Request For Proposals: JWI’s 3rd International Conference on Domestic Abuse in the Jewish Community

Sunday, March 18 – Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Hyatt Regency, Baltimore, MD

Beyond Awareness: Effecting Change, the 3rd International Conference on Domestic Abuse in the Jewish Community, will be a powerful gathering of Jewish and secular domestic violence service providers, advocates, survivors of abuse, social justice activists, clergy, educators, social workers, lawyers, researchers, policy-makers, donors, funders and community volunteers. The conference goal is to move beyond creating public awareness about the existence of domestic violence in the Jewish community by advancing knowledge and skills to create systemic change in our local, national and global communities. The conference will include trainings for professionals, workshops, a survivor speak-out, plenary panels of leaders in the movement and facilitated networking.

Workshops will be designed to accommodate participants with different skill levels - those who are new or relatively new to the field and those who are more experienced advocates, professionals and others. Workshops that are interactive, creative in their approach and that educate, empower, and train are encouraged.

Workshops are 1.5 hours in length; however a double workshop slot may be allocated, if warranted. Proposals may be submitted as a complete workshop, an individual presentation, or a poster session.

A complete workshop is 1.5 hours long and can be submitted by an individual or by multiple presenters collaborating on one topic. Please be sure to

include the contact information and biographical statement for each presenter on your application.

A proposal submitted as an individual presentation will, if accepted, be matched up with one or two other submissions to create a complete workshop.

A poster session utilizes a poster board to convey information to conference participants and is useful for presenting an overview of a particular program, an intervention model, research, or other information. A specific time will be designated for browsing poster sessions and exhibits. During this time presenters will give brief verbal presentations.

Workshop presenters receive a $100 registration discount (one discount per person regardless of the number of presentations being made). Poster session presenters receive a $50 registration discount. Unfortunately, we are not able to waive any other fees or pay travel costs for speakers.

All workshops that are not focused on the needs of a specific population are expected to integrate diverse populations into the discussion.

Some ideas for workshop topics include:

• Legal issues such as overcoming challenges to custody, finding and paying for a competent attorney, legal remedies and limitations
• Advocacy including funding, legislation, policy, understanding VAWA 2005
• Prevention - working with boys
• Prevention - teens & healthy relationships
• Engaging men as allies in the anti-violence movement
• Domestic abuse issues specific to one or several of the following populations:
• LGBT, homeless, mentally ill, substance abusers, disabled women, victims of past trauma, refugees & immigrants
• Sexual abuse
• Elder abuse and its intersection with domestic abuse
• Trafficking of women and children
• Impact of violence on the child witness
• Recognizing signs of abuse
• Batterers programs and other services for perpetrators of abuse
• Economic security as a key issue for abused women and their children
• Financial literacy
• Strategies for healing, including spiritual writing & journaling
• Self care for advocates and professionals
• Text study
• Uniquely Jewish issues including Jewish divorce/get/agunah issues
• Engaging rabbis, cantors and synagogues in the response to abuse
• Developing coordinated community responses to domestic abuse
• Capacity building for programs including: working with the media, funding, etc
• Family justice centers – what they are; how to locate one in your community; and understanding the benefits and challenges to local domestic violence. programs;
• Interfaith coalition building
• DV and the workplace

*It is important that you have all of the information you need before beginning to fill out the proposal form. The information you enter will not save if you do not submit your completed proposal at that time.*

Ready to fill out a proposal? Click here: http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=WEB225A7C4C3B6 or cut and paste it into the address line of your web browser.

All proposals are due no later than July 15th, 2006. All presenters will be notified by September 15th, 2006.

Questions? Contact Rachel Keller, rkeller@jwi.org, 1-800-343-2823, ext. 821.

Be sure to forward this on to your colleagues and networks!