Past RIWC Projects
Past RIWC Projects
Past Projects
The following are a summary of past projects RIWC has successfully completed to support newcomer women and their families.
- Islamophobia Support Line (2022 to 2024) – In 2022, Riverdale Immigrant Women’s Centre (RIWC) was approved by Heritage Canada to deliver a 2-year Anti-Racism Action project (ARAP) to address Islamophobia in the Greater Toronto Area. Through the ARAP Program, RIWC aimed to create solutions at the community level to build on existing research and hate crime statistics, create innovative solutions to increase the safety and security of Muslim women and youth and work with local law enforcement, cultural groups and legal clinics to address systemic racism and religious discrimination. A total of 152 Muslim women and youth from across the Greater Toronto Area were supported through our support line, virtual peer support groups and individual crisis counselling.
- Empowering Women in Food (2018 to 2023) – Funded by the Department of Women and Gender Equality, we worked with a consortium of private sector partners to identify and address intersectional barriers that prevent women from achieving economic security within the food service and restaurant industry. During the project period, RIWC completed a GBA+ review of sector-specific barriers preventing women from achieving economic security. Based on our review, a Coordinated Action Plan was developed to address 3 key action areas. The Action Plan was implemented with 125 racialized and newcomer women participating in the development of new resource materials and sector-specific programming to improve the economic security of women in the sector.
- Development of Intercultural Intergenerational Resiliency Framework (2019 to 2020) – Funded by Heritage Canada, RIWC worked with a cross-section of stakeholders from immigrant, refugee and Indigenous communities to develop a new Intercultural Intergenerational Resiliency Framework (IIRF). Over the project period, RIWC worked with the Alliance for Intergenerational Resilience to build bridges between Canada’s First Nations communities and newcomers to Canada to promote intercultural understanding and increase awareness of Canada’s cultural diversity.
- A Place to Call Our Own (2017-2019) – this project addressed supportive housing needs for marginalized women by advocating for policy reforms, creating a safety and inclusion network to support women in their housing, and developing a women’s housing model to effect systemic change.
- Living Well Support Group (2015-2016) – RIWC developed and delivered an 8-week group program to provide a safe space for 14-20 women to share their concerns, get professional expertise and learn from their peers. Topics included stress management, safety planning and diabetes prevention.
- Women in the Garden Program (2014-2017) – RIWC worked in partnership with Regent Park Community Food Centre to provide hands-on training related to gardening and nutrition to improve women’s diet, promote healthier lifestyles, and improve knowledge of food security. At the end of the project, the women reported healthier lifestyles, improved diet and physical health and better knowledge of strategies to improve food security.
- Women for Health (2014-2015) – funded by Women’s College Hospital, this project introduced culturally relevant activities/interventions that would improve the overall health and well-being of the women. The program’s curriculum included health and diet focused workshops/demonstrations, group recreation/physical activities, and art therapy to improve the health outcomes of the South Asian community. – funded by Women’s College Hospital, this project introduced culturally relevant activities/interventions that would improve the overall health and well-being of the women. The program’s curriculum included health and diet focused workshops/demonstrations, group recreation/physical activities, and art therapy to improve the health outcomes of the South Asian community.
