For three decades, the Y Women’s Emergency Shelter has been offering refuge, support and services to women and their dependent children in crisis. Annually, more than 400 women and children access the Shelter having fled their homes because of an abusive situation.
The history of the Shelter dates back to 1974 when it was housed in an 8-bed rented facility. In 1976, a larger house was purchased which accommodated 17 women and children. For the next sixteen years it became the temporary home for thousands of abused women and their children.
Sadly, local need continued to increase and the premises became inadequate so in 1990, the Y undertook a fundraising venture to build a new shelter. Thanks to the generous support from the private and corporate sectors, the Shelter moved into a beautiful new 8-bedroom, 23-bed house in the fall of 1992. The larger facility also allowed for greater program enhancement and delivery.
Our program has now grown to include the Y Women's Emergency Shelter, Outreach Services, the Children Who Witness Abuse Program, the Y Willow Tree Program.
Services at the Y Women's Emergency Shelter: 24-hour staffing and crisis line; safe refuge for women, with or without children, who experience or are at risk of experiencing abuse; advocacy for clients experiencing difficulty with bureaucracy; accompaniment to court and other appointments; one-on-one support with qualified staff; parenting support; saftey planning; support groups.
Services for children residing at the Y Women's Emergency Shelter include: age appropriate craft and recreation with a child and youth worker, on going support from a family suport worker, access to children’s programs at the Kamloops Community YM/YWCA.
Women being abused or at risk of being abused by a spouse or intimate partner are eligible to seek Shelter Services. For women whose problems are related to their mental health or to drug or alcohol use, other services will be recommended.
For Shelter Services please call (250) 374-6162.
Outreach Services: Provides a mobile response to womenand their dependant children who have experienced or are at risk of experiencing abuse. Services can include: one to one and/or group support; accompanyment to court, police, lawyer, doctor, or Ministry appointments; referrals to other community services. Response is based on the needs of the women referred. The program provides community education presentations on the intimate partner abuse and family abuse. This program serves Kamloops and communities in the metro area.
For Outreach Services please call 320-3110
Children Who Witness Abuse Program: Provides a non crisis intervention community based program with the goal to interrupt or break the cycle of intergenerational abuse The program has both group and individual counselling for children and youth ages 5-19 and provides individual support, parent education and parallel groups for non offending caregivers. The program provides community education presentations on family violence, the cycle and the effects on Children.
For the Children Who Witness Abuse Program please call 376-7800
Y Willow Tree Services: A Community Bridging Employment Program for women living with road blocks to success as a result of violence, abuse and trauma.This program offers:
For Y Willow Tree Services please call 376-7800
