PROGRAMS

The Women’s Centre endeavours to provide support to all women regardless of age, cultural or socio economic background. We offer a great variety of programs in two different locations; Pointe-Claire and Pierrefonds-West.

Low Cost Programming

The Centre provides a wide variety of classes under the categories of personal development, wellness, and special interest. Subjects include fitness, arts and crafts, health, cooking, writing, parenting, yoga, mindfulness, and children’s classes.

Our funders allow us offer these classes at a low cost, and additionally, we are able to provide free childcare while mothers participate in their activity.

Women experiencing financial difficulty can participate in classes free of charge with a referral from a social worker or another community organization. Please contact the office for more information. All request will be handled confidentially.

Free Community Support Programs

Support Groups

The Women’s Centre’s support groups offer women the psychological and emotional support they need to take up a new challenge, handle a problem, or further develop as individuals. Participants share their experience, support each other, and receive information and advice.

Playgroups

Since October 2005, we have been offering Time for Two, an arts and crafts program for young families in the CLSC Lac St. Louis territory. The purpose of this activity is to break isolation and support all families.

Time for Two encourages a positive and joyful experience to share between mother and child. An additional benefit of the project is the opportunity for mothers to interact with each other and to have a very positive mother-child relationship. Mothers help to create an enriching environment in which their child can learn and grow. With the help of the instructor, they also learn to incorporate reading and art into their daily family life.

We now also have a duplicate program, Temps pour Deux, offered in the Pierrefonds/Sainte-Genevieve area.

Seminars

Free seminars are offered throughout the year. Topics range from the educational to the entertaining. Because they are free and open to the general public, our seminars are a great way to introduce a friend to the Centre. Registration is required. Free childcare for preschool-aged children is available, but you must register for this service in advance.

55 Up! Women’s Group

Geared towards our senior members the format for this group is social and conversational. Coffee, cake and an opportunity to chat all serve to break isolation. We also have facilitators leading crafts, or presenting on a topic of interest. Once per month we gather in the kitchen and make a meal which is donated to a local food security organization such as the West Island Mission.

New Connections

Located primarily in the north part of the West Island, this program serves women who have recently arrived in Canada and settled in our community. In addition, this free program is available for women who are experiencing employment insecurity and are looking for professional development opportunities. Topics include French and English conversation, joining the Quebec workforce, and learning about community services.

Teen Workshops (Paused)

The Women’s Centre offers three types of workshops for female adolescents in West Island Schools. They are Girls Online; Sex and Sexuality; and Self-Defence. Each workshop series consists of 2 to 6 one-hour workshops designed for Secondary I – III female teens.