Family Violence Initiative
COMPENDIUM OF PROMISING PRACTICES TO REDUCE VIOLENCE AND INCREASE SAFETY OF ABORIGINAL WOMEN IN CANADA – COMPENDIUM ANNEX: DETAILED PRACTICE DESCRIPTIONS
INTERACTIONS WITHIN COMMUNITIES
Family Violence Interventions
- Program name:
Kaushee's Place, Yukon Women's Transition Home Society
- Organization:
The Yukon Women's Transition Home Society
- Location:
Whitehorse, Yukon
- Target Group:
Women and Children.
- Contact Name:
Barbara McInerney, Executive Director
- Phone:
867-633-7720
- Email:
- Website:
Program Overview
- History:
Kaushee's Place is located in Whitehorse, Yukon. However, women and children from the entire Yukon Territory access the shelter and the second stage housing.
Program Description
- Goals & Objectives:
To provide safe emergency shelter for women and children escaping violent situations; to provide affordable and safe second stage housing (for up to a year) for women and children who wish to consider new long term living arrangements; and to provide supportive counselling, advocacy and assistance to women and children accessing the program.
- Traditional/Indigenous ways:
N/A
- Components of program:
The program offers: emergency and second stage shelter for women and children escaping violence; a child care program; 'response based' counselling (which focuses on an approach that honours and respects the journey of women and children in violent situations, rather than taking a 'medical model' approach that assumes illness and ascribes 'failure', thereby blaming the victims); and outreach and public awareness activities in collaboration with other service providers.
- Services/How they work:
Services are provided on site at the facility.
- Funding:
Funding is provided by the Yukon Government.
Relationships and Stakeholders
- Involvement of Target Groups:
Kaushee's Place has a Board of Directors who oversee the programming. The wider community supports the facility with donations. Local and territorial service providers, including the RCMP, work with Kaushee's Place to constantly improve services for assaulted women and children.
- Partners:
Other territorial women's shelters; the Yukon Women's Directorate; the Yukon Status of Women; the Victoria Faulkner Women's Centre; the Liard Aboriginal Women's Society; and the RCMP
- Other relationships:
N/A
Details of Program Evaluation
- Evaluation:
No evaluation has been completed.
- Highlights of Evaluation Findings:
N/A
Program Outcomes
- Measures of Success:
Success is measured by the improved safety, health and well-being of women and children.
- Achievements:
The program has maintained, for several decades, a reliable, accessible resource for women and children escaping violence.
- Challenges:
Trying to overcome the complexities effect of working with multiple service providers who each have different mandates. Housing shortages and high rents are also challenges facing staff in their attempts to find safe and secure lodging for clients.
Things to Know to Replicate
- Replication Advice:
The program is considered replicable. Government and community support for women's shelters would be important.
- Resources:
Adequate funding, properly trained staff and facility space for the programming would be necessary to ensure the program's success.
- Date modified: