WHAT IS THE VIP PROGRAM?
The VIP Program is a comprehensive provincial strategy that connects children and youth in BC schools with PEACE Programs. Initiated in 2004, the VIP Program establishes a provincewide system offering students in grades K – 12 education and support for domestic violence through school presentations and counselling. VIP is a violence prevention initiative started by BCSTH and facilitated through PEACE Programs in collaboration with local schools.
The VIP Program delivers awareness and prevention presentations in grades K – 12, while the companion PEACE Program offers free, psycho-educational counselling and support services in the case of student disclosures of violence. These complementary services are coordinated by the PEACE Program and, in some instances, by the counsellor who facilitated the presentation.
PEACE Program counselling has a psychoeducational mandate, and through both individual and group counselling, supports children, youth and their non offending caregivers to:
- Label and express the feeling they have experienced regarding the violence they have experienced.
- Understand healthy ways of dealing with, and expressing, anger.
- Understand that violence is not their fault.
- Develop skills and strategies to stay safe through the development of safety plans.
- Acknowledge issues surrounding loss and separation.
- Deconstruct myths about abuse and violence against women.
- Develop self-confidence.
The VIP Program breaks the silence on violence against women and girls, provides a safe space for students to speak and learn about domestic violence by offering free violence prevention education to students, educators, and community members. VIP also connects grades K – 12 students to local PEACE Program counsellors and other support services for children and youth with experiences of violence.
As the provincial coordinator of the PEACE Program and the VIP Program, BCSTH supports VIP Program sites to:
- Build, nourish and facilitate partnerships between schools and communities, to respond to the emotional, social, academic, and psychological needs of children and youth with experiences of domestic violence.
- Raise awareness among educators, school staff, parents, and students about violence against women and unhealthy relationships among school aged children and youth.
- Reduce the prevalence and severity of violence against women by providing education and awareness.
- Discuss tools and strategies for engaging and maintaining a healthy relationship.
- Break the silence around domestic violence and engage children and youth in conversation.
- Change attitudes about violence against women.
- Connect children and youth experiencing domestic violence with appropriate services and support.
By participating in the VIP Program, the PEACE Program agrees to deliver one, or a combination of, the following VIP activities:
- Awareness Presentations: For educators, parents and guardians to gain awareness of domestic violence and violence against women, as well as the impact is has on children and youth, and the ways in which the PEACE Program can help.
- Violence Prevention Presentations: In school classrooms or assemblies, present on domestic violence and violence against women, as well as the impact it has on children and youth, and the ways in which the PEACE Program can help.
- Group Counselling: Typically within the school or in a school setting, facilitated by PEACE Program counsellors.
There are additional resources and information on the VIP Project page, found on the BCSTH website. Please visit bcsth.ca/program/vip for more information.
WHY IS THE VIP PROGRAM IMPORTANT?
VIP TODAY
VIP is a program that is in demand and well received across the province. During the 2021 – 2022 school year, 35 PEACE programs delivered VIP presentations in 75 K- 12 schools resulting in:
- 544 VIP presentations to children and youth.
- 75 presentations to educators, parents, and guardians.
- 157 adults participated in VIP.
- 5787 students receiving VIP presentations or groups.
- 59 children and youth were referred or self referred to PEACE Program support services after participating in a VIP presentation.
During the 2022 – 2023 school year, 41 PEACE Programs delivered VIP presentations in 79 K -12 schools resulting in:
- 367 presentations to children and youth.
- 94 presentations to educators, parents, and guardians.
- 468 adults participated in VIP.
- 6211 students receiving VIP presentations or groups.
- 77 children and youth were referred or self referred to PEACE Program support services after participating in a VIP presentation.
1 Jaffe, P., Wolfe, D., & Wilson, S.K. (1990). Children of battered women, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
2 https://www.unicef.org/protection/files/BehindClosedDoors.pdf
THE VIP CURRICULUM & THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION CURRICULUM
The VIP Curriculum is aligned with the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) Physical and Physical and Health Education (PHE) curriculum, filling an important gap in existing violence prevention programs for children and youth.
MOE’s PHE Learning Standards and Curricular Competencies
KINDERGARTEN – GRADE 9
- Identify and describe a variety of unsafe and uncomfortable situations.
- Develop and demonstrate respectful behaviour when participating in activities with others.
- Identify caring behaviours among classmates and within families.
- Identify and describe practices that promote mental well-being.
- Identify and describe feelings and worries, and strategies for dealing with them.
- Identify and describe avoidance or assertiveness strategies to use in unsafe and uncomfortable situations.
- Identify and describe characteristics of positive and healthy relationships.
- Describe and apply strategies for developing and maintaining positive and healthy relationships.
- Explore the components of safe and healthy relations and unsafe and unhealthy relationships, and how to stay safe in a variety of interpersonal relationships.
- Explore the indicators of unhealthy and unsafe relationships, and actions that can be taken when relationships become unhealthy and unsafe.
- Propose strategies for developing and maintaining positive and healthy relationships.
- Describe and apply strategies that promote a safe and caring environment.
- Identify personal skills, interests and preferences that influence mental well-being and self identity.
- Describe and assess strategies for managing problems related to mental well-being.
- Explore and describe strategies for managing physical, emotional and social changes during puberty and adolescence.
- Explore the impact of transition and change on identities.
- Explore and describe factors that shape personal identities, including social and cultural.
- Describe and assess strategies for responding to discrimination, stereotyping and bullying.
- Propose strategies for responding to discrimination, stereotyping and bullying.
- Identify and describe strategies for avoiding and responding to potentially unsafe, abusive and exploitative situations.
- Propose strategies for avoiding and responding to potentially unsafe, abusive and exploitative situations.
- Explore and describe how personal identities adapt and change in different settings and situations.
- Explore and create strategies for promoting the health and well-being of school and community.
- Describe the roles of children in families and society, including the rights of children locally and internationally.
- Describe the factors involved in interpersonal relationships, such as types of relationships, functions and importance.
- Describe the interpersonal relationship communication styles and strategies, including various methods of communication.
GRADE 10-12
For the grades 10 to 12 VIP curriculum, the MOE’s PHE Curriculum is reflected alongside the MOE Social Justice 12 Curriculum and the MOE Carrier-Life Connections (CLC) Curriculum.
MOE’s PHE Curriculum Competencies
- Demonstrate safety, fair play and leadership.
- Explore and describe the impact of transition, and factors that inform changing personal identities, including social and cultural factors.
- Potential short- and long-term consequences of health decisions.
Social Justice 12 Curriculum Competencies
- Self-identity and relationship to others.
- Social injustices in Canada and the world that affect individuals, groups and society.
- Inclusive and non-inclusive language.
- Dispute and conflict resolution pathways.
- Make reasoned ethical judgements about controversial actions in the past or present after taking into consideration the context, and standards surrounding right and wrong.
CLC Curriculum Competencies
- Evaluate and explore how to maintain wellbeing, socially and physically.
- Demonstrate and reflect on inclusive, respectful and safe interactions in career-life contexts.
- Communicate personal strengths, preferences, viewpoints and values.