Our Vision
Committed to Compassionate Reliable Victim Centered Services
Our Mission
In pursuit of this vision, Thunder Bay and Area Victim Services provides
immediate victim centered support in partnership with emergency services
About Thunder Bay and Area Victim Services
In 1987, the Victim Crisis Assistance and Referral Services (VCARS) was launched as a pilot project in three locations in Ontario, and was designed to test a police/community response to the needs of victims. The VCARS pilot project was evaluated in 1990 and found to be a very effective model for the delivery of victim crisis assistance services.
The VCARS program is a community response program providing immediate on-site service to victims of crime or disaster, 24 hours, seven days a week. With the consent of a victim, emergency services request a team of trained VCARS volunteers to provide on-site, short-term assistance to victims and offer referrals to community agencies for longer-term assistance.
VCARS programs work in partnership with local police and emergency services and are managed by community boards.
Funding for VCARS programs is administered by the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General Victim Services Secretariat and funded through the Victims' Justice Fund from surcharges on fines imposed by the courts.
Thunder Bay and Area Victim Services (TBAVS) has been providing service since December 2002 and became incorporated in March 2003. Our first class of volunteers were sworn in on December 2, 2002.
TBAVS mandate is to provide, through volunteers, IMMEDIATE emotional and practical assistance to victims of crime and tragedy, through police and fire personnel, and with consent of the victim, 24 hours, 7 days a week.
Class #12 and Regional Class #3 graduated in the fall of 2008, and Victim Crisis Assistance and Referral Service (VCARS) is now delivered in partnership with police, fire and community services, thanks to a team of approximately 40 volunteer service providers and 12 board members.
Police or Emergency Services personnel called to the scene of a crime will, with consent of the victim, summon VCARS volunteer service providers for on-site, short term emotional and practical assistance, and referrals to other community agencies.
VCARS volunteers are supporting victims in co-operation with Police Services and Fire and Rescue Services in the Thunder Bay and immediate rural area.
Such support would be provided for situations such as:
This support includes:
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Immediate On-site support
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Telephone Support (this is not a crisis line)
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Referral information
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Gender Specific (if requested)
VCARS volunteers provide referrals to help meet the unique needs of the individual. These may include other agencies or support links such as:
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Victim Impact Statement Assistance
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Criminal Injuries Compensation Forms Assistance
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Court Support
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Shelter/Transition Houses
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Legal Health Unit
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Culturally Specific
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Translation
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Counseling
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Funeral Home/Bereavement
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Crisis Lines
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Victim Quick Response Program - VQRP screening and application assistance
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and many others
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