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instriicter cf medicters
and counselices

taking tami Jusdcs
coursas offered Sy

Wie Corrections enu
Cornimunity Justice
Division —inierviow's

a boy io shavicesa the
cstals of 6 custoav and
alters jvesiigation
Jnaer the Farnliy
Relations ect.

therapists, health care staff and those working in a wide range of not-for-
profit agencies. Along with providing a forum for the discussion of these
issues, we began developing skills-based courses to provide practitioners
with the tools and techniques to tackle the complex problems they faced
in their work. We also consciously adopted a model of collaborating with
community groups and government ministries in our work.”

Shelley Rivkin joined the Community Programs staff as the Program
Coordinator in 1981 and expanded the depth and breadth of programs
related to child abuse and neglect, violence against women and youth at
risk. She developed curriculum for the B.C./Yukon Society of Transition
Houses and organized the first national conference on victimization and
recovery. That year, Community Programs staff worked with thirty-five
different organizations and agencies to sponsor programs.

Through the 1980s, forums and courses were developed, focusing on
emerging issues such as suicide prevention, pornography, prosecution of
child sexual assault cases and addiction. At about that time, major changes
to the Criminal Code addressed family violence and sexual assault. “Police
and correctional officers needed training in the changes to the law,’ says
Rivkin, “but so did the people who were organizing rape crisis centres and
transition houses, as well as social workers. We were able at that time to