More women and families seeking specialized support for complex trauma can now access YWCA Edmonton’s Counselling Services when they need to, thanks to a $25,000 grant from the Bell Let’s Talk Community Fund.
“Every year, the number of people who come to our doors looking for help increases,” said Leslie Allen, CEO of YWCA Edmonton. “This grant from the Bell Let’s Talk Community Fund will help us increase our capacity, so we can serve more women and families, more quickly, and with the appropriate type of care and understanding that won’t risk re-traumatizing them.”
To reduce wait times, the YWCA has used the Bell Let’s Talk grant to hire an additional psychologist to provide counselling for our diverse and low-income clientele. This new resource will also be able to supervise graduate students on placement, resulting in an overall 60% increase in capacity, or an additional 240 additional people who turn to the YWCA for help in times of trauma.
“Bell Let’s Talk is pleased to enable YWCA Edmonton’s Counselling Services to help more women and families suffering from trauma,” said Mary Deacon, Chair of Bell Let’s Talk. “Having doubled the annual Bell Let’s Talk Community Fund to $2 million in 2018, we are helping 120 organizations in communities across Canada, like YWCA Edmonton, that are making a difference in the lives of people affected by mental illness.”
The YWCA offers open-ended, professional psychology services to 350-400 clients annually, many of whom are affected by mental illness as a result of violence or trauma.
Affordable counselling, particularly trauma-informed services, are especially limited in Edmonton. The YWCA is a recognized centre of best practices in trauma-informed counselling, offered to anyone on an affordable sliding fee scale to ensure the most vulnerable clients receive the intensive and specialized care they need, without cost being a barrier.
Bell Let’s Talk Day is January 30
The Bell Let’s Talk initiative promotes Canadian mental health with national awareness and anti-stigma campaigns like Bell Let’s Talk Day on January 30, and significant Bell funding of community care and access, research, and workplace leadership initiatives.
On Bell Let’s Talk Day, Bell will donate 5 cents to Canadian mental health programs for each of the following interactions, at no extra cost to participants:
- Talk: Every mobile call and every long distance call made by Bell wireless and phone customers
- Text: Every text message sent by Bell wireless customers
- Twitter: Every tweet and retweet using #BellLetsTalk, featuring the special Bell Let’s Talk emoji, and Bell Let’s Talk Day video view at Twitter.com/Bell_LetsTalk
- Facebook: Every view of the Bell Let’s Talk Day video at Facebook.com/BellLetsTalk and use of the Bell Let’s Talk frame
- Instagram: Every Bell Let’s Talk Day video view at Instagram.com/bell_letstalk
- Snapchat: Every use of the Bell Let’s Talk filter and video view
To learn more, please visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk.
