St. John’s Women’s Centre (SJWC)

Address: 170 Cashin Ave. Ext., St. John’s, NL A1E 3B6 

Mandate:

Working to achieve equality and justice through political activism, community collaboration and the creation of a safe and inclusive space for all women in the St. John’s area.

Target Population:

 All women.

Highlights of Programs/Services Offered:

Marguerite’s Place: From the comfort and safety of their own apartments, Marguerite’s Place assists women move toward independence. 

• Contact Nikki Browne for more information,
  • (709) 753-0220; nikki@sjwomenscentre.ca   
• Current housing services include:
  • 8 units open to women over the age of thirty who are not accompanied by dependents, and who are experiencing difficulty finding or maintaining housing due to circumstances in their lives or the complexity of their needs. 
  • Each self-contained apartment has its own bathroom and kitchen. A communal space invites connection and the chance to enjoy the company of neighbours. 
• The SJWC offers:
  • All programs are offered free of charge and women centered. For our monthly calendar of program events please visit https://sjwomenscentre.ca/programs/ 
  • Right Here Right Now: Individual, Drop-In Counselling Services for women and non-binary people (18 and over) in the St. John’s area.
  • Group Counselling – Support for Women who have experienced Intimate Partner Violence. 
  • Thursday Tea Time – Tea, coffee & light snack, connection with other women. Offered Bi-weekly on Thursdays
  • Lets Talk Series: Information Sessions and Workshops: the workshops offer an opportunity to engage and connect on a variety of topics affecting women’s lives. Zoom link will be sent out through email once you have registered.
  • Clothing Boutique & Personal Care Pantry: Our Clothing Boutique Program is available to any woman in the community and appointments are available monthly on Thursdays and Fridays. This program has been a great resource to women experiencing homelessness, living on fixed or low incomes, experiencing violence, or simply seeking something new to wear. 
  • Pre-Release Program at the Newfoundland and Labrador Correctional Centre for Women: Every five weeks, a staff member visits the Correctional Centre in Clarenville, Newfoundland (140 km west of St. John’s) as part of their pre-release process to talk about programs in the community. 
  • Holistic Programs: Offered seasonally in a variety of forms, yoga, mindfulness, arts and crafts. 

S.H.O.P. (Safe Harbour Outreach Project): The Safe Harbour Outreach Project (SHOP) is the only sex worker advocacy program in Newfoundland and Labrador. 

• SHOP’s mandate is to advocate for the human rights of all women who have engaged in sex work across our city and province, both on an individual and collective level. 
• One-on-one individual support, including home visits and accompaniments to appointments 
• Give out and deliver safer sex supplies and clean drug use supplies 
• Peer drop-in hours in our private, confidential space 
• Weekly community meal 
• Community Field trips
• Workshops and info sessions for sex workers 
• Street outreach 
• Health care supports 
• System navigation and referrals 
• Individual and community advocacy