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An extra bump in federal funding through the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence is going towards supporting and developing new programs in Saskatchewan.
The provincial government announced the $1.46 million will be spread out between 10 different organizations and programs to help survivors and their families of gender-based violence.
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Provincial Association of Transition Houses and Services of Saskatchewan (PATHS) will disperse the funding.
Dr. Crystal Giesbrecht with PATHS said some of the money will go towards expanding a training program educating different workplaces on signs of gender-based violence.
“It’s so important for everybody who’s working in Saskatchewan to have a basic level of knowledge about intimate partner violence, recognizing warning signs, how to have a conversation that’s helpful and supportive if there’s someone you’re concerned about,” she said.
“Also knowing how to not jump in and take over, or feel that you need to solve this situation, but know what the local resources in the community are to make a referral and connect someone to those supports.”
The training program has already been rolled out to staff with the Government of Saskatchewan, PATHS agencies and the Co-op Refinery.
Giesbrecht said the funding will allow for the training to become more accessible.
“Offering this training more widely, we hope, will really get us a lot further in terms of combatting violence and abuse in this province,” she said. “Knowing that many people are first talking to a co-worker, they’re first talking to a friend or a family member before they reach out to those formal services.”
Giesbrecht said the program can have ripple effects within workplaces who may put in new policies as a result of the training.
The Saskatchewan Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) will receive $225,000 of the funding to help take care of survivors pets when transition homes don’t allow for its care.
“For many survivors that will be something that will cause them to delay their plans to leave because of their care for the safety of the animal,” Giesbrecht said. “The Saskatchewan SPCA is filling that gap.”
She said the SPCA will be able to use the funding to expand its services to areas across the province.
Alana Ross, the minister responsible for the status of women, said the funding to support people’s pets is an important component that’s been missing.
“It’s so sad to hear that people are afraid to leave a situation of domestic violence because they don’t want to leave their pets because of that bond they have,” she said. “This was a very, very good step forward.”
The funding will also be used to create a new program to help children recover from traumatic situations of domestic violence.
Supplies will be purchased to help support the program.
