Alternat’Elle is a second stage house that helps women and children who have been victims of conjugal violence and who have spent, at least one month in a shelter for women.  Our main goal is to offer support to women willing to take back control of their life, both as a person and as a parent.  We offer, on temporary basis, a low rent apartment in a secure place where they may continue their process of devictimisation.

 Alternat’Elle has 14 apartments, all furnished, to welcome same number of families.

 

Living environment

To help women regain control of their lives, we promote the development of solidarity between families by involving them in a “Comité Milieu de vie” where they discuss about community life, maintenance of the building, security and other subjects related with residents.

Our families have easy access to public transportation, schools and facilities.

 

Women intervention services

The women’s intervention program is an integrated part of the services provided at Alternat’Elle. We offer both, individual and group counseling for women.

During the individual intervention the counselor at Alternat’Elle provides a safe, confidential, non-judgmental, respectful and supportive space, which allows women to engage in the process of devictimisation and empowers them to regain control of their life. During the intervention process the counselor helps women to restore their self-esteem, to connect with their needs, and to recognize their potential and their ability to free themselves from the cycle of violence. It also encourages them to claim and defend their rights. 

When needed, the counselor accompanies the women through the legal procedures as well as provides information and referral to the appropriate community services that women have identified as needed.

The group intervention provides the possibility to establish relationships between the women living at Alternat’Elle, which facilitates solidarity and mutual support among them. We provide psychosocial workshops as well as discussion groups topics related to the consequences of conjugal violence.

 

Youth intervention services

Alternat’Elle offers two different types of mother /child services:

One is the individual intervention provided to the mothers as well as the children and also the family intervention. The objective of these intervention meetings is to support the mothers and their children in their devictimisation process, in order to work on the consequences of the conjugal violence. For this purpose, we offer a neutral, safe and confidential space where they can talk about their experiences. This provides the opportunity for children to regain this role and for the mother to be supported during her adjustment to her new role as a single parent.

The other type of service is the group activities. These include recreational activities as well as intervention activities like group workshops for the mothers and a day summer camp for children. All these services have the same goal in mind, to empower women in regaining control of their lives and allow the children to recover their child’s role in a family setting that is free of violence.

 

Alternat’Elle’s admission criteria