The Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services announced funding to be used by the Ontario Native Women’s Association (ONWA) to further develop and expand the Aakode’ewin – Courage for Change Program across Ontario, addressing the unique needs of the disproportionate numbers of Indigenous women, youth and girls affected by human trafficking.
The program supports Indigenous women and girls at risk, currently involved in, or a survivor of human trafficking. It will focus specifically on exploited youth to get them the services and tools they need to exit. The program offers support in a variety of ways, including 24/7 crisis response, harm reduction and safety planning, 1-1 support with referrals to healthcare, counselling and addiction services, and programming focused on capacity building, empowerment and culturally specific healing. Through a multi-sector approach, care and services are provided in a trauma-informed anti-oppressive way, ensuring integration of culture-based practices and mainstream supports.
Other programs:
- Programs for children aged 12 to 18 at the Roberts – Smart Centre in Ottawa that provide mental health supports, residential services, life skills training and mentorship.
- A survivor-led peer mentoring and day program for children and youth at BridgeNorth in Newmarket, which provides supports from early intervention through to stabilization, transition and reintegration.
The creation of a mobile team at Timmins and Area Women in Crisis, which will travel to five remote and 11 rural First Nation communities in the region, providing culturally appropriate and survivor-led programming in preferred languages for vulnerable and underserviced Indigenous communities