Mission Philosophy

Mission Statement
SANDGATE, WOMEN'S SHELTER OF YORK REGION INC. IS DEDICATED TO PROVIDING ALL PERSONS WHO IDENTIFY AS WOMEN AND THEIR CHILDREN SHELTER, SUPPORT AND INFORMATION SO THEY CAN TAKE STEPS TOWARDS ENDING ABUSE IN THEIR LIVES.

Statement Of Philosophy
For generations, women have experienced personal, social, and institutional abuse, discrimination, and oppression. Women often receive less education, have

less access to information, earn less money and have less input into government. Women are disadvantaged as a group and disempowered individually. The personal and social context of each woman’s life will influence, if not determine, the particular barriers and disadvantages she faces throughout her life. This worldview is based on the belief that men are superior to women. It promotes a pattern of male aggression and female submission.

Violence against women and children reflects and reinforces the power imbalance between men and women. It is an expression of women's disadvantaged status and a coercive tool used to ensure its perpetuation.

Violence serves to control women and protect male power, as evidenced by the fact that the overwhelming majority of victims are women while offenders/perpetrators are most often, though not exclusively, men.

History and Profile

Sandgate Women’s Shelter of York Region Inc. was founded in 1992 by a group of concerned citizens called Committee Against Domestic Abuse (CADA) through the support of the Georgina Community Resource Centre.

CADA was responding to a community need prompted by a high number of violence against women related deaths in Georgina. The shelter got the name Sandgate, following a community call for suggestions. The original building was called Westgate Lodge. Ellen Sands was the last woman killed in Keswick as a result of domestic violence prior to the opening of the shelter. To remember her and to continue the struggle to end violence against women, Sandgate was born. The house opened as a ten bed emergency shelter for women and their children fleeing abusive situations. The building was purchased with funds from the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). In addition to emergency housing, the shelter also offered a 24 hour crisis line. The shelter began as a grassroots organization working from a feminist perspective. This was formalized in 1994

Over the past several years Sandgate has grown considerably and gone through many transformations. These transformations have included:

- An expansion of emergency beds from 10 to 30 and the addition of a shelter in Richmond Hill.

- Enhancement of community programs offering both outreach and transitional support in Keswick and Markham offices.

- The creation of a program for children who have been exposed to violence against women called "Let's Talk".

- Extensive building renovations to improve the spaces and add much needed Second Stage housing.

- Creation of a volunteer program.

- Increased service provision from one site in Georgina to 4 distinct locations, all providing service.

By far the most significant transformation of the organization has been the development of the agency into a leader in the community as a feminist, anti-violence, anti-oppression organization. Today, Sandgate Women's Shelter of York Region is a feminist-based organization committed to equity/diversity in meeting the needs of women who are experiencing violence in their lives. It is an equity-seeking organization that strives to meet the needs of all women in an inclusive and respectful manner.

Purpose - Beliefs - Aims

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
THE WOMEN'S SHELTER OF YORK REGION INC. IS MANDATED TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO WOMEN (WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED VIOLENCE) AND THEIR CHILDREN IN AND AROUND YORK REGION.

Women’s Shelter of York Region Inc. will:
1. Provide emergency, crisis, and short term supportive counseling, information, and referral services, and practical assistance to women and children.
2. Provide secure emergency shelter to women and children.
3. Promote the establishment and maintenance of respectful, welcoming, non-violent environments at all its facilities.
4. Advocate on behalf of individual women and children.
5. Organize, participate in, and/or support community events and public education initiatives designed to increase individual and community awareness of issues relating to violence against women and children.
6. Advocate for social change which will promote equality for all persons and contribute to the eradication of violence against women and children.
7. The Women’s Shelter of York Region Inc. is a not-for-profit, charitable organization. The services provided by Sandgate are available to women and their children residing in and around York Region with priority attention to:
- women who have experienced violence and their children
- and women residing in our immediate geographical area and their children
8. The Women’s Shelter of York Region Inc. is a feminist organization. Specifically, the organization is women-led and dedicated to providing services for women, by women, within an environment that facilitates empowerment and choice. The agency adopts and promotes a feminist analysis of violence against women.


BELIEFS AND AIMS
The following beliefs and aims shall inform and guide all aspects of the agency’s functioning.

We Believe That:
1. We are part of the global community of women.
2. When working for equality for women, we are working for equality for all.
3. All persons have the right to lives free from the presence and threat of violence.
4. All persons have the right to safe, affordable housing.
5. Violence against women and children is a criminal offence which crosses all economic, social, religious, and cultural boundaries. Individual perpetrators of such violence must be held accountable for their actions, regardless of the location of the violence or the identity of the offender. Legal institutions must actively contribute to the elimination of violence against women and children.
6. Violence against women is a socio-political issue. All persons living within our local, national, and international communities share responsibility for ending this violence.
7. Women have the right and ability to be in control of their lives, to make their own choices, and to select and choose the specific services and programs which best meet their needs and the needs of their children. The choices women make become increasingly more informed as women demand and gain access to the information, education, and resources which have traditionally been denied to them.
8. Women have the right to make independent choices and decisions about their lives and the services they receive, and we have a responsibility to respect choices made by women.
9. Services for women who have experienced violence, including but not limited to emergency shelter and supportive counseling, should be available free of charge.
10. Witnessing violence against women and/or experiencing violence as a child endangers the physical and emotional well being of children and serves to perpetuate inter-generational violence. Children who witness or experience violence have the right to receive the specialized support and services they need to address their unique needs and deal with their life situation.
11. We have a responsibility to access and use financial and human resources that reflect and are compatible with the Philosophy, Mission Statement, and Beliefs and Aims of the Corporation..
12. Our services will be women and children focused and delivered in a non-judgmental, respectful, supportive, and empowering way.
13. We will accept assistance and contributions from sources that are consistent with our Mission Statement and Philosophy.

We Aim To:
1. Provide services to women in and around York Region in a consistent, supportive, and respectful manner, with special attention to abused women and their children, including but not necessarily limited to:
- Secure emergency shelter
- Community-based, on-site, and telephone services, including crisis, emergency, and/or short term counseling, information, referral, and personal advocacy services
- Practical support and assistance.
2. Contribute to the creation of new options and choices for women and their children by advocating for necessary and effective change within government policies and priorities, legal institutions, and social and medical services
3. To assist women in their efforts to explore available options in a manner which promotes and supports personal empowerment, independence, and autonomy.
4. Recognize and respond to the unique and special needs of children who have witnessed violence against women.
5. Ensure that our properties and services are physically, geographically, linguistically, culturally, and financially accessible to women and their children.
6. Work cooperatively, share information, resources, and expertise, establish effective partnerships, and support joint initiatives with other agencies and organizations which respect and support the philosophy, Mission Statement, and Beliefs and Aims of Women’s Shelter of York Region Inc.
7. Educate the public about violence against women and children.
8. Provide meaningful opportunities for individuals and groups to support the philosophy, mandate, and values of Women’s Shelter of York Region Inc. through volunteer activities, financial contributions, and/or in kind donations.

Sandgate is an equity-seeking organization that strives to meet the needs of all abused women and their children in an inclusive and respectful manner.

Copyright © 2010 Sandgate Women's Shelter of York Region Inc. All rights reserved.