Advocacy services are delivered to women who require assistance with legal or governmental bodies.
DEWC Specialized Services team works diligently to support women navigating the complexities of the healthcare, justice and public systems, and daily challenges women continue to face shaped by systemic inequity.
For example: lack of ID – preventing women from critical mental health care or accessing income assistance; women being discharged from hospitals without appropriate housing or health supports; having to testify against an abuser years after the assault; these are all barriers our teams work with women to navigate. We also acknowledge that barriers Indigenous women and women of colour face are amplified by the ongoing effects of colonialism and systemic racism. These issues are recurring, and all highlight the need for systemic changes to make the services available in the province more inclusive.
To address these issues, our team has increased our advocacy efforts, collaborating with community partners, health care providers and more, to implement wraparound supports for women at DEWC. We believe all women have the knowledge, skills and experience they need to make the decisions that are right for them. Our role is to offer safety, support, encouragement, and the tools they need to make positive changes in their lives.
Our motto: kick open doors for women to walk through with keys in their hands”
– Cheryl Sutton, director of programs