In Shelter Services

Rowan House Emergency Shelter is a small, short-term women’s emergency shelter located in the MD of Foothills. Our purpose is to provide a safe, supportive environment for women and their children fleeing domestic violence. We provide both residential and outreach services to families in need of support. In shelter support is available for women and children who find themselves in a crisis situation and in need of emergency housing.

The following residential services are provided to our clients:

• Lodging, food, & laundry facilities for women & children.
• Crisis counselling, intervention & solution-focused counselling.
• Community referrals.
• Court support as necessary.
• Advocacy to clients in all areas including housing, social services, child welfare.
• Follow-up service to our rural residential clients or email & phone support to clients who are not rural residents.

Outreach Services

The Outreach program is designed to address and meet the needs of women who have experienced abuse, are experiencing abuse, or are at risk of experiencing abuse, through one-on-one contact and support.

The Outreach program provides:

• Crisis counselling for pre-contemplative clients in a non-residential setting.
• Follow-up services to our rural residential clients.
• Support and referrals to assist clients in meeting instrumental needs.
• Court support as necessary.
• Advocacy to clients in all areas, including housing, social services, and child welfare.
• Solution-focused counselling to clients as needed.
• Support groups and education workshops when requested.

Clients need not reside at the shelter to access services from the Outreach Program. The Outreach Worker’s caseload is predominantly women in the community who are unwilling or unable to come into the shelter but require services to keep themselves and their children safe from abuse.

Children’s Programming

The best way to tackle violence and abuse in our families is to prevent it in the beginning. We know that familial abuse follows a generational cycle, often beginning with children witnessing abuse or experiencing abuse. In order to end the cycle, prevention and education must begin with the child. Through knowledge, education, and early intervention, Rowan House works to stop the cycle of abuse. This is accomplished through a program aimed at children who have witnessed abuse; educating and supporting both children and parent.

Branches Program - Public Awareness & Education

Education and awareness about the cycle of abuse, as well as the effects that abuse has upon families, are essential to our work at Rowan House Emergency Shelter. We continue to strive toward increasing our involvement with schools, community groups, agencies, and media in order to provide the best possible information and education with regard to family violence.

The Branches Program is a series of educational presentations that will cover the areas of family violence, dating violence/healthy relationships, bullying, and information about Rowan House and the services and programs we offer.

These presentations are free of charge and will be offered to all the communities within the area that Rowan House serves. The Branches program is available to schools, and community and service groups that would like to increase their knowledge and awareness about the issues around family violence.