The Interministerial Women’s Secretariat provides funding to community organizations to assist with the development of projects, programs and services that benefit women throughout Prince Edward Island, says Valerie E. Docherty, Minister Responsible for the Status of Women.
“I am pleased that this year’s grant program was able to help out in three main areas,” said Ms. Docherty. “The focus was on social media and cybersafety for girls; women and girls with a disability; and engaging male and female youth to reduce and prevent gender-based violence or to promote gender equality.”
The Women’s Secretariat Grants fund non-profit organizations dedicated to promoting the legal, health, social and economic equality of women. The grants support the capacity of women’s organizations in their goal to promote women’s equality through advocacy, research and policy development, and to provide direct services and programs for women and girls in Prince Edward Island.
BACKGROUNDER:
The following organizations have been approved for funding through the Women’s Secretariat Grants:
Women’s Network PEI: $15,000
Addressing CyberSafety in Peer Relationships: Youth Engagement and Response: With this project, the Women’s Network of PEI aims to reduce and prevent gender-based violence and promote equality. The project will provide youth with information and support on issues of cybersafety, and is intended to empower youth to take a leadership role in researching and responding to these issues.
Aboriginal Women’s Association: $10,350
The Aboriginal Women’s Association will provide sessions that incorporate inter-generational learning regarding gender-based violence and cybersafety. The sessions will assist in the development of stronger lines of communication between parents and their children to enhance their combined capabilities, individual and collective skills and talents, so that Aboriginal women and their children can participate effectively and safely with new information technology equipment. The goal is to create a process, set of activities, rules and actual tools that maintain the benefits of this new information technology while using culturally distinct methods to preserve the cultural identity of Aboriginal women and their families. Throughout the sessions, Aboriginal Elder/Facilitators will implement Traditional Methods/Teachings that will guide their journey into this new “IT” society.
PEI People First: $10,200
The main goal of this project is Taking Charge, Staying Safe – Sharing What We Know. This project will empower women with intellectual disabilities to be confident in their relationships, workplaces and homes. Participants will use a safety guide that was developed by women with disabilities to help other women create their own safety plans, to assess how safe they feel at home, work and in the community and to identify supports that might help them to feel safer. This project will build capacity, leadership development and building solidarity among women with disabilities in P.E.I.
PEI Family Violence Prevention Services: $4,000
This funding will assist in the development of a web-based resource (website and app, available online and on smart phones) that will allow youth to access tools and resources in order to self-assess their personal dating relationships, and determine if they are in an unhealthy relationship or a high-risk situation. The website and app will also provide information about ways to keep safe in potentially dangerous situations. It will provide both male and female users information on primary prevention and awareness about unhealthy relationships and relationship violence. Information and resources that educate youth about healthy relationships and ways to develop healthy intimate relationships will be included.
PEI Association for Community Living: $1,000
The PEI Association for Community Living has been approved for the funding amount of $1,000 to assist women and girls living with a disability, and to enable family members to attend a provincial community forum.
East Prince Women's Information Centre: $25,130
I am a Cybersafe Kid! will educate and empower young girls in grades four, five and six to practice safe and appropriate use of social media sites. The program will also help educate caregivers on ways to protect and monitor social media sites.