Toba Centre building a community around kids impacted by abuse

- This article was originally published in Game On - Manitoba's hockey community magazine -
No one wants to think about serious harm toward a child. It is an uncomfortable subject and conversation, but it's an important one that we must get louder about as a community.
"I've always said, 'people don't really want to talk about child abuse', and what I'm finding is, that turns out not to be true," said Christy Dzikowicz, Executive Director of Toba Centre. "Certainly, it's uncomfortable. Nobody likes to think about the fact that kids are hurt or harmed in terrible ways, but we need to create opportunities for people to talk about it. People don't really know what they're supposed to do when it comes up, when they hear about something happening, or when they're worried."
As advocates and facilitators for kids and families in the reporting, investigation and recovery process, Dzikowicz and her team have been working to find ways to start these conversations and raise awareness for the issue. In recognition of Child Abuse Awareness Month in October, Toba Centre will launch its first #GoBlueToba campaign to engage the larger community in their work.

"We needed to start building on something that we could do every year to raise awareness around this issue," said Dzikowicz reflecting on the fact that there did not seem to be a day of recognition with a strong focus on child abuse, its impacts, or how to be an ally. While the entire month will focus on advocacy and awareness, Toba Centre is calling all Manitobans to #GoBlueToba on Oct. 24.
As Toba Centre becomes ground zero of a new centralized child abuse response model for Manitoba, Dzikowicz knew the time was now to get the community talking.
They are in the process of building a first-class response facility that will physically bring the many services involved in investigations and recovery - police, medical, criminal, justice, and child protection - under one roof.
"When we see the type of community support we're garnering, we want to harness that into something that can become a movement from year to year to year."
Recently, that support has included a familiar face and name in Winnipeg Jets forward Adam Lowry. Dzikowicz sees Lowry's support as a game changer for the issue.
"On so many fronts I think it's incredible for the Winnipeg Jets and for Adam to be involved. There are a lot of people who will see this issue differently," she said. "For kids who walk through our door every day to hear messaging coming from their favourite hockey team and their favourite players, I think we can do a lot to remove any type of stigma around victimization making you vulnerable or weak."
Simply by coming forward, kids impacted by abuse -upwards of 4,000 documented cases in Manitoba each year - are already showing their strength and Dzikowicz knows that Lowry's message of support and belief will be very powerful to their recovery - and to others who may not have yet come forward.
Lowry's message is simple: "We are on your team and we will support you in any way we can."
Recognizing that abuse has a way of stripping kids of their own voice, Lowry is eager to provide that voice as a Toba Centre ambassador, not just throughout October, but at any opportunity.
"I think it's important for people to be talking about Toba Centre because of the incredible work they are doing for victims of child abuse," he said. "It's an issue that affects people from all different backgrounds and the importance of having a place where kids' stories can be heard, investigated and resolved is extremely important."
Although the new response centre is scheduled to open in the spring, its completion is dependent on raising an additional $6.5 million to complete the project's capital campaign.
"We felt there was such a sense of urgency to get the centre opened that we couldn't wait to complete our capital campaign to start building and we are still looking for support," said Dzikowicz.
Adding to a significant donation from True North Sports + Entertainment, Lowry hopes the awareness he can help to build will also lead to raising these much-needed funds.
"Creating more visibility is one of the best ways to help enact positive change when it comes to Toba Centre," he said noting he hopes to share Toba Centre's message with Jets fans and beyond. "The more people know about it, the quicker the money can be raised, the sooner their new facility will be able to open, and the more Toba Centre can positively impact children's lives."
Dzikowicz maintains the community is a critical piece, not only to Toba Centre's work, but for the healing of kids and families.
"Community is the eyes and ears and so the more the average person understands about this issue and believes this is out there, the more they will be looking out for children in their lives and watching for red flags."
Honouring those who are impacted by child abuse and becoming part of the Toba Centre community can be as simple as helping to spread awareness with #GoBlueToba. Wearing blue on Oct. 24, lighting up your business or residence with blue lights, following Toba Centre on social media, sharing their posts and starting a conversation are just some of Dzikowicz's suggestions.
"There's a symbolism here but there's also a real opportunity to rally around kids and build a community around them that lets them know 'we're going to stand with you and make sure you recover and do as much as we can to give back anything that's been taken.'"
Get involved with #GoBlueToba - learn more at tobacentre.ca and follow them on Twitter @TobaCentre, and on Facebook and Instagram @tobacentremb.