The United Way of Chatham-Kent is one of 14 groups across Canada receiving grant money from the Government of Canada.
For the next seven years, the not-for-profit will receive $25,000. The money is being distributed by the University of British Columbia to organizations including United Ways across the country.The UBC School of Nursing's capacity research unit is spending $2,499,946 over seven years to implement and test a trauma and violence-informed outreach intervention for women and girls affected by violence.
The grant money that is received by the United Way will be put toward programs in the region which help women cope or recover from traumatic experiences.“It's going to be able to help us connect women in our community that are experiencing violence, ” said Steve Pratt, the president of the United Way in Chatham-Kent. "As opposed to having women come to the service, it's about the services going to meet them literally where they are at."
With the funding, Pratt said the organization will be able to help young girls look at the root issues and allow them to identify unhealthy relationship patterns, and violence.
Putting in place the intervention program is one of 17 projects that have been awarded funding through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Partnership Grant Program.
It includes collaborations with 14 service and academic organizations across three Canadian provinces, including United Way of Chatham-Kent, the organization said in the statement.