Better Understanding & Connecting with Our New Friends at Broadview

During 2021 our team is so excited to offer yearlong support to Solid Ground’s Broadview Shelter & Transitional Housing through donation of new technology such as tablets and mic headsets, but also by sharing the time and expertise of our employees.  As part of our ongoing community efforts, RedCloud’s recruiting team will hold a monthly career day with Broadview to offer in-kind career coaching, job searching assistance and employment support for parents to re-enter the workforce. Knowing that the residents of the shelter are going through the toughest times of their lives, we’re grateful that we can offer our professional expertise and wisdom to them to help guide them in a positive direction.

Hear more in this short video:

In an effort to help our team understand where the residents are in their healing journeys, Solid Ground recently hosted a virtual “Lunch and Learn” for our volunteer team members so we could all understand together how to best support and speak to residents given what they’ve been through. Many of the residents are coming from domestic violence situations, often exiting in a hurry, so it’s important to respect and acknowledge our interactions with them the best way we can. With their help, we feel equipped to help and we can’t wait to start.
 
In an effort to share information on a topic like domestic violence that impacts so many in our communities, here are some key takeaways that helped our team learn and understand more about our new friends at Broadview:
 

• Domestic abuse can occur in many ways outside of physical abuse, including control over finances, control over technology and even isolation from family and friends
• According to the National Network to End Domestic Violence’s 2019 National DV Counts Census, in just one day, 77,226 adults and children received services from a domestic violence agency
• Approximately 50% of women who are homeless report that intimate partner violence was the immediate cause of their homelessness
• Homicides due to domestic violence nearly doubled in 2020 in King County
• Women and families of color, who are more likely to live in poverty, have fewer resources available to help them leave violent situations or to seek care for the violence they have suffered
• Most survivors do not feel safe calling the police (NDVH Report, 2015) 
• Domestic violence can affect many aspects of the victim’s life, including physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and social health
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Given all that we learned with Solid Ground’s wealth of expertise presented, we feel empowered with these tools:

• The best way to speak to a victim is to listen, not judge
• Respecting boundaries when a resident says “no” is important, and giving them options is the best way to navigate where they prefer to go next
• Validate their experiences, and let them know it’s okay to feel frustrated or uncomfortable, always offering a break if needed
• Residents will vary in readiness to work, so we will be prepared to meet them where they are
  
  

In closing, we’re sharing the National Domestic Violence Hotline in case you or anyone you know needs resources, knowing that domestic violence occurs at all economic levels in all areas of the country: 1.800.799.7233