amendment.
We have so much to be thankful for and look forward to working together with all of you in 2019!
#YouAreTheNetwork #YouthAreTheNetwork