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- Drop-In Centre/Wellness Clinic
- Counselling
- Health Support and Outreach
- Night Outreach
- Housing and Community Support
- Violence Prevention & Response
- Victoria’s “Bad Date & Aggressor” Sheet
- HUSTLE @ Peers
- Trans, Non-Binary, 2-Spirit Sex Workers Virtual Support Group
- Indoor Workers Dinner and Education Group
- Small Business Training Program
- The Jannit Rabinovitch Memorial Scholarship
- Public Education
- QomQem Coastal Connections
Drop-In Centre/Wellness Clinic:
The drop-in program provides daily lunch, educational workshops, recreational and social activities, a bi-weekly health clinic, access to harm reduction supplies and information, monthly legal support from a volunteer lawyer, support staff, computers, and a household and clothing room.
Location: #1-744 Fairview Road, Victoria
Email: dropin@peers.bc.ca
Phone: 250.388.5325 (ext. 1)
Hours: 11:30 am – 2:30 pm Tuesday to Thursday
Counselling
Health Support and Outreach:
Providing one to one support in the community, this outreach worker supports individuals to optimally access a range of health and allied services. In addition to supporting access to medical care, this worker also supports access to critical health enhancing resources such as housing, food security, income, and social support. This program is primarily aimed at those affected by communicable conditions (HIV/AIDS and HCV) and/or acute health care needs.
Email: health@peers.bc.ca
Phone: 250-514-2419
Hours: 11:00 am — 3:00 pm Monday to Wednesday
Night Outreach:
Night outreach is a community-based service located on the Victoria stroll. Each evening, two support staff deliver food, harm reduction supplies (e.g., needles, crack kits, and water), clothing, and other health and safety oriented information and supports from the Peers van.
Email: outreach@peers.bc.ca
Phone: 250.744.0171
Hours: 6:30 pm — 11:00 pm Daily
Housing and Community Support:
This program supports our clients in finding and keeping stable, affordable housing. Peers administers 14 small housing subsidies on behalf of BC Housing through this program, targeting in particular the clients who are leaving transitional shelter and ready to seek market housing. The Housing and Community Support worker also networks extensively with other community agencies who provide supported housing and emergency/transitional housing. This program is primarily aimed at those affected by chronic and episodic homelessness.
Email: housing@peers.bc.ca
Phone: 250.415.1874 OR 250.217.5436
Hours: 10:00 am — 3:00 pm Monday to Thursday
Violence Prevention & Response:
A program focusing on education and support services aimed to prevent/respond to violence, and increase access to support/justice services for people who have experienced harm.
Phone: 250.744.7690
Email: prevention.lead@peers.bc.ca
Victoria’s “Bad Date & Aggressor” Sheet:
Staff working across the above programs compile and distribute a “bad date” sheet and work with the Victoria Police in reporting violence against persons in the sex industry and to assist in follow up investigations and justice processes. To report a bad date, please contact any of the programs.
If you want to be added to the mailing list when our bad date/aggressor report is updated, please contact us.
Phone: 250.744.7690
Email: prevention.lead@peers.bc.ca
HUSTLE @ Peers:
HUSTLE @ Peers is a program for GBQ (Gay, Bi, Queer,) gender diverse, and masculine identified sex workers. We provide a bi-weekly drop in space with a hot meal, access to HIV and STBBI Testing, access to harm reduction supplies, and community referrals Tuesdays 5:30-7:30pm at our office.
On alternate Tuesdays we provide outreach to participants of the HUSTLE @ Peers program 2-5pm. 1:1 supports are available to HUSTLE @ Peers participants by reaching out to the program lead or HUSTLE @ Peers staff.
Email: remy@checkhimout.ca
Phone/text: 250-507-9141
Trans, Non-Binary, 2-Spirit Sex Workers Virtual Support Group:
A weekly Zoom based support group or 1:1 support meeting for people with experience in sex work who are 2-spirit, trans, non-binary, and/or intersex. This group meets to build community, and foster connections in a safe(r) and supportive space. We aim to create an inclusive environment where people can share their interests, passions, concerns, challenges, and identity. We also seek to connect participants with resources and supports as required.
Email: trans.support@peers.bc.ca
Phone: 250.388.5325 (ext.2)
Indoor Workers Dinner and Education Group:
A monthly dinner group for sex workers in independent and agency based indoor environments. This group meets to build community, share safety and advocacy concerns and solutions, and to gain access to key support providers in the community. Each month the group meets for dinner and one or two guest speakers representing local services (lawyers, police, members of government, tax and accounting specialists, health providers) chosen by the group attend and answer questions. For more information on joining this group, contact:
Email: indoorworkers@peers.bc.ca
Phone: 250.388.5325 (ext. 1)
Small Business Training Program:
The small business training offers basic credit and debt, tax, bookkeeping and budgeting skills. We cover math anxiety, sales and marketing, pricing and business planning. Past participants and local business owners will be guest speakers.
Upon completing the program you will have a business plan that can be used to apply for a Community Micro Loan and an understanding of how to do basic bookkeeping for yourself as a sole proprietor.
To participate please contact smallbusiness@peers.bc.ca
Classes begin October 11th 2018. The schedule includes meeting on Mondays (2:30 – 4:30) and Thursdays (2:30 – 4:30) until March 2019 with a break over Christmas. Snacks will be provided at each class. Coaching will be available as needed. Applications are available through our Drop-In Program or by contacting Julie, our program coordinator.
Program Lead Email: smallbusiness@peers.bc.ca
Administrator Email: admin@peers.bc.ca
Phone: 250.388.5325 (ext. 2)
The Jannit Rabinovitch Memorial Scholarship:
This scholarship is named after Jannit Rabinovitch, feminist and community activist, and one of the co-founders of Peers Victoria Resources Society in 1995. She continued to support Peers until the end of her life (2007). The scholarship provides funds to support *local* current and former sex workers to pursue education and job training. For more information about the application process:
Email: admin@peers.bc.ca
Phone: 250.388.5325 (ext. 2)
Public Education:
Peers’ staff deliver research and practice based public education to a variety of groups in the community.
Email: ed@peers.bc.ca
Phone: 250.388.5325 (ext. 7)
QomQem Coastal Connections was developed two years ago from the outreach and cultural support offered from Peers Indigenous Outreach. While providing encampment and basic needs outreach support, the Peers Indigenous Outreach team recognized the need to bring cultural connections and community-building to Indigenous folks living outdoors.
QomQem is a grassroots Indigenous-led outreach program that offers harm reduction and health care services to Indigenous peoples who are unhoused, precariously housed, and who may be using substances and/or alcohol. We welcome our relatives and allies from diverse backgrounds, sexualities, genders, abilities, beliefs, and identities. We offer Indigenous harm reduction, health and wellness, housing and food security, cultural support, and outreach. We work in collaboration with Peers’ Sacred program. Currently, we are a team of nearly 25 people. 11 peer responders, 9 coordinators, 2 elders, and 4 drummers that we call on for sharing medicine and cultural care.
Email: director@qomqem.com
