Phase I: 2024-2025

Phase II: 2025-2026

The Circle of Women is a two-year program designed to develop and evaluate a promising approach to reducing and addressing gender-based violence. It focuses on the unique challenges newcomer women face in various areas of their lives, including employment, family, safety, social connections, legal issues, finances, and mental health.

This initiative is guided by a survivor-centered and trauma-informed framework. By equipping women with the necessary knowledge and skills, they are empowered to make informed decisions and access the support they need when they need it most.

Circle of Women seeks to promote a collaborative multi-stakeholder approach and directly engage with:

• Immigrant and migrant women

• Service-provider organizations (SPOs) and community partners

• Employers

The Circle of Women project will be conducted across four regions in Nova Scotia, where it will organize events, peer support groups, workshops and information-sharing sessions:

• Cape Breton

• Halifax Regional Municipality

• Annapolis Valley

• Truro

Phase I

Service Providing Organizations (SPOs)

During Phase 1 of the Circle of Women project, we will focus on meeting with Service Providing Organizations (SPOs) and community organizations to discuss our promising practices and how these may facilitate service provision to newcomer women.

During this time, we will collect valuable feedback to help drive the development and creation of useful service tools. This period will also focus on understanding how our promising practices fit into the context of Nova Scotia and our communities.

Immigrant and Migrant Women

The Immigrant Migrant Women’s Peer Support Group will begin in June 2024, with programming scheduled for major cities in each program region.

These sessions will provide a platform for women to share experiences, gain support, and build skills in a safe and empowering environment.

Nova Scotia Employers

Circle of Women will meet with employers to learn how we can create safer workspaces for newcomer women. Understanding the workplace challenges they face will help us tailor our practices and resources to ensure safer and more inclusive environments.

Join Our Advisory Group

We invite you to join our advisory group and be a vital part of our community! This is open to:

• Service Providing Organizations (SPOs) in the anti-violence sector

• Service Providing Organizations (SPOs) in the settlement sector

• Halifax Regional Police

• Im/migrant women

• Social workers

• Legal experts

• Nurses and health practitioners

• Policymakers

• Cultural Organizations

This is a flexible, monthly commitment that you can participate in from the comfort of your home, as all meetings will be virtual. By joining, you'll help us remain transparent and open to feedback, ensuring that our programs truly reflect the needs and voices of our community. Your insights and ideas are invaluable to us, and together, we can make a meaningful impact. Your voice matters—let's make it heard!

Follow this link to register