Who We Are

The Algoma Council on Domestic Violence is comprised of several agencies and concerned citizens from across sectors in Sault Ste. Marie and Algoma, who participate in various subcommittees of the council including:

Vision Statement

The Algoma District will become a community where each and every citizen will live safely, free from domestic violence.

Domestic Violence is not an anger management problem, not a substance abuse problem or lack of control problem. Domestic violence is an intentional and systemic use of tactics to establish and maintain power and control over another's thoughts, beliefs and conduct often through fear or dependency. Domestic violence is an abuse behaviour, which utilizes tactics such as physical and sexual violence, threats, isolation, economic deprivation, cultural values and beliefs and or psychological attacks.

Mission Statement

The Algoma Council on Domestic Violence will increase awareness of domestic violence and provide the Algoma District with guidelines for addressing situations of domestic violence. The purpose of the Council is also to assist victims of domestic violence in finding appropriate resources and to assist perpetrators of domestic violence in finding treatment programs.

Brief History....coming soon

Membership

Algoma Council on Domestic Violence (ACDV) has adopted an open and welcoming Membership Policy.  We invite any and all individuals, agencies and services to participate whose values and interests are encompassed in our Vision and Mission Statements.  We particularly encourage individual, community members to join.

We maintain an email "communicaiton list" of approximately 150 persons throughout the District.  This includes all of our known members and many others who participate in our activities and wish to remain informed of the issues we are dealing with and our ongoing concerns.  All receive invitations, Agendas and Minutes of both the FULL Council and Steering Committee meetings.  They are encouraged to come to meetings, to raise issues of concern, participate fully in our discussions and activities and vote on the matters presented.

• Member of Sault Ste. Marie Safe Communities Partnership
• Sponsored by Ministry of Community and Social Services

Click here for the Organizational Chart 

Committees of the Council and Their Terms of Reference

Steering Committee  

This Committee provides internal coordination of ACDV activities, ensuring communication between committees.  It ensures adminstrative processes and accountabilitiy to decisions by ACDV. It is responsible to ensure that financial responsibilities of the Council are met. 

For Terms of Reference click here.

Scan Committee

This working group coordinated the development of a Protocol that addresses our community Response to Domestic Violence  by the front-line service providers within Sault Ste. Marie and surrounding area. 

We are currently developing an Algoma Council on Domestic Violence web site wtihin the Safe Community Partnership.

We are responsible for the ongoing monitoring and updating of both these projects.  

For Terms of Reference click here.

Public Education Committee

The purpose of this committee is to provide an opportunity to work together as a community within the district of Algoma on domestic violence or education strategies for the community at large and community organizations.

For terms of reference click  here

Cultural Diversity Committee

The Cultural Diversity Committee is unique to ACDV. Our experience, thus far, has been that differing cultural groups wish to bring their own concerns and projects to ACDV, without being tied to a multi-interest group. Thus, we wish to develop a sub-committee perspective, which invites persons of any cultural group to form their own subcommittee; to determine a Chair(s)
of the Subcommittee and to make submissions for support/assistance directly to the Steering Committee.

For Terms of Reference click here

Advocacy Committee  

Membership on this committee is open to service providers or anyone in the community wishing to make a contribution to the work of the council.

Some objectives are as follows:
1. Identifying gaps within accessibility of services and information.
2. Communicating between agencies that deal with Domestic Violence and identifying ongoing common issues that require advocacy.
3. Raising awareness on barriers and issues that victims face in our communities that require advocacy.

For full Terms of Reference, click here