Title:
Culture to Wellness: Reimagining Holistic Healing Approaches for Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People
Agreement Number:
SO220008
Agreement Value:
$563,189.00
Agreement Date:
Oct 17, 2022 - Mar 31, 2026
Description:
Through this 59-month project, Aboriginal Legal Services will increase its ability to prevent and address gender-based violence (GBV) against Indigenous women, girls, or 2SLGBTQQIA+ people in the Toronto area. This will be achieved by orienting Aboriginal Legal Services staff to new ways of combining traditional Indigenous healing methods with music therapy designed for trauma survivors; conducting workshops with staff to deepen their knowledge and ability to share and adapt new healing models; conducting outreach to local Indigenous stakeholders; and holding community workshops to test new healing strategies. Staff and community workshops will include a process of evaluation, assessment, and integration.
This project will engage the organization Make Music Matter, and their Healing in Harmony Music Therapy program, to provide expertise on an alternate model of verbalizing and healing severe past trauma.
Supplemental funds in 2025-2026 will be used to develop and deliver a knowledge mobilization activity to share project findings with Aboriginal organizations, amongst others, in the Toronto area. By the end of the project, Aboriginal Legal Services will have strengthened their capacity to prevent and address GBV against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people in the Toronto area.
With the Supplemental funds and extension provided in early 2026, the Aboriginal Legal Services will 1) develop a Culture to Wellness Training Package; 2) undertake recruitment of Indigenous Service Providers; 3) conduct a ALS-facilitated Culture to Wellness workshop with partner organizations building organizational training skills; and 4) hold community healing workshops to support partner organizations’ capacity to deliver training while building collective capacity to serve Indigenous communities and strengthening relationships between participants and service providers. Through this they will further advance Gender Equality.
Organization:
Women and Gender Equality Canada
Expected Results:
Partnerships and collaborations are established and/or strengthened to support the LGBTQ2 movement LGBTQ2 organizations have increased knowledge and capacity to advance equality with respect to sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression.
Location:
Toronto, Ontario, CA M5B 1M4
Reference Number:
001-2022-2023-Q3-00005
Agreement Type:
Contribution
Report Type:
Grants and Contributions
Recipient Type:
Aboriginal recipient
Additional Information:
Increase of agreement value, Change of end date
Amendment Date
Jun 16, 2026
Recipient's Legal Name:
Aboriginal Legal Services
Program:
Equality for Sex, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression Program
Program Purpose:
The purpose of ESSOGIE program is to advance social, political and economic equality with respect to sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.
Advancement towards a greater understanding of the intersection of sex and gender with other identity factors that include race, national and ethnic origin, Indigenous origin or identity, age, sexual orientation, socio-economic condition, place of residence and disability are encouraged under the Program.