Shelter Resources by Topic
Access practical tools, guides, and learning resources to support shelters and transition houses in their day-to-day work, organized by topic. These tools draw on insights from our Communities of Practice (CoP) and other initiatives informed by the shelter sector.
A Circle of Safety is a trauma-informed, survivor-centred, collaborative approach to safety planning that brings together a survivor, service providers, and informal support networks to generate creative, holistic solutions for safety, originally developed by Justice Options for Women. From 2019-2024, Women’s Shelters Canada worked with Justice Options for Women to bring the Circles of Safety model to three shelters in rural, remote, Northern, and Indigenous communities.
Moving Towards a Harm Reduction Approach: Sharing Lessons from Women’s Shelters Canada’s Community of Practice on Harm Reduction and Lowering Barriers to Service at Domestic Violence Shelters/Transition Houses- Moving Towards a Harm Reduction Approach: Resource List
- Moving Towards a Harm Reduction Approach: Preparing for & Responding to Overdoses in Your Shelter
- A Balancing Act: Lowering Barriers While Ensuring Safety (webinar)
- Harm Reduction & Trauma-Informed Practice at VAW Shelters and Transition Houses (webinar)
- Pets and Mental Health in Women's Shelters and Transition Houses (webinar)
- Putting Harm Reduction into Practice at VAW Shelters/Transition Houses (webinar)
- Harm Reduction Webinar Series:
- Part 1: Promising Practices in Harm Reduction for VAW Shelters in Canada
- Part 2: Preventing, Preparing for, and Responding to Overdoses and Other Critical Incidents
- Part 3: Keeping Children (and Parents) Safe in the Context of Harm Reduction
Promising Responses to Women’s Housing Needs- Summary report on the Housing CoP
- Homelessness & VAW: Similarities, Silos, and Collaboration (webinar)
- Innovative Approaches to Transitional Housing for Survivors of VAW (webinar)
- Safe at Home: An Alternative Approach to Serving Families Experiencing Domestic Violence (webinar)
A list of promising practices for shelters that work with immigrant, refugee, and migrant survivors- A list of resources that shelter staff may find helpful as they support immigrant, refugee, and migrant survivors
- Calls to action for all levels of government, aimed at strengthening safety for refugee, migrant, and immigrant survivors of violence
Beyond Diversity & Inclusion Training: Anti-Racism in the VAW Sector (webinar)- Culturally-Relevant Services for Indigenous Survivors of Domestic Violence (webinar)
Changes to Divorce Act Part 1: Relocation of Children & Decision-Making for Kids (webinar)- Changes to Divorce Act Part 2: Parenting challenges for women with abusive ex-partners (webinar)
- Changes to the Divorce Act: Implications for Supporting Survivors of Domestic Violence (webinar)
- Managing Legal Bullying (webinar)
- Navigating Concurrent Legal Processes with Survivors of Domestic Violence (webinar)
Operations
- A Practical Guide for Second Stage Shelters
- Exploring Approaches to Second Stage Shelter in British Columbia and Quebec (webinar)
Building a New Shelter
- Introduction to the Development Process Part 1: Feasibility (webinar)
- You will learn about setting the vision for your project, who to hire on your team, selecting a site, conceptual drawings, and early financial analysis, among other topics. Feasibility is a critical time for you to determine if your project is viable. Click HERE for a PDF of the slide deck
- Introduction to the Development Process Part 2: Design & Development (webinar)
- You will learn about hiring the rest of the design team, acquiring a site, conducting site studies, designing your building, refining financial analysis, securing funding, and planning approvals, among other topics. During Design and Development, you will begin to see what your project is going to look like and how you will pay for it. Click HERE for a PDF of the slide deck
- Introduction to the Development Process Part 3: Construction & Operations (webinar)
- You will learn about construction administration activities, schedule and budget monitoring, funding advances, and preparing for operations. You will also learn about resident move-in, funding wrap-up, ongoing property management, and maintenance responsibilities. Click HERE for a PDF of the slide deck
- Common Affordable Housing Development Terms and Acronyms
- Confused by development jargon and acronyms you haven’t heard before? This document will help demystify the language used in the development sector.
- Creating a Project Vision
- Do you have an idea for a new development project, but don’t know where to start? Your first step should be to create a Project Vision. This resource provides further information on what a Project Vision is, why it’s important, and how to create one as an organization with an idea for a new project.
- Finding, Evaluating, & Securing Land
- Are you looking for the perfect site or piece of land to build your new project on? Check out this resource for information about the land acquisition process, including how to determine your organization’s site criteria, explore land donation options, engage a realtor, and evaluate a site before securing it.
- Ontario: Enbridge Gas Savings by Design Affordable Housing Program
- Are you a shelter organization in Ontario, doing new construction, and early in the development process? Consider participating in the Savings by Design Affordable Housing Program by Enbridge Gas to receive free design work to create a high-performing, energy-efficient project, and up to $1,000 per unit in financial incentives.
- External: BCSTH’s Women-Centred Housing Design Toolkit & Checklist
- Are you considering the design of your new project? The BC Society of Transition Houses (BCSTH) has created a toolkit of ideas for women-centred design guidelines to meet the needs of women and children fleeing violence. This valuable resource is extremely helpful at the beginning of your project, but has insights to consider at any stage.
- Template: Development Charge Waiver
- Is your municipality or local government charging development fees for your project? You can use this editable template to request them to waive any fees related to development to reduce the costs of your project. Examples of municipalities in urban and rural areas are included.
- Template: Terms of Reference for Capital Development Committees
- Are you planning to begin a new development project and would like to establish a capital development committee to help with guidance? Every committee needs a “rulebook” or Terms of Reference. You can use this editable template to outline your committee’s purpose, roles, and responsibilities. Further resources on this topic are available at the end of this document.
- Funding Capital Projects in the GBV Shelter Sector (webinar)
- An overview of different funding options available for capital projects, such as government, foundations, corporations, and individual donations.
A Model for Exchange and Implementation of Feminist Inclusive Service Practices (webinar)- Fundraising Webinar
- Getting Your Message Across: Engaging the Media on VAW (webinar)
- Position Your Website for Year-End Fundraising Success (webinar)
- Project Impact: Proving & Improving Impact in Alberta’s Women’s Shelters (webinar)
- Trauma-Informed Boards for Women’s Shelters and Transition Houses (webinar)
- Vicarious Resilience Workshop for Domestic Violence Shelter/Transition House Staff (webinar)
Community of Practice: Supporting Trans Women in VAW Shelters- Marginalized Genders and Inclusive GBA (webinar)
- Trans Inclusion and Gender Diversity at Domestic Violence Shelters (webinar)
- Case Studies:
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