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Our Journey of Care

At YWCA Peterborough Haliburton, we provide so much more than a safe space for women and woman-identified people to recover from gender-based violence. The Journey of Care wrap-around support model provides each woman with support and guidance on her journey from fear to safety, from trauma to healing, from control to independence, so that she can live the life of her choosing, on her own path to thriving.

The process takes time, with many starts and stops, roundabouts or points of entry. Much like a tree that grows and provides shade, the Journey of Care is flexible and organically supports a woman on her path, regardless of her chosen destination.

The YWCA Journey of Care

Starting Points

At the root level of the tree are several of the entry points that a woman may have when seeking assistance from the YWCA.

24 hour crisis and support line, START program, Crossroads Shelter, HERS SafeSpace

Multi-Directional Approach

There are two roundabout symbols, which represent that the journey of recovering from violence and abuse is non-linear and unique to every person. There is no shame or failure in going back or taking a detour along the path.

Safe Passage for Every Journey

Midway up the trunk of the tree, we have safety planning, an important and vital component of our work. For every woman that comes to us for support, we perform a danger assessment which highlights the urgency of the situation she is currently facing. We then develop a unique, individualized safety plan, providing our staff and the client with guidelines to follow in order to ensure her safety while she navigates her journey.

safety planning, risk assessment, danger assessment, abuse, violence

Branching Out Into New Life

The upper branches on the tree show all of the programs, services, resources, and support systems that make up the rest of the Journey of Care. We believe that a safe space is simply not enough to support a woman’s recovery from abuse. These programs are designed to help the woman build her independence and confidence so that she can move forward in her life.

The Journey of Care visual model allows us to see the connections between the YWCA’s locations, programs, and resources, and to gain a deeper understanding of our services.

Much like any road we travel, a woman’s journey through healing will have ups and downs, stops and starts, and changes in direction. The YWCA aims to support women in choosing their own future – especially important for those who have had choice taken away in the past.

Click here to download a full-page poster with the Journey of Care visuals: