PROGRAMS
Our holistic approach to programming ensures that we are relating to all aspects of healing, and recovery while empowering survivors to become independent. The following is an outline of the programs and services the North York Women’s Shelter offers to our residents:
Programming for Women
- Individual Counselling: Available 24 hours a day to support women
- Weekly Women’s Group: The group is instrumental for healing and recovery because having a safe venue to openly discuss their experiences allows survivors to understand they are not alone.
- Moms and Tots: A program aimed at restoring the bond between mother and child.
- Exploring Emotions Though Art: A peer support group that encourages women to express herself creatively. This program offered in partnership with North York Women’s Center.
- Microskills Training: These workshops help women learn and enhance skills required for employment opportunities.
- Life Coaching
- Workshops: We also offer a variety of workshops focusing of parenting, nutrition, budgeting and many other relevant topics.
Programming for Children
Our children’s programs are ever evolving to meet the needs of the individual children at the shelter. The children’s programs focus on assisting children heal, develop healthy attitudes, opportunities for recreation, and academic support. Our aim is to support the children, so they can learn to trust adults and emphasize positive male/female interactions to undo the damage done by violence and abuse. Some of our children’s programs are:
- Children’s Group: Children are engagaed through non-threatening activites such as arts and crafts to express their emotions.
- Here to Help: This is a 12-week program that provides a safe, compassionate environment for children 4-16 years of age who are exposed to woman abuse to cope with their feelings of pain, fear, anger and confusion.
- Dance Program: With help of Arts for Children, the program helps develop both artistic and personal skills of children.
- Home Club and Reading Circle: The program aims to support the academic success of the children at the shelter and is supported by Frontier College.
- Summer Camp Activities
In the addition to the above programs we also provide women and their children with the opportunity to go on field trips and special outings to the movies, parks, and museums so they can experience normalcy of life.