Victim Support Services’ Community Support Program: A Year in Review

Written by: Amelia Bell, Community Support Coordinator

13 in-person workshops

4 virtual workshops

2 wellness retreats

100+ victims supported in the past year

Over the past 12 months, Victim Support Services has worked hard to increase opportunities to support survivors in a variety of ways to best fit the needs of each individual. Through the Community Support Program, these opportunities have vastly increased, allowing victims of crime to find solidarity, community, and support amidst the many challenges that come with being a victim of a crime. Over the past year, our goal has been clear: to provide new outlets for survivors to heal, connect with others, and add new tools to their healing toolbox.

Through 13 in-person workshops, four virtual workshops, and two 4-day retreats, each of which had 6-8 wellness sessions, Victim Support Services was able to support over 100 victims of crime. Many of these sessions were led by specially selected guest facilitators ranging from certified therapists to breathwork facilitators and sound healing practitioners, who brought their unique skills to the table in order to provide a variety of workshops for survivors. With their help, we offered 7 sound baths, 6 workshops on gentle movement and breathwork, and 7 creative sessions ranging from water color painting to making your own essential oil blend in an aromatherapy class.

In the days following our last sound bath of the year, we assessed the effectiveness of our workshops through an evaluation and the results were resoundingly positive. 100% of participants who completed the evaluation stated they felt a feeling of calmness or peace, were able to release stress and tension, and one participant stated: “All of it was relaxing; being outside in quiet nature and hearing the birds also added to the peace and relaxation”.

In addition to the holistic practices we offered survivors, we also provided 3 educational sessions. These virtual gatherings focused on things like posttraumatic-living and how to grow while grieving, how to avoid burnout when dealing with the criminal justice system, debunking common trauma “myths”, and providing resources and skills to encourage living a meaningful life after trauma. By offering virtual workshops, we aimed to reach a wider audience, knowing that sometimes the hardest part of recovering from trauma is just showing up.

During our 2 wellness retreats for survivors of violent crime, we ask participants to complete a pre and post-retreat evaluation, which includes self-reflection questions on life satisfaction, happiness, and hope for the future. After comparing the results from each evaluation, we were pleased to see a dramatic increase in overall wellbeing with answers on a 1-5 scale increasing from a 2.5 to 4.5. Similar results were seen when participants were asked about their ability to manage stress, as well as high confidence in participants’ abilities to implement techniques taught at the retreat in their daily lives.

One of the most important parts of the Community Support Program is bringing together individuals who have faced similar challenges. We often say that being a victim of a crime is a club that no one wants to be a part of, but we have found that solidarity amongst survivors and creating a community of like-minded individuals goes a significantly long way. After our first wellness retreat in 2026, one participant stated: “The best part was the sisterhood & how we all came together for one another. I also loved how everything seemed so intentional & thoughtful for us.”, while another shared, “I am really grateful that I got to be in such a space. I walked in feeling nervous and left feeling seen, understood and inspired to keep up the good fight for justice and overall remembering our loved ones”.

Through the Community Support Program, we want to meet you where you are at. Each participant at these workshops arrives at a different place in their healing journey, but we hope that by bringing survivors together, each individual is able to find comfort and connection and perhaps discover a new approach to healing.