The Bridges for Women Society in Victoria will receive $100,000 in provincial funding to expand mental health support for women affected by trauma and violence.
The grant from the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions is on top of the $20 million in joint federal-provincial funding, announced on Monday (Aug. 22), to support low and zero-cost community counselling programs throughout B.C. and to increase access to mental health and supportive counselling for adults.
It also builds on the $50,000 the B.C. government provided the charity last year to support trauma-informed counselling services for those who identify as part of the womenB次元官网网址檚 community B次元官网网址� including people who identify as transgender, non-binary or two-spirit.
B次元官网网址淔or us to be able to have the funding and the different streams available, means that what barriers do exist for people to access our services, can be lessened,B次元官网网址� Heather Forbes, Bridges director of development, told Black Press Media. B次元官网网址淪o things like this funding, where weB次元官网网址檙e able to offer more than 10 sessions to someone who needs more than 10 sessions or able to offer services to someone who isnB次元官网网址檛 ready for the program, is really important.B次元官网网址�
The society offers healing, education and employment programs for women not just in Greater Victoria, but all over Vancouver Island and the province, whoB次元官网网址檝e experienced trauma, violence or abuse B次元官网网址� past or current. Services provided through the organization are trauma-informed and aim to meet each individual where they are in their life without judgement or expectation.
A new six-month pre-employment program is set to start Sept. 14, while the Indigenous womenB次元官网网址檚 bridging program beings Sept. 24. An additional mentorship program, where program graduates are paired with a community mentor, is also anticipated to begin sometime this fall.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a whole arc of peopleB次元官网网址檚 experiences and needs. And so Bridges is essential in helping women work through their trauma, being ready for employment and having stability in a number of different ways,B次元官网网址� Grace Lore, MLA for Victoria-Beacon Hill and parliamentary secretary for gender equity, told Black Press Media.
B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 what this funding from government is about. We recognize the need to support those with trauma and to support women whoB次元官网网址檝e experienced intimate partner violence on their healing and independence journey. ItB次元官网网址檚 a recognition of the steps we can take now.B次元官网网址�
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of a crime and requires assistance, call or text VictimLinkBC at 1-800-563-0808, or email VictimLinkBC@bc211.ca.
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