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News, Upcoming Trainings, Other Resources
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April is...
a look at environmental justice in the wake of the COVID-19 health crisis
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown a light on our society in big and small ways - highlighting environmental barriers that have a lasting impact on communities, and play into the challenges brought on in these unprecedented times.
Barriers that have existed for survivors and our community as a whole are worsening, as natural disasters and pandemics tend to complicate life across the board with social upheaval, isolation, economic uncertainty and more.
Our current health crisis reminds us that we have to respond to inequities before pandemics strike. Too often, disasters become worse because of missed opportuntiies to respond to inequalities before they happen.
And yet, as we discover these gaps in our systems, we have an opportunity to make them stronger for decades to come.
We need clean water. We must consider air pollution in city centers that exacerbate existing health conditions, such as asthma. We have to protect communities that have environmental hazards in their own backyards due to NIMBY-ism. And we need policies that support them.
As we highlight these environmental factors in the face of a pandemic, we must also consider who is being impacted by them, what that impact is and how it touches every aspect of their lives.
This month's resources include links to both local and national environmental justice organizations, as well as a Violence Free Colorado Brown Bag on how healing the earth can help us heal trauma. Many of these have special pages dedicated to the COVID-19 health crisis. And don't forget about our own COVID-19 resource page on the Violence Free Colorado website.
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Resources
Boulder Dot Earth: an organization fostering collaboration and connectivity for an increased impact on climate change action in Boulder
National Resources Defense Council: a nonprofit environmental group working to safeguard the earth - its people, plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends
Healing Our Planet by Healing People: a Violence Free Colorado Brown Bag webinar featuring Hope, With a Plan, a framework empowering environmental organizations and non-tradtional partners to help heal childhood trauma
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Fundraising Team Update
Many organizations will experience a shift in donations due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the coming weeks. Like everyone, your donors are likely feeling the financial pinch and uncertainty, and fundraising events are being canceled, postponed or going virtual.
It's important to remember that now is not "business as usual" for fundraising, and probably not the best time to ramp up fundraising efforts. But it doesn't mean your fundraising has to totally stop. Here's what you can do during this crisis:
- Work on donor stewardship efforts. Thank them during this trying time. Not every email has to include a direct ask.
- Make a specific ask based on your organization's needs.
- Talk about your extenuating expenses. This includes staff pay, sick leave, hazard pay, extra food and supplies, PPE, telework costs, etc.
- Learn to host a "non-event" to replace your canceled event and turn ticket sales into donations.
- Share impactful stories of how your work changes the lives of your clients with donor support - related to COVID-19 or otherwise.
- Be mindful of language. Transparancy and clarity are important, but understand that donors may have increased levels of fear and anxiety. Take care to show your relationship is more than a transaction, not that you're trying to capitalize on this crisis. We're all in this together!
- Back up your backup plans. With so much uncertainty of how long this will last, it's important not to put all the pressure on a few efforts that may or may not work as this situation evolves.
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Training and TA Update
April Brown Bag webinar: noon, April 14
Topic: Substance Abuse and Supporting Survivors
Register today!
This session will support advocates in understanding substance use within the context of domestic and/or sexual violence, and introduce ideas of how we can support survivors within an Accessible, Culturally Responsive and Trauma-Informed (ACRTI) approach.
Presenter:
Gabriela Zapata-Alma, LCSW, CADC - Director of Policy and Practice for Domestic Violence and Substance Use at the National Center on Domestic VIolence, Trauma and Mental Health; and faculty at the University of Chicago
May Brown Bag webinar: noon, May 12
Topic: What About, You Know, IT? - Talking With Teens About Sex
Register today!
This webinar provides information about the laws governing teens and sexuality, along with a framework to guide youth-serving professionals in addressing sexuality topics with their youth clients.
Presenters:
From Colorado Department of Human Services, Colorado Sexual Health Initiative (CoSHI):
Zoa P. Schescke, MPA – CoSHI Manager
Anna Wendt – CoSHI Training Specialist
Theo Isoz – CoSHI Training Specialist
New information about the Online Learning Center
Our Online Learning Center has a new course covering general COVID-19 information. This course is not domestic violence specific and does not count toward initial 15/30 training hours for advocates.
Need tips on using the OLC? We also have a new video called "How to Use the OLC" that can help!
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Webinars and Web-Based Trainings
Do you have an upcoming training or event that you'd like to share with the Violence Free Colorado community? Post an event on our website calendar!
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Join Violence Free Colorado and the Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault for the 2020 Colorado Advocacy in Action Conference June 10-12! Our early registration deadline has been moved to May 4. Save $100 if you register by that date!
Be sure to check out our first ever pre-conference Language Access Planning Lab featuring Ana Paula Noguez Mercado of the Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence on June 9.
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National Network to End Domestic Violence Safety Net Digital Resources
With the sudden need of programs to rapidly switch to digital services during COVID-19, NNEDV’s Safety Net team is working diligently to keep the field up-to-date on all changes and new information.
They talk with companies, test products, and work to better understand how each platform works, and the implications of using them.
Updated resources and recorded webinars about digital and remote advocacy are on from NNEDV’s Tech Safety page.
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