ABOUT PACE CENTRE

Building Safe & Caring Communities Through Support & Education

Our Belief Statement

We believe individuals and groups dealings with distress, trauma, suicide, sexual, and physical abuse, have the right to access skilled, caring and professional services.

We believe that each person has dignity and deserves to be treated with respect, without discrimination.

We believe in an individual’s resiliency, ability to grow through crisis, ability to take control and responsibility for their lives, and choose healthy, respectful behaviors to others.

Though we do not condone certain behaviors, engaging in such behaviors does not negate that person’s innate worth.

Vision Statement

We envision healthy individuals and families within healthy, supportive communities.

Mission Statement

Our mission is to provide a confident, caring approach to helping people in crisis.

Target Statement

Our organization serves individuals and communities dealing with crisis and trauma in Northwest Alberta, past and present.

Aim Statement

We strive to develop an organization with skills, knowledge and resources in dealing with crisis, post traumatic stress, sexual abuse, child abuse, domestic violence and suicide. Also, to influence and educate communities to respond to individuals and victims with compassion and respect.

Pace Center History

Building Safe and Caring Communities Through Support and Education

1980
Statistics Reveal an Increase in Sexual Offences in Grande Prairie
Statistics Reveal an Increase in Sexual Offences in Grande Prairie

  • In 1980, R.C.M.P. statistics revealed an increase in sexual offences in Grande Prairie and the surrounding area.  The rise in offences as well as the violent nature of some of the assaults prompted the R.C.M.P. to initiate a public awareness seminar. This initial seminar was well attended and addressed community concerns over the lack of resources, facilities, staff and information necessary to deal with the problems of sexual assault and sexual abuse.  Another result of this seminar was a second workshop.

  • In October, 1980, the John Howard Society and the R.C.M.P. sponsored a two evening panel presentation addressing the problem of sexual assault, current resources and gaps in services.  A steering committee was formed to identify strategies to address the needs.

1981
P.A.C.E. Centre Opens
P.A.C.E. Centre Opens

  • On February 19, 1981, after months of intensive work by the Steering Committee, a general meeting of community representatives was held.  The objectives of P.A.C.E. were presented, revised and received approval.  On March 12, 1981 the first Board of Directors was elected.  In the fall of the same year P.A.C.E. secured operational funds, trained Rape Crisis Line Volunteers and began offering group support to Victims of Sexual Abuse.

  • Initial operational funding was secured through the Grande Prairie and District United Way, City and County of Grande Prairie Family and Community Support Services. Private donations assisted in the support of these services as a nonprofit organization has provided a range of services to the North West Region of Alberta. Services have evolved and changed over the past 30 years. At one time Pace provided the region with a 24 hour multipurpose crisis line time and all CISM and Suicide Prevention services to the region.

  • The first volunteers for the crisis line are trained
  • Support for victims of Sexual Assault and Sexual Abuse programs are established
  • First treatment groups for adults of sexual abuse as children are held
  • Crisis Intervention, Sexual Abuse as Children programs, and individual counselling begin
1982
Crisis Line Established
Multi-Purpose Crisis Line Established
  • Expanding services-multipurpose crisis line established
1983
Sponsoring Agency
Sponsoring Agency for Suicide Prevention
  • P.A.C.E becomes the sponsoring agency for the Suicide Prevention Center, providing referrals, education & networking to the Peace Region
1986
New Programs Established
New Programs Established
  • P.A.C.E establishes the Intra-Familiar Child Sexual Abuse treatment program
  • P.A.C.E becomes the sponsoring agency for the C.A.R.E kit
1989
Program Expansion
Child Abuse Treatment Program Expansion
  • P.A.C.E expands the Child Abuse Treatment program, integrating services, non-offending parents & offenders
1989
Regional Conferences Hosting
Regional Conferences Hosting
  • Hosted first of 3 regional conferences addressing northern communities responding to physical and sexual violence
1990
Information Group Established
Information Group Established
  • P.A.C.E offers its first information group
1992
Breakfast Club Established
At-Risk Breakfast Club Established
  • The “Breakfast Club” is established for at-risk youth
1993
AASAC Founding Membership
Alberta Founding Member of AASAC
  • P.A.C.E becomes a founding member of the AB Association of Sexual Assault Centers (AASAC), now the Association of Alberta Sexual Assault Services (AASAS)
1994
Family Support Program
Family Support Program Integration
  • P.A.C.E integrates the Family Support program consisting of in-home support workers, youth workers and drivers for families with Child Welfare Status
1996
New Programs Established
New Programs Established
  • Suicide Prevention begins offering the Men’s Support Group
1997
New Workshop Developed
"Cost of Empathy" Workshop Developed
  • P.A.C.E develops the “Cost of Empathy” workshops for child welfare supervisors across Alberta
1998
Child Welfare Accreditation
Child Welfare Accreditation
  • P.A.C.E receives accreditation for Child Welfare programs
1999
Partnershipip Established
Partnership With Muttart Foundation
  • P.A.C.E partners with the Muttart Foundation to bring vicarious trauma expertise to our region
2000
Critical Response Team
Critical Response Team Registered
  • P.A.C.E registers the Critical Response team in the Rural Crisis Int. program
2000
Peace Country Wilderness Program Established
Peace Country Wilderness Program Established

  • Peace Country Wilderness Program was established. Trails used include West Coast Trail, Berg Lake Trail, Big Lake County Hoop, Skyline Trail, and Sulpher Skyline.

2001
Peace Country Wilderness Program was established
Introductory Information Session Provided

  • P.A.C.E. Centre provided an introductory information session outlining sexual abuse, trauma, the healing process, self-care and Alberta Sexual Assault programs to the individuals in treatment at the Northern Addictions Centre.

2002
Crisis Line Shutdown
Multi-Purpose Crisis Line Shutdown
  • P.A.C.E shuts down multipurpose crisis line when provincial line is established
2003
Fundraising & Support Groups
Fundraising & Support Groups Established
  • The Bike 4 Life Fundraising Campaign is established
  • P.A.C.E begins offering the Women’s Support Group
2004
Trauma Support Group
Trauma Support Group Start
  • P.A.C.E starts 5-week Trauma Support Group
2005
Community Treatment Program
Community Treatment Program Start
  • P.A.C.E starts the Community Treatment Program
2007
PACE Expanded Services
PACE Expanded Services

  • Pace expanded services to Peace River, Beaverlodge and Fox Creek in 2007. New Programs were undertaken with staff being trained to deliver the Who Do You Tell? Child Sexual Abuse prevention training. In Sept. 2007 the Safe Visitation Program began providing supervised visits.

2010
P.A.C.E. Moved Locations
P.A.C.E. Moved Locations
  • 2010 P.A.C.E. opened at new location.
2011
New Programs
New Programs Established
  • P.A.C.E begins offering the 17-week Caring Dads program
  • P.A.C.E starts Monitored Exchange
2012
Caribou Child & Youth Centre
Caribou Child & Youth Centre Sponsorship
  • P.A.C.E becomes the sponsoring agency for the Caribou Child & Youth Centre, one of only 3 Child & Youth Advocacy Centres in Alberta
2013
Intergenerational Healing
Intergenerational Healing Group Established
  • P.A.C.E establishes the 15-week Intergenerational Healing: A Trauma-Informed Approach to Parenting Group
2014
Rebranding
Rebranding Process
  • P.A.C.E undergoes a rebranding process to more accurately reflect its role in the region, becoming P.A.C.E. Community Support, Sexual Assault and Trauma Centre (P.A.C.E. Centre)

As of 2014  provides the following services:

  • Child Abuse Treatment Program (Grande Prairie)
  • Sexual Abuse Treatment Program (Grande Prairie, Valleyview, Peace River, & High Prairie)
  • Family Support Program (Grande Prairie, Spirit River)
  • Critical Incident Stress Management Team (Grande Prairie, Beaverlodge, Spirit River, Valleyview, & Grande Cache)
  • Safe Visitation Program/Monitored Exchange/Caring Dads (Grande Prairie)
  • Peace Country Sexual Assault Help Line (North West Region of Alberta)
  • Peace Country Wilderness Program (North & South Peace Region)
  • Sexual Assault Awareness Program – prevention childhood sexual Abuse (Grande Prairie City & County, Beaverlodge, and Greenview, Spirit River, Valleyview and responds to regional requests as can be accommodated)
  • Community Support Training Program (Grande Prairie and responds to regional requests as can be accommodated)
  • Women’s Drop In Support Group (Grande Prairie)
  • Trauma Informed Parenting Group (Grande Prairie)

In partnership with RCMP, Children Services and Victims Assistance, Pace established the Caribou Child & Youth Advocacy Centre to respond as compassionately as possible to child victims of crime.

In the Provision of Services as outlined, the organization is governed by a local 8 to 12 member Board of Directors; 36 full time and part time staff, 40 CISM volunteers and 75 fundraising volunteers provide programming.

2015
New Campaign
Walk A Mile In Her Shoes Campaign
  • P.A.C.E. hosts the first Grande Prairie Walk A Mile In Her Shoes Campaign in conjunction with Sexual Violence Awareness Month
2015
Peace Country Wilderness Program Closed
Peace Country Wilderness Program Closed
  • Peace Country Wilderness program was unable to secure funding and therefore closed.
2016
Regional Conference
Presentation of Regional Conference
  • P.A.C.E. and the Caribou Child & Youth Centre co-present their first regional conference, providing educational training supports for service providers addressing issues of child maltreatment
2018
Northern Addictions Centre Sessions Ended
Northern Addictions Centre Sessions Ended
  • P.A.C.E. ends offering information sessions to Northern Addictions Centre. During those 17 years of training, P.A.C.E. offered a total of 207 presentations to 794 participants.

Pace Centre Funders

Building Safe and Caring Communities Through Support and Education

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