The starting Point
When the team at Domestic Violence Resource Center first reached out, they were in the midst of important internal changes and wanted to ensure their organizational culture reflected the same care and thoughtfulness they extend to survivors in the community.
Like many nonprofits, staff were passionate and mission-driven, but they hadn’t yet had the time or space to sit together and articulate the core values that guided their work. Without that clarity, they risked inconsistent decision-making, disconnection across staff, and a culture that didn’t fully reflect their external mission. DVRC wanted their internal culture to be as strong, clear, and values-driven as the services they provide to survivors—and that’s where Vancourage came in.
The Work
We designed and facilitated a two-part workshop series for DVRC staff. The first workshop focused on implicit bias and creating spaces of belonging, providing language and reflection tools for staff to better understand how bias shows up in daily work. The second workshop built directly on that foundation, guiding the team through values identification and alignment exercises.
The process wasn’t about prescribing values, it was about co-creating them together. By centering staff voices, encouraging honest dialogue, and using structured facilitation tools, we helped DVRC surface values that felt authentic and grounded in their lived experiences. The work gave the team a shared language to describe who they are, what they stand for, and how they want to show up for the community.
THe Results
The workshops produced more than just a set of articulated values. They created moments of honest connection across the staff, strengthening trust and belonging. Staff left the sessions with clearer alignment, a sense of empowerment, and the practical ability to integrate their shared values into daily decisions and interactions. For leadership, the results offered a powerful tool for guiding organizational culture and growth, ensuring DVRC’s internal practices reflect the same values of care, respect, and empowerment that guide their community work.