Women’s Employment Development Program (WED)

The Women’s Employment Development Program (WED) has now finished its ninth year. WED is a six-week course designed for women that are on social assistance, have been out of the workforce or need assistance in identifying their skills and abilities. WED is an intensive program dealing with topics such as self esteem, assertiveness, decision making, job search techniques, labour market research  and action planning. In addition, the WED program uses vocational testing to help women plan their next steps.

Before participants leave the WED program, they will have an action plan detailing the steps they will need to take to achieve their goals. For some women, this means continuing on to upgrading while other women move on to computer training or other types of skill training.

Preparing For Change

The Preparing For Change program is about assessing our own lives and integrating and balancing this with effective support and skill that will help resolve the issues leading to unhappiness. Some of us come to a point in our lives where we know we can go no further yet we do not know how to identify the steps necessary to lead to eventual change. The best way to predict the future is to create it ourselves. Preparing For Change is a program focusing on taking control of our lives and creating our own futures through finding the power within each of us. The program uses the strength of a supportive group setting to help participants identify problems and to take action. It is about sharing information and developing new skills, forming new friendships and developing new ways of seeing the totality of events that have helped to shape who we are as individuals. It is about helping women make changes.

This seven week program meets in communities across Toronto. Information sharing, group support, and confidence building are used to help women of all ages set realistic goals which enable them to go on to educational upgrading, training, and active involvement in their community program.

Women Under Stress

The Women Under Stress program offers an alternative to the traditional mental health approach to women living in stressful life situations. Women learn to manage their stress in their lives in a free 9 week program which meets 2 mornings per week. Working in small groups, women share experiences, receive information and support, and develop strategies to cope under pressure. They learn about helpful resources and gain support from other group members to assist them to make positive life changes and avoid (re)hospitalization. The program is open to all women, and free childcare and transit fare are provided.