In addition to the two shelters that Women's Crisis Services (WCSWR) operates, our Outreach Program is dynamically gaining recognition throughout the region. It is a free, confidential service available to abused women and children who have either resided at the shelter and are transitioning to independence or to women still in abusive situations who are seeking assistance. The program offers the following services: education delivery to women and their children regarding issues of abuse; accompanying women to Family court; developing safety plans and goal setting; assisting women to secure affordable housing; and advocating to other community services. Referrals are received from a myriad of sources.

Women's Crisis Services is working in close collaboration with the newly formed Family Violence Project in Waterloo region. At the time of this writing, partner agencies include the Waterloo Regional Police Services, Victim Services of the Waterloo Regional Police Services, Family and Children's Services, Catholic Family Counselling Centre (CFCC), the Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Treatment Centre operated by St. Mary's Hospital, the Community Action Program for Children, the Crown Attorney's Office, the Victim Witness Program and the Elder Abuse Response Team. These agencies are all co-located at CFCC in Kitchener in efforts to more effectively address domestic violence in an integrated manner across the region. To date, WCSWR has secured one office for our Outreach team with plans for expansion in 2007. Each agency is a tenant of CFCC and continues to operate independently.

This model which is the first of its kind in Canada is inspired after the San Diego Justice Centre in California. The success of that project has been a reduction in recidivism and homicide rates - specific to domestic violence. There are 20 detectives based out of CFCC who manage the domestic violence calls in Waterloo Region. The ultimate goal is to have all services available at one location so that the victims are matched up with the most appropriate service, thus providing seamless service for women and children who are victims of domestic violence. WCSWR Outreach workers are integral to the project in that they are available on site to offer immediate safety planning for women and their children. Our Outreach workers complete safety plans with all women, whereby criminal charges have been laid. These referrals come directly from the domestic violence police unit based out of CFCC. One amazing result is the numbers of women we are now reaching, which until this project evolved, had been unaware of Women's Crisis Services and were receiving no services. As time evolves, our intention is to expand this service for all women who are victims, whether or not criminal charges have been laid against their abuser.

We have tailored the project to fit the needs of Waterloo region. One significant difference is the direct and active involvement of Women's Crisis Services. In the San Diego model, although referrals are made to the women's shelter for safety reasons, shelter staff is not co-located and are deemed to be at arms length. Our initiative has Outreach workers onsite and acting as an essential part of the project, in assuming primary responsibility for safety planning with victims. This component makes the Waterloo region model unique and the only one of its kind in the world. From July 2006 to November 2006 there was an increase from 14 to 83 police referrals to the Outreach workers; of which safety planning for victims was completed. As a result of the workload pressures, an additional Outreach position was warranted.

This is the position for which funding is being requested from Zonta in this grant submission.

The silos of 20 years ago are being replaced with professionals who recognize the importance of collaboration, whose best interests are reflected in service delivery excellence for victims of domestic violence rather than self fulfilling objectives. This is the elevated, more effective adaptation of the women's movement. We are extremely proud to be the leaders in the province and sincerely hope that our efforts in collaboration will be eventually realized and shared by our sister shelters.