Frequently Asked Questions

The YWCA is not the YMCA and the two organizations are not affiliated in any way. Both the YMCA and YWCA were started in Calgary about the same time but we offer very different services. The YMCA is predominantly a recreation based organization with facilities all over the city. Our work is about domestic violence, homelessness, poverty and wellness.

It’s a complicated answer. Part of it reflects how we value family, what we teach children when they are young, the socialization of boys and girls and their roles with each other and in society. It hinges on respect.

In Alberta we have high rates of family break-down with high rates of alcohol; we have high stress in a market that is either a boom or bust economy. Within both economic situations we see peak demands for services. Alberta ranks second in Canada for instances of domestic violence.

Yes. The sad fact is that domestic violence is on the rise in our city. This growing trend produces severe strains to the services provided by the YWCA as well as the work we do in the community. The YWCA has also been negatively impacted by the recession through a decrease in charitable donations.

Donate! Support the families in desperate need and help break the cycle. Talk about it first, and then ask others to help.

Yes! Ongoing collaborations include relationships with Calgary Committee to End Homelessness, HomeFront and the Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters. A representative of our Board of Directors, Linda Mason, works as the YWCA representative with these organizations. We also work collaboratively with other local shelters when facilities at the YWCA or in other organizations reach capacity.

It’s part of our acronym; it’s part of our history. There is no religious connotation or requirement to our work and/or services. We are a multicultural, multidenominational organization for both our clients and staff.

The maximum length of stay is 21 days at the shelter due to Alberta provincial funding regulations; our crisis and transitional housing facility, YWCA Mary Dover House, can provide 4-6 month durations. Twenty-one days at the shelter facility is not long enough. Ideally, we would like to be in a position where our counsellors decide the appropriate time to move them out; however, there just aren’t enough shelter beds and the government restrictions apply.

The number one reason a woman returns to the shelter is because of a lack of affordable housing. If we had sufficient financial support it would be easier to break the cycle. An investment in YWCA programs and facilities can result in cost savings in other areas such as police services by avoiding the call to the police, emergency and hospital services by not using a bed or ambulance in extreme times of need etc. Tax payers can save $2.71 for every dollar invested with us.

To help education the public in the need for and the work of YWCA we hold and participate in community events, which respond to the issues in the community and current news articles. YWCA staff, board, corporate and community partners participate in media inquiries, speak at events and United Way functions, as well as connect and collaborate with other charitable service organizations. Through media and events like, Keep the Roof, we bring awareness to Calgarians and educate them in the reality and necessity of the work we do.

The YWCA operates an early intervention group counselling program for children, “Families & Schools Stopping Abuse,” in five designated elementary schools in the Calgary area. In addition to the school programs the YWCA offers many community-based programs to assist all ages in learning about and combating family violence.

Most donated materials are not appropriate for our clients and difficult to administer. YWCA works with other service organizations to assist women and their families as needed.

Domestic violence is not exclusive to one socio-economic class, it crosses all ethnic, religious and economic boundaries.

The bulk of our $15-16,000,000 operating expenses are salary related. We have 350 dedicated staff across the organization. It is not a well paid industry.

46% of our funding comes from the government; however, it is highly restrictive and unavailable for other priority needs if a situation arises.

This chart represents our fund development requirements.

The YWCA of Calgary employs about 350 staff members and currently works with 450 volunteers.

The YWCA of Calgary's signature fundraising events are the “RBC Keep a Roof Over Their Heads" and “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes”.
 
However, many organizations have affiliated with the YWCA of Calgary as a charity of choice and hold special events in support of our facilities and programs. If you know organizations interested in participating or are at events which have not picked a charity, you can say “we would love this initiative to be an event that supports the YWCA and women and children in need.” You can also ask them to call Diane Westlake, Donor Relations Officer at (403) 262-0475 or e-mail dwestlake@ywcaofcalgary.com

The YWCA of Calgary is a member of YWCA Canada, which in turns holds a membership in the World YWCA. There are 33 YWCAs across Canada operating in more than 400 districts and communities. On the international stage, the YWCA operates in 125 countries, advocating for peace, justice, health, human dignity, freedom and care of environment. The World YWCA been at the forefront of raising the status of women since it was founded in 1855. Each year, the World YWCA reaches more than 25 million women and girls through work in 22,000 communities.

Child care is a national platform for YWCA; we are committed to the fact it needs to be affordable and accessible, and that quality child care is available for every woman who needs it, regardless of her income. It is a significant barrier to the independence of women, to women participating as contributing members in our community, to gaining and keeping a job. Child care should not be restricted to only those who can afford it.

No. Our primary audience is women and children, but we also serve men, so we are not exclusive to one gender. We service all family members but we start with the woman. We serve men in various areas of the organization, in our skills program, men perpetrators, and of course boys, across the whole organization. We don’t house men, but we do provide counselling and training for them.

The YWCA of Calgary and Vermilion Energy Trust have partnered to offer skills training that end up in a career, not simply minimum wage positions. We are looking for career opportunities, training and skills development that will move women out of poverty. A primary objective is to get women beyond the living wage or the poverty line, which the Province of Alberta classifies as between $12,000-$13,000 a year. 

The YWCA provides services in four key areas: domestic violence, homelessness, poverty and community wellness. Services include, but are not limited to, the following: crisis and emergency shelters; counselling and follow-up programs; parenting programs; outreach programs; trauma therapy; community awareness programs; English as a Second Language (ESL) programs; skills training and career development opportunities; and health, wellness and fitness instruction and subsidy programs to name a few.