In Their Own Words
"Our board listens to the participants and graduates, as do I. They have weight and credibility. We have a service matrix with 15 areas of life. It was designed by the women in the shelter, and they score themselves where they think they are. They focus on things they want to improve, like getting a GED. Every month they review the matrix and give themselves a new score, and they go up. The women write a personal essay about what they've done, and it's reviewed and discussed at the peer review, where all the women provide feedback. It's empowering.
"We wanted to get some stable and unrestricted revenue, so we took a look at the skills and experience of our staff and clients, and developed several social enterprises. We all have more skills than just social work. We operate a 12-step book store, a used book store, a thrift shop and an office complex that people can use when they need space for community meetings. These are doing very well, the women are working in them and gaining experience, and they are meeting a need in our community."
Executive Director, domestic violence agency
©2007 TAP is funded and managed by St. Luke's Health Initiatives, Phoenix, Arizona 85012
Phone: (602) 385-6500 Fax: (602) 385-6510 feedback@slhi.org
