Grants and Contributions

Through this 29-month project, Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association (CIWA) will develop and put in place a culturally competent, responsive, and evidence-based GBV prevention and support model to strengthen the GBV sector in supporting immigrant/refugee/newcomer women impacted by GBV. It will address the intersectional needs of the target population and build the capacity of agencies to address significant gaps in services, including rural, language, cultural, and other access barriers, as well as increased complexity of post-pandemic needs. To do so, the project will select and standardize strategies used in CIWA’s Family Conflict Prevention Program (FCPP); develop and perform a baseline impact evaluation of the model; modify model approaches for regional and online delivery; engage local, provincial, and/or regional stakeholders in a pre-pilot review; and pilot and evaluate the model with women from across Alberta, incorporating adaptations and enhancements based upon feedback. An external evaluator will measure and assess the impact of the promising practice. CIWA will host stakeholder sessions and develop tutorials to share information on the promising practice with others so that they may replicate it or expand upon it.

The project will engage two key participant groups: women with lived experience, who will directly influence the design of the model, and men and boys from ethno-cultural communities, who will use their allyship to support the model’s GBV prevention initiatives. The contributions and insights of these two groups will help ensure that the project is inclusive, responsive to the needs and strengths of vulnerable populations, and reflective of the diversity within communities.

Through this 29-month project, Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre will scale anti-oppressive practices and alternative therapeutic approaches to healing for individuals from historically underserved communities to strengthen the GBV sector. It will address the need for supports that acknowledge systemic and structural violence and exhibit cultural awareness and competency, and for more established anti-oppressive perspectives in the GBV sector.

To do so, the project will (1) develop, implement, evaluate and optimize an anti-oppressive framework based on a Critical Discourse Analysis of resources most commonly used by GBV service providers; and (2) implement and evaluate the practices of trauma-informed yoga, nature-based healing and art therapy as culturally sensitive and anti-oppressive alternative approaches to healing.

Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre will create a guidebook for the anti-oppressive framework, draft a report based on the evaluation of the three alternative therapeutic practices, and disseminate these two documents via email and social media to share information on the promising practices with others so that they may replicate it or expand upon them.

Through this 29-month project, Université Laval will conduct research that will help improve gender-based violence services for at-risk groups. The project will address the accessibility, sensitivity, and effectiveness of psychosocial interventions among women from at-risk populations who are victims of sexual violence. To do this, the project will assess the impact of being part of one or multiple at-risk populations on perceived discrimination as well as membership, acceptability, and user experience of an online intervention targeting post-traumatic reactions following sexual violence. It will also document the impact of the social determinants of health on the perceived acceptability and usefulness of the content of this intervention while highlighting the impact of intersections on the victim’s experience and recovery. Université Laval will develop scholarly articles and knowledge transfer materials to inform others of the research findings. As part of this project, the university will collaborate with several community organizations, such as the Carrefour familial des personnes handicapées, the Centre d’amitié autochtone de Québec, the Centre de Solidarité Lesbienne, Quebec Native Women, Viol-Secours, and the Maison pour femmes immigrantes (Immigrant Women’s Shelter). Activities will be carried out through the sharing of total project costs, with 50% of the funding provided by Women and Gender Equality Canada and 50% by Université Laval

Through this 9-month project, Theatre of the Beat will scale their model of forum theatre to strengthen the GBV sector. It will scale their latest theatrical production of I Love You and it Hurts to a new format and reach new audiences across Canada with performances in community establishments such as secondary and post-secondary schools, long-term care centres, and youth and men's groups. It will address the need for more awareness and resources on the subtle signs of domestic violence, with a focus on elder abuse, healthy masculinity, and youth intimate partner violence. To do so, the project will include community-informed theatre plays, audience knowledge mobilizations, and expanded touring in eastern and western Canada. Theatre of the Beat will create resource guides to share information on the promising practice with others so that they may replicate it or expand upon its success and impact.

Through this 29-month project, It Gets Better Canada will build a stronger capacity of 2SLGBTQI+ community organizations and networks to advance 2SLGBTQI+ equality. This project will address key barriers in the availability of tools and community-based resources that help 2SLGBTQI+ youth engage with other youth across Canada; and explore and navigate their sexual orientation and gender identity journey. To do so, this project will improve organizational governance by developing a Youth Advisory Committee as an extension of the Board, giving 2SLGBTQI+ youth a voice at the highest level within the organization. It Gets Better Canada will strengthen their strategic direction by establishing a national 2SLGBTQI+ Youth Network with representation from at least 4-different regions across Canada through strategic outreach. A performance-based strategic plan will also be created that aligns the existing resources on the achievement of equality for 2SLGBTQI+ youth. Relationships with other national 2SLGBTQI+ organizations will be strengthened, and a sustainable-funding model will be established. To recognize the needs of the community, and to address barrier 2SLGBTQI+ youth experience, the 2SLGBTQI+ Youth Network will engage with focus groups, town halls, and surveys to inform It Gets Better Canada’s strategic priorities, programs, resources, and partnerships.

Through this 14-month project, Sault Pride will build stronger capacity of 2SLGBTQI+ community organizations to advance 2SLGBTQI+ equality by attaining not-for-profit incorporation. It will address a lack of formalized local supports and advocacy for the 2SLGBTQI+ community and its constituent members. The project will include establishing a Board of Directors, applying for and achieving not-for-profit incorporation status, developing organizational policies and procedures and engaging with local Black, Indigenous, and Persons-of-Colour (BIPOC) community organizations.

Through this 29-month project, Pride Winnipeg Festival Inc. will build stronger capacity of 2SLGBTTQI+ community organizations and networks to advance 2SLGBTTQI+ equality. It will address the growing need in its support, engagement and visibility for a province-wide network of Pride 2SLGBTQI+ organizations. The project will include the recruitment and hiring of an executive director to assist with creating a yearly conference and quarterly meetings of all prides in the province as well as establishing the Manitoba Pride Alliance to support smaller Prides 2SLGBTQI+ organizations including BIPOC/QIPOC throughout Manitoba.

Through this 26-month project, End of the Rainbow Foundation will build stronger capacity of 2SLGBTQI+ community organizations and networks to advance 2SLGBTQI+ equality. It will address gaps in 2SLGBTQI+ services in the Calgary Region while enhancing its organizational capacity. The project will include community engagement and feedback processes that will actively involve the Calgary 2SLGBTQI+ community. An advisory council will be established to oversee key aspects of the project including the development of a strategic plan, a fund development strategy, and the reform of the End of the Rainbow Foundation’s governance structure to support community recommendations. At the end of the project an in-depth final report will be completed with findings submitted to their board and advisory members to fulfill the recommendations and vision of this Living Well Together project, enhancing the capacity of the End of Rainbow Foundation and the 2SLGBTQI+ community in Calgary.

Through this 30-month project, Big Sisters of Lower Mainland will develop and implement an In-School Group Mentoring “Power in Prevention” program, to strengthen the GBV sector. It will address gaps in GBV programming by tailoring the project activities to underserved populations during their middle childhood and youth. To do so, the project will engage community partners, families, and youth with diverse lived experiences who will help to inform the adaptation of an existing In-School Group Mentoring program framework and develop an age appropriate, activity-based curriculum focused on identifying and strengthening participants’ GBV protective factors with the guidance and support of mentors.

An external evaluator will measure and assess the impact of the promising practice. Big Sisters of Lower Mainland will host youth and communication advisory councils, youth forums, lead a public education campaign, and develop a toolkit to share information on the promising practice with other organizations (including Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada agencies) so that they may replicate it or expand upon it.

Through this 29-month project, Women’s Hostels Inc will scale the Empowerment Self Defence Global violence prevention and empowerment model to strengthen the GBV sector. This project will address a need for a standardized violence prevention program in Ontario to empower women to interrupt, respond to, and heal from interpersonal violence. To do so, the project will 1) scale and adapt the violence prevention and empowerment model to the Canadian context as well as for women living with disabilities, Indigenous women, newcomers and seniors; 2) conduct a geographic needs assessment for Ontario and create a provincial outreach strategy; 3) implement the model through a series of workshops; and 4) create a provincial network of trainers. An external evaluator will measure and further assess the impact of the promising practice. Women’s Hostels Inc will present the promising practice to the Violence Against Women Network of Shelters in Toronto, at a conference, and at community outreach events to share information on the promising practice with others so that they may replicate it or expand upon it.