Emergency Shelter
We have a short term emergency shelter to accommodate women and children in need, whether they are fleeing an abusive relationship or find themselves in a housing emergency or other crisis situation.
The ten bed shelter opened in 1984 to provide temporary safe accommodation for women 16 years of age and over with or without children in crisis. Women and their dependents in need of shelter and service are our main priority within the Residential Shelter Program.
New Provincial Program Standards were introduced in 2015 and the guiding principles include:
Guiding Principles for VAW Emergency Shelter Standards
All women, with or without dependents, who experience violence and/or abuse will be provided access to emergency shelter services, regardless of their ability, race, sexual orientation, political or religious beliefs, ethno-cultural background, first nation, Métis, or Inuit identity, or whether they identify as two-spirited, cisgender or transgender women.
All women and their dependents are provided access to emergency shelter services, including but not limited to women with mental health needs or who use substances.
Shelters are committed to reducing barriers that may impact women and dependents accessing shelter services.
Shelter services are respectful to the diversity of women and dependents, and are provided in an inclusive environment, free of discrimination and harassment.
Women’s lived experiences are valued and taken into consideration in the delivery of shelter services.
Crisis Support
If women or children are in need of support or are experiencing a crisis, we have a toll free number that they can call 24 hours a day (1-888-871-9090). Our staff are supportive and can provide an array of resource information and/or referrals.
Pavilion Women’s Centre provides supportive counselling, both individually and in groups, accompaniment, information, referral and advocacy for women and children living in the community. Transportation assistance may be available if needed. The goal of the program is to assist women to navigate through complex service systems and to support women who are struggling with a varity of issues such as violence, housing, education, self-esteem, employment and more. Staff are also available to provide accompaniment to appointments such as court appearances, lawyer appointments, police, etc. Our approach is woman-centred, trauma-informed and focuses on empowering women.
Transitional and Housing Support
The Transitional and Housing Support Program offers short-term support services and advocacy to women as they establish violence free lives, in the community. Working closely with housing agencies, landlords and other social services the goal is to assist women with their self-identified goals.
Sexual Assault Program
The aim of this program are to provide individual and group counselling to survivors of sexual assault who are 16 years of age and older. Through counselling, women are able to explore their past and present abuse. In addition, we offer supportive counselling for those dealing with recent assaults. Within this program, our workers provide education to the community about sexual assault in a safe and trauma-informed way.
The Pavilion Women’s Centre offers a support program for adult survivors of recent or historical sexual assault/abuse that includes individual and group counseling as well as public education.
Child Witness Program
We offer support for children and their mothers who experience or witness violence both when they enter the shelter, and on an outreach basis. Our Changing Patterns Child Witness Group supports children who have been exposed to domestic violence.
This psychoeducational group program is for children who have witnessed violence or abuse against their mothers. Children and adolescents, aged 4 to 16, meet in small age-appropriate groups to discuss the impact of the abuse they witnessed against their mother. Mothers attend separate sessions to address the impact of abuse on their children and themselves.
Outreach Programs
Pavilion provides outreach services for women in the community dealing with issues or as a follow up for women who have left the shelter. Outreach workers provide supportive counselling to women (16+) struggling with a variety of issues including: employment, housing, education, self esteem and domestic violence. In addition, they are available to provide in-service training or presentations on a variety of topics. Our Workers provide accompaniment to appointments such as court appearances, lawyer, police, etc.
Public Education Projects
We educate the public through different campaigns, such as International Women’s Day and International Day of the Child, May-Sexual Assault Prevention Month, June-elder Abuse Prevention and Awareness, November-Domestic Violence Prevention and a recognition event to honor the women who lost their lives in the Montreal Massacre.