our community
Fostering Healthy Families for 16+ Years
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Introduction
We are by your side.
At IslamicFamily, we are committed to supporting individuals and families affected by family violence through compassionate, community-based care. We understand that family violence can take many forms, including emotional, psychological, spiritual, and financial, and it often remains hidden. Our work is rooted in justice, mercy, and a deep belief in every person's right to safety and dignity.
Our Impact
15
+ years
of family violence prevention and intervention work
our approach
A Holistic, Faith-Informed Response to Family Violence
Our work is guided by a holistic, faith‑centered lens. All of our programs are both trauma‑informed and culturally safe, tailored to meet the specific needs of Muslim and newcomer communities. We focus on:
- Prevention, by raising awareness and identifying early warning signs.
- Early Intervention, offering support as soon as concerns emerge.
- Ongoing Healing, helping individuals and families to rebuild and grow well after harm has occurred.
Our programming is built in partnership with families, community leaders, and service providers. Together, we strive to create environments where individuals feel seen, heard, and empowered to choose safety and healing.
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Reflections
our supports
We offer...
Outreach Services
Our trained outreach workers offer confidential, one-on-one support for individuals navigating family violence. This includes safety planning, connections to legal and housing resources, and emotional support. We prioritize trust-building and culturally relevant support, recognizing that each journey is unique.
Culturally Sensitive Counselling
We provide Islamically-integrated counselling by professionals trained in trauma-informed care. Our counselling services are accessible to those experiencing or at risk of family violence, including emotional and coercive forms of harm.
other ways we help
Education & Prevention
Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Modules ⤴
Our online GBV modules were created to offer culturally inclusive, accessible education on gender-based violence, with a focus on the lived experiences of Muslim women in Edmonton. These video-based resources are designed to support both formal and informal care providers, including family members, community leaders, and faith-based supports, who are often the first point of contact for those experiencing harm. Developed with cultural sensitivity and community input, the modules offer meaningful insights into how GBV shows up in Muslim communities and how to respond with compassion, safety, and knowledge. They are also a valuable tool for survivors, offering validation, education, and pathways to support in a format that respects their context and voice.
Our online coercive control modules offer a culturally informed training series focused on how coercive control operates within immigrant family systems. This educational resource is designed for service providers, including social workers, counsellors, and healthcare professionals, who support immigrant and racialized communities. The content is grounded in real-life scenarios and cultural context, using case studies such as the fictional Aziz Family to help learners identify red flags and patterns of harm. By equipping frontline workers with this knowledge, the modules help foster safer, more responsive environments for those facing invisible or non-physical forms of family violence.
Understanding Family Systems in Immigrant Communities ⤴
In partnership with the Immigrant Family Violence Prevention Committee (IFVPC), IslamicFamily developed an online module in 2021 focused on understanding family dynamics within newcomer, immigrant, and refugee households. This resource prepares service providers to deliver truly client‑centered care to families from Africa, South Asia, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe – communities that bring rich traditions that may shift with time in Canada.
impact
Leadership & Sector Impact
IslamicFamily takes pride in our leadership roles and contributions to systemic change in the anti‑violence sector:
Leadership in CIAFV
Our Clinical Director, Lubna Zaeem, has served as a council member with the Community Initiative Against Family Violence (CIAFV) since 2022, contributing to a coordinated community response to family violence.
Partnering with IMPACT
IslamicFamily has been an associate partner of IMPACT since 2020. Lubna Zaeem also serves as a Steward and Co‑Chair for “Enhancing Social Inclusion,” one of the five priority areas identified in Alberta’s Primary Prevention Playbook.
Shaping Alberta’s Prevention Strategy
IslamicFamily staff contributed to the development of the 2023 Alberta Primary Prevention Playbook, led by Dr. Lana Wells and "Shift: The Project to End Domestic Violence", supporting the advancement of province-wide prevention strategies.
Framework for African, Caribbean, and Black Communities
From 2021–2024, IslamicFamily contributed to the “Breaking Barriers, Building Support” framework in partnership with Africa Centre to address intimate partner violence in ACB communities.
Peer Leadership with OCASI
In collaboration with the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI), we co-led the Peer Champion and Community Advocacy Network (Peer‑CAN) project (2020–2025), building leadership capacity among non-status, refugee, and immigrant women across Canada.
Stewarding IFVPC
IslamicFamily plays a leading role in the Immigrant Family Violence Prevention Committee (IFVPC), with staff members serving as Chair and Co‑Chair, guiding efforts to support newcomer and ethnocultural communities in preventing family violence.
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Make a Difference
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