Programs & Services
Building Economic Self-Sufficiency (BESS)
Helping Women Thrive
We believe in listening to women and in offering innovative, dynamic programs to meet their unique needs. As detailed in an Interval House led study, Women survivors of intimate partner violence face a wide range of barriers that compound one another. The sheer number of barriers there are to overcome is a barrier in and of itself. We are here to help break down these barriers.
To truly break the cycle of violence, women need financial security, safe and affordable housing, and to believe in a brighter future. In our community, women escaping violence are empowered to leave violence behind forever.
About the Building Economic Self-Sufficiency (BESS) Program
Available to Interval House residents as well as other survivors of intimate partner violence living in the Greater Toronto Area, our BESS program connects women with the tools to rebuild and transform their lives after abuse.
Supporting Women at All Stages of the Healing Journey
By providing access to education, professional skills training, life skills workshops, financial and housing assistance, job opportunities, professional wardrobe options, and counselling, BESS helps set women at all stages of the healing journey on the path to living independently, safely, and comfortably.
The BESS counsellors and facilitators help each client tailor the program to their own needs for the best results and women take the modules that are relevant to them at their own pace.
Creating Balance, Connection, and Community
Because balance is important, we also arrange social gatherings to help facilitate community building that is so essential to a well-rounded life. Twice a year, we celebrate! Our holiday party and summer picnic both serve to bring past and present clients together to connect, unwind, and appreciate the journey to freedom they’ve taken.
Our Building Economic Self-Sufficiency services include:
BESS Counselling
Counsellors work one-on-one with clients to provide non-clinical counselling to address barriers standing between a survivor and their goals.
Workshops
Our BESS workshops are designed to tackle the specific challenges faced by women who have experienced intimate partner violence.
Employment
Our employment services are designed to address the unique barriers to employment that survivors of intimate partner violence encounter.
Housing Services
Our Housing team assists BESS clients with their complex housing needs. This includes helping them find subsidized housing, looking for private market housing, and other housing-related issues.
In addition to self-referrals, BESS welcomes referrals from other agencies working with women survivors of intimate partner abuse who are ready to make a change. For more information, you can email bess@intervalhouse.ca or call us at 416-924-1411 Ext. 279.
