The Women’s Centre in Nanaimo designs its core work around strengthening women and families to create healthier communities in the mid-Island region. [image: istockphoto]

The Nanaimo Women’s Resources Society, known as the Nanaimo Women’s Centre, offers a range of community-sensitive programs designed to help strengthen women and families. (They can be found on Facebook here.)

A suite of women- and family-supporting programs

The Nanaimo Women’s Centre offers computer and literacy training, along with a range of other
essential and basic services for women. [image: istockphoto]

Support services are offered on-site from Tuesday to Friday, providing both essential and basic services for women. The Turning the Key program provides tenancy support to all individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The Place project offers connections with mentors, elders, artists and other community supporters, to increase the resiliency of challenged families.

Additional programs are specifically targeted toward other proven needs in the region. 16 Steps is a support group for women healing from addiction and co-dependency. Cooking Out of the Box provides healthy cooking classes once a month. A peer-based Community Action Team provides emotional support to sex workers who are active or exiting the sex trade. The STAR program has been designed to assist those who are struggling to sustain housing in Nanaimo, and the Homes To Homes program collects and distributes household goods to be used by individuals and families in the process of exiting homelessness.

Counselling services and computer and literacy training are also offered.

Small nonprofits and the funding challenge

Like many small nonprofit organizations, the Nanaimo Women’s Centre operates on a very limited budget and with substantial volunteer assistance. Funding comes from grants, donations, and fundraising events.

We speak with Lesley Clarke, executive director of Nanaimo Women’s Centre, about a range of issues related to women and the work of the Women’s Centre.

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audio | Lesley Clarke, executive director of #Nanaimo Women's Centre #VancouverIsland https://t.co/4Gdd7sSDBF pic.twitter.com/zBVQAJAxTA

— People First Radio (@peoplefirstrad) October 30, 2015