Making Waves/Vague par Vague

Making Waves/Vague par Vague was created in 1995 by three women who had years of experience working with abused women and survivors of sexual assault. Together they dreamed of a way to help break the cycle of abuse by educating young people and giving them the power of knowledge. This program was developed based on the premise that when teenagers are well informed they have the desire and ability to change our culture as well as to promote a society where violence in relationships is not tolerated.

The program that was developed, Making Waves/Vague par Vague, has brought kids together for a weekend experience that is fun and interactive and has made differences in the lives of youth and adults all over the province. The workshops that take place during the weekend events are heavy but informative. They touch on many areas including: the dynamics of abusive relationships; the impact of gender and media stereotyping; and the difference between healthy vs. unhealthy relationships. The strength of this program can easily been seen in the returning faces of the facilitators, volunteers, and youth alike.

Two years ago this opportunity was extended to the youth of the Esgenoôpetitj First Nations community. Amongst the eight First Nation youth who were invited, Miranda Mitchell, was someone who demonstrated strong leadership abilities and showed a desire for change. She quickly became the lead youth and voice for the First Nation initiative.

Since the first Making Waves/Vague par vague weekend with Esgenoôpetitj, Miranda and I, have visited the community on several occasions. Our goal during these visits was to allow people to explore their own boundaries and have an open discussion about the things that were most important to them about this topic. In doing so, we hope that they can learn from each other and gain the ability to make positive decisions about their own relationships to help break the cycle of abuse.

I believe this project can and has made a difference because it is about providing people with a safe space where they can talk and learn and grow. They can explore themselves, their thoughts, and feelings about this very heavy topic, while at the same time hear and learn from other peoples opinions and experiences. This program is for people who want to be a part of it and those who are a part of it only share what they feel comfortable sharing. It is a program that allows people to learn at their own pace and because of this it will take some time to see the long term effects that it will have. So I feel that the success of this program in its early stages can be measured in small growths and returning faces.

Together lets make some WAVES!