Instructors are being sought to lead yoga classes for women and children fleeing violence.
Yoga Outreach and BC Society of Transition Houses have launched a project that will provide trauma-informed yoga programming for women and children who are escaping violence across B.C.
"Transition and second stage housing services across our province are the critical safety net for women fleeing violent relationships," says Joanne Baker, BC Society of Transition Houses Acting Executive Director.
Revelstoke is one of the communities chosen for the Reaching Out With Yoga (ROWY) project.
In a news release, the organizers of the program say that practicing yoga is a valuable tool to support those escaping spousal violence.
The project is being funded by the Public Health Authority of Canada and is being run by Yoga Outreach and the BC Society of Transition Houses. It will explore the impact of trauma-informed yoga on the health and well-being of women and children who have experienced violence and are currently accessing transition houses across B.C.
The project is scheduled to launch in June in Revelstoke, Burnaby, Ucluelet, Kitimat and Revelstoke. The organizers hope to expand it to 16 communities within the next five years.
"This project is a huge step towards our goal of removing the barriers of access to yoga for our most vulnerable community members" says Delanie Dyck, Yoga Outreach's Executive Director.
Yoga Outreach is a non-profit that has taught yoga-informed classes with mental health programs, addiction recovery centres, prisons, youth centres, transition houses and other social servcies in the Lower Mainland since 1996.
ROWY is looking for yoga instructors to lead the program in Revelstoke. Volunteers are required to complete an 18-hour course in order to learn the skills for trauma-informed yoga. If you're interested, contact Delanie Dyck at delanie@yogaoutreach.com or 604-385-3891. Visit yogaoutreach.com for more information.