Scarborough Womens Centre 2016 2017 Annual General Meeting

Scarborough Women’s Centre 2016 -2017 Annual General Meeting

Happy 35 th Anniversary Scarborough Women’s Centre! A Message From Our President, Joanna Noble and Executive Director, Lynda Kosowan: “We are pleased to report that since 1982, the Centre has impacted the lives of over 170, 000 women and their children – just incredible. By proactively investing in programing and services, the Centre has empowered women to live economically and emotionally independent lives. ”

OUR VISION Embracing diversity and empowering women for brighter, independent futures Scarborough Women’s Centre delivers programs and services to promote positive change for women in a safe, inclusive and welcoming environment. The Centre empowers women to become economically and emotionally independent for future success and to strengthen their local communities, free from violence. OUR MISSION

What Our Service Users Have to Say: “I learned new techniques to live life better” “I took away that I need to be selfassertive and invest in myself” “Enlightening & Empowering” “I feel 110% empowered now!” “I am learning to love me and get me back” “When women support each other, great things happen!”

Core Program & Services: Information Referral Provides women with an opportunity to discuss their situation confidentially, while receiving support and information tailored to their needs This year, SWC referred 2268 women to resources in the local community These women access this program by calling, walking in to or emailing the Centre Women who contact the Centre are seeking out information on topics such as: Education/Employment Emotional & Physical Health Practical Supports (legal advice, housing) Safety for Specific Groups Volunteer Opportunities Welcome! How may I help you today?

Core Program & Services: Information Referral Why do Women contact the centre? How do Women contact the Centre? 8% 17% Ph y & na l io Email ot Walk-in Em Phone Ed u ca tio n & Em pl oy 75% m en sic Pr t ac al H tic ea l. . al Se. Su rv ic pp es or fo ts r Vo Sp Sa ec lu fe nt ifi ty ee c Gr r. O ou pp ps or tu ni tie s Ot he r 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0%

Core Program & Services: Education SWC Provides education through courses and workshops for small groups, to suit each woman’s individual goals. The program covers a range of skills training and topics such as: Self-esteem, assertiveness, effective communication, anger management, conflict resolution Finding your life purpose Family law, dealing with debt and healthy living

Core Program & Services: Education 13% Obtained Useful Information This year, 825 women participated in over 70 workshops and courses. 12% Prevented When asked to evaluate their Violence in their lives learning, they described the following outcomes: 33% Improved their Emotional Health 15% Increased their Economic Security 27% Developed Life Skills

Core Program & Services: Counselling & Mentoring Assists women to implement both immediate & long-term changes, with a focus on growth & development. Common issues discussed: gender-based violence, healthy relationships, newcomer integration, emotional health, employment, and education. Mentoring program is for women in life transition who are working toward specific goals. Mentors & mentees plan activities to work on building a variety of skills through their weekly meetings

Rose’s Story Rose was married young at 19 and fell pregnant with her first child at only 20 years old. At first her husband seemed concerned about her wellbeing when he wouldn’t “let” her work. She felt cherished and loved when he called her every hour to check in and make sure she was home. Rose felt “special” at first because of his jealousy and constant attention. That all changed dramatically when he started verbally abusing her and calling her “stupid”. With mounting financial pressure things were tense at home and eventually he walked out, leaving her at home with 4 young children and no way of supporting them on her own with no income or help.

THROUGH OUR COUNSELLING SERVICES THIS YEAR, WE SUPPORTED 325 WOMEN TO IMPROVE THEIR EMOTIONAL HEALTH, NAVIGATE SYSTEMS, DEVELOP LIFE SKILLS, PREVENT VIOLENCE IN THEIR LIVES, AND IMPROVE THEIR ECONOMIC SECURITY

Investing in Women’s Futures Funded by the Government of Ontario through the Ministry of the Status of Women. Through an accessible and anti-oppression framework that recognizes women’s multiple barriers and identities, we provide VAW counselling and peer support, support to navigate systems, pre-employment training services, and life skills & self-esteem programs.

Investing in Women’s Futures Developed Life Skills and Improved their Self-Esteem through: Counselling, Workshops, Peer Support, Information Sessions Supported in Navigating Systems such as: Child Welfare, Ontario Works, Healthcare & Housing Received VAW Counselling and Peer Support through: 1 on 1 counselling, Group VAW Activities, and Safety Planning 490 INDIVIDUAL WOMEN SERVED Obtained Support re: Economic Security: to pursue further Training/Education, to become Employed/Self. Employed

Special Projects: Building Strong Futures & Expanding the Reach

Building Strong Futures: Young Women’s Outreach Program This outreach program works with community organizations & local high schools to facilitate the empowerment of young women. Its interactive workshops and programs provide the tools necessary for young women to build self-awareness, strengthen their ability to make positive life choices and to recognize the impact their decisions make on their lives.

Building Strong Futures: Young Women’s Outreach Program 557 hours of service enabled 515 young women to attend 9 young women developing their employment skills 11 young women preventing violence in their lives 54 young women learning about women's issues 61 young women working on their personal development 62 young women obtaining useful information 95 young women developing their life skills 20 workshops, leading to:

Expanding the Reach: Outreach to Women with Disabilities Provides educational and leadership development opportunities for women with a broad range of disabilities The program’s funding completed in June 2016, but Program Coordinator Melissa Simas was able to conduct a few more workshops and trainings during the fiscal year.

Expanding the Reach: Outreach to Women with Disabilities This past year 120 hours of service enabled 38 women to attend 5 workshops They evaluated their learning as follows: 6% 4% Developed their Life Skills Obtained Useful Information 15% 57% 18% Obtained help Navigating Systems Prevented Violence in their lives Improved their Economic Security

Special Accomplishments this Year Continued inclusion of LGBTQ+ in our existing programming, staff & volunteer training Senior Outreach: creating specialized programming such as telephone mentoring to meet specific needs Status of Women Canada Funding: including Women’s with Disabilities (WWD) economic empowerment and participation in development of a Gender Equality Network Canada

Awards Received: Staff & Volunteers ² 2017 Ontario Volunteer Service Awards ² ² ² Marie Duplessis, Mary Heinmaa, Neeti Sharma 2016 Scarborough Women’s Centre Volunteer of the Year Awards ² Lelia Mac. Donald (Management Advisory Services) ² Jorge Orozco, The Rotary Club of Agincourt 2016 Ontario’s Leading Women/Leading Girls, Building Strong Communities Award for Scarborough-Guildwood ² Lynda Kosowan

Program Partnerships Education Building Strong Futures • East Toronto GTA Health • Toronto District School Board Team • Toronto District Catholic School • Frontier College Board • Malvern Family Resource Centre • Times Change • TD Canada Trust • YWCA Family Support Centre • West Scarborough Neighborhood & • Williams Family Lawyers Community Centre Counselling • UTSC Womyn & Trans Centre • Multi-lingual Community Expanding the Reach Interpretation Services • Birchmount Bluffs Neighborhood (MCIS) Centre • Volunteer Toronto • East Scarborough Storefront Springtide Resources Consultation • Mc. Millan LLP Inter-Agency Collaboration • Salesforce. com • Women Abuse Council Toronto • Management Advisory Service Student Placements • U of T: Faculty of Social Work • Centennial College • Seneca College • Ryerson University: Faculty of Social Work • University of Waterloo: Renison College Faculty of Social Work Connecting Women with Scarborough Services • Legal Aid Ontario • Family Service Toronto • Tropicana • Toronto Police Service • Birkdale Residence • Toronto Employment & Social Services • Scarborough Community Health Centre • Ontario Ministry of the Attorney • General, Victim Services • Victim Witness Assistance Program

Thank-You: Funders, Donors & Volunteers Group Donors: Foundation Donors: Corporate Donors: • Agincourt Civitan Club • Johansen-Larsen Foundation • Claren Inc. • Canadian Federation of • Ontario Realtors Care • Heritage Ford Sales Ltd. University Women Foundation • Joyent (Scarborough Chapter) • Mackenzie Financial Charitable • Metro Toronto Ford • Centennial College – Centre Foundation Dealers Business for Global Citizenship • RBC Foundation Association Education & Inclusion • Salesforce Foundation • Royal Le. Page Estate • Elementary Teachers’ • Shoppers Druge Mart LIFE Realty Federation of Ontario Foundation • Shoppers Drug Mart – • Milliken Mills Lions Club • The George Lunan Foundation Scarborough Stores • Ontario Power Generation • Royal Le. Page Shelter • SKF Canada Employees’ Employee & Pensioner’s Foundation Charity Fund Charity Trust • Tippet Foundation • TD Bank Financial Group • OPS Women in Law • TELUS Toronto Government Funders: • The Rotaract Club of the Community Board • Service Canada University of Toronto • Torkin Manes LLP • The Government of Ontario through The • The Rotary Club of Barristers Ministry of the Status of Women Agincourt • City of Toronto: • Unifor – Local 25 • Investing in Neighborhoods Program • Community Service Partnership Program • Unifor Social Justice Fund • • Equity & Human Rights Program Community Safety Investment Program

Thank-You: Individual Donors INDIVIDUAL DONORS: Anonymous Tamara Akopcan Jill Andrew Nicole Arabey Joyce Archer Yvette Bailey Theresa Bigayan Carolyn Borovicka - CBA Management Services Chelsea Chen Christiana Chen Yu Fei Chen Daniel Crowell Dr. Ari Dassanayake Filomena De Sousa Marie Duplessis Loretta Fines Luisa Fracassi Andrew Johnston & Christina Friend Tara George Karen Spencer Goslin Karen Grimshaw Kerri Harris Tahira Hassan Arthur & Mary Heinmaa Debbie Herridge Francine Hickman Julie Hiroz Laura Humphries Lauren Inouye Beza Kebede Kathy Killinger Lynda Kosowan Nan Kosowan Lisa La Horey Mai Lee Jen Mac. Bruce Bonsu Glenn Male Judit Marincan Douglas Mark Angeline Mau Nancy Maxwell Lyn Mc. Donell Lauren Mc. Inroy Catherine Mendez Jyothi Menezes Catherine Molyneux Nicole Myers Janice Nicholson Joanna Noble Fran Odette Madeline Over David Pauli Jessica Pellow Dr. Vivienne Poy Manisha Ramrakhiani Irene Rey Christine Sarbu Henna Sethi Rekha Shah Neeti Sharma Brian Simon Kacian Simpson Harijah Sivakumar Penelope Stuart Beena Tabinda Nadia Taylor Dimitra Tsagaris Peeranut Visetsuth Darlene Watman Nicole Williams Joanna Wright

Thank-You: In Kind Donors & Third Party Events Centennial College - White Ribbon Campaign CFUW (Scarborough) Fashion Show Music at Starbucks - 43 Milner Ave OPS Women in Law - IWD 2017 Rotaract Art Gala (University of Toronto) Shoppers Drug Mart Growing Women's Health Campaign In Kind Donors: Marie Duplessis Tim Howe Mc. Millan LLP Emerald Massey salesforce Canada Shawn Smith - Systems Integrated Solutions

Thank-You: Volunteers & Direct Service Volunteers Jenopa Arulanathan Kiran Chandra Neetu Dhanju Marie Duplessis Tim Howe Lelia Mac. Donald Emerald Massey Jorge Orozco Direct Service Volunteers Jenopa Arulanathan Michelle O’Donoghue Rashmi Aurora Sara Patel Theresa D. Bigayan Connie Petriglia Beth Dangerfield Jerusa Rodrigues Medina Faris Barbara Sanchez Shen Fhie Teng Kacian Simpson Claudia Fuller Nila Sinnatamby Karen Spencer Goslin Beena Syed Laura Humphries Doris Tay Sarah Jacobs Natassha Johnson Beeza Kebede Isela Martinez Angeline Mau Fathima Nizamdeen

Social Media Like our Facebook page! “Scarborough Women’s Centre – SWC” Follow us on Linked. In: Scarborough Women’s Centre Follow us on Instagram: @scarboroughwomenscentre Tweet us! @Scarb. Womens. Ctr www. scarboroughwomenscentre. ca