The center for learning and leadership (the center) will serve as a cross-disciplinary training hub that provides education and leadership development to improve system responses to domestic violence,…

The Department of Justice's Congressionally Recommended Awards program (CFDA 16.753) has provided a $5,000,000 Project Grant award to the Vermont Network Against Domestic Violence And Sexual Assault, Inc. to establish The Center for Learning and Leadership. This cross-disciplinary training hub will deliver education and leadership development programs to improve system responses to domestic violence, sexual violence, and stalking in Vermont and across the nation. Key initiatives include: 1) a National Leadership Institute to build workforce resiliency in the victim services sector; 2) practical, applied trainings on trauma-informed, interdisciplinary responses for law enforcement, healthcare, social services, and victim service providers; and 3) an Innovations Lab focused on developing emerging, promising practices to address these forms of violence. The grant term runs from October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2027.

The center for learning and leadership (the center) will serve as a cross-disciplinary training hub that provides education and leadership development to improve system responses to domestic violence, sexual violence and stalking in vermont and across the nation. The trainings offered by the center will focus on building the skills and competencies of victim advocates and allied professionals to provide best practice and evidence-informed approaches to serving victims and addressing violence. The leadership development programming will focus on workforce resiliency in the victim services sector by developing leadership skills for professionals and strengthening victim services organizations efforts to promote employee retention. The center will operate three cornerstone programs: 1) leadership development which will offer a national leadership institute for victim services providers to build workforce resiliency within the sector; 2) best practice responses and skill building which will offer practical, applied trainings on trauma informed, interdisciplinary responses to violence for law enforcement, health care, social services and victim service providers; and 3) an innovations lab which will focus on developing emerging, promising practices in addressing domestic violence, sexual violence and stalking.