Women's Shelter, Second Stage Housing and Counselling Services of Huron

Published purpose

Through this 24-month project, Huron Women’s Shelter, Second Stage Housing and Counselling Services will develop a collaborative approach to address rural sexual violence service gaps through systemic change in Huron and Perth. This will be achieved by strengthening the gender-based violence (GBV) ecosystem using a feminist and systems change approach through a network of service providers and partners, including survivor advisors, who will design a collaborative service delivery model based on the Sexual Assault Centres Model tailored for rural communities in the Huron and Perth region. This project will partner with Optimism Place, and it will engage survivors of sexual violence and upwards of 10 community partners across the region. They will collaborate in the development of the project, making decisions and providing input in support of the initiative. By the end of this project, Huron Women’s Shelter, Second Stage Housing and Counselling Services will have reduced barriers to sexual assault services in Perth and Huron through systemic change and ultimately increased access and participation for survivors while serving as a template for other rural communities across Ontario.