Art room for children and youth healing from domestic violence

The Cause

Imagine you're 10 years old, you enter a sun-filled art studio, with an enticing array of art supplies - squishy pastels, smooth, colourful paints, and glistening paint brushes. There are cheerful paintings on the walls, and you are welcomed by a warm and friendly host who encourages you to take any of the inspiring supplies and create something that expresses your feelings....

With your support, we can make this a reality!

Discovery House helps children, youth and their families heal from trauma, build resilience, and achieve positive brain development.

Art therapy offers young people affected by domestic violence an important avenue for healing and self-expression. It provides a safe and non-threatening activity where they can communicate and process their emotions, which may be difficult to verbalize. Through various art forms, such as drawing and painting, they can externalize their inner experiences, allowing staff to offer tailored support. Art therapy not only fosters coping skills and self-esteem but also cultivates a sense of safety and trust within a trauma-informed environment. Ultimately, it plays a vital role in helping children navigate their journey towards recovery and resilience from the trauma of domestic violence.

Discovery House's art room is a well-used multi-purpose space. In addition to art therapy, the room is also used as a counselling space, and for group activities including role-playing games (e.g. Dungeons & Dragons), beading, ribbon-skirt-making, complimentary haircuts and styling for clients. The art room is a valuable resource for children and youth on their journey towards healing and recovery from trauma and renovations are planned to make the space more welcoming and functional.

Discovery House's facility is much-loved but well-worn due to decades of extensive use by families and staff. Upgrades are necessary to ensure the shelter can continue to support families affected by domestic violence for decades to come. Part of these upgrades, we intend to renovate our art room, enabling it to meet functional requirements for diverse uses and age groups. Recognizing the profound impact of the physical environment on trauma healing, the renovations will integrate trauma-informed design principles. This approach is aimed at creating a nurturing and safe environment that prioritizes healing, dignity, and well-being. It also reduces institutional elements that are stressful which can retraumatize individuals.

Who Will it Benefit?

Domestic violence is a serious problem in our city. The Calgary Police respond to two domestic violence related calls every hour, every day of the year.

Each year, hundreds of Calgarian women and children leave situations of domestic violence and come to Discovery House to start rebuilding their lives. These families could be your neighbours, your colleagues, classmates, or even your family or friends. Discovery House gives them a safe place to call home, programs to help them rebuild their lives, and a chance at a future free from domestic violence.

Many of the families who come to Discovery House have lived in terrible situations before they reach us. Some come to us from emergency shelters, which offer short term stays to support immediate crisis situations. It’s difficult to feel at ease when they know their next move is days away. Some have been through multiple shelters. Others have been staying on friends’ couches, camping in tents, or returning to unsafe situations, many with their children.

100% of women who completed a Danger Assessment as they were moving into our shelter identified that they were at risk of being killed by an abusive partner.

70% of our clients are children or youth.