More than $80,000 has been awarded to seven Island organizations through the Interministerial Women’s Secretariat Grant, says Minister of Community Services, Seniors and Labour Janice Sherry.
“Grants awarded by the Interministerial Women’s Secretariat allow organizations to offer programs and services that promote the well-being of women and girls,” said Minister Sherry. “Prince Edward Island is proud to encourage the efforts of Island organizations who share our universal goal of gender equality.”
East Prince Women’s Information Center received $34,000 for their project, Women Who Launch. The project goal is to provide opportunity for vulnerable women, especially those aged 30 to 54, to enhance their personal assets and increase their employability skills.
Women’s Network P.E.I. received $22,000 for their project, Understanding and Addressing the Challenges of Developing Healthy Masculinity. The goal of the project is to reduce the risk of Island women being victimized by male partners.
P.E.I. People First received $14,300 for their project, Taking Charge, Staying Safe. The project is based on a collaboration between P.E.I. People First and the Community Legal Information Association. It is designed to support women with intellectual disabilities to better understand their rights with regard to personal safety and to develop safety strategies. Ultimately it is about empowering women with intellectual disabilities to be confident in their relationships, workplaces and homes.
“I am hoping that this project will give women with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to engage in conversation about what it means to be safe and to understand that they have the right to be safe,” said P.E.I. People First Co-ordinator Barb Fanning. “People First is about people with intellectual disabilities speaking for themselves.”
The Adventure Group of P.E.I. Inc. received $3,000 for their project, Promoting Women’s Collaborative Voices and Solutions. The project will promote collaborative approaches to women’s equality by profiling activities to identify and meet the needs of vulnerable women.
Canadian Cancer Society, P.E.I. Division received $3,000 for their Awareness to Action project which will support increased awareness and uptake of cervical cancer screening by Island women.
P.E.I. Environmental Health Co-operative Limited received $2,000 for a project that aims to increase women’s awareness of the health effects of toxic ingredients in many consumer products.
Habitat for Humanity P.E.I. received $2,000 for their Women Build. A Women Build is organized by women, construction is led by women and 80 per cent of the volunteers are women.
For more information, contact Director of Interministerial Women’s Secretariat Michelle Harris-Genge at 368-5557.