Peers Opportunity Centre: Programs

Peers Opportunity Centre offers different types of programs such as:

• Think Straight: Examines thought processes, their origins, validity/usefulness, and provides participants with the skills and tools to change ineffective thinking and related behaviours. The curriculum includes the following topics: recognizing barriers to potential, communication, planning, motivation, relationships, and understanding the self.
• Dare to Dream—Employability and Computer Skills: Includes an examination of the employability issues related to exiting sex work; provides skills and tools for a smoother transition, and includes topics such as self-esteem, intimacy, isolation, independence, budgeting, transferable skills, resume writing, and interview skills.
• Understanding Abuse—Taking our Power Back: A group focused on recognizing abuse, violence and trauma, and their connection to addictions; provides participants with skills and tools for staying safe when trauma responses are triggered. Based on the “Seeking Safety Manual,” by Lisa Najivits.
  
• Employability and Computer Skills Groups: Includes an examination of the employability issues related to exiting sex work; provides skills and tools for a smoother transition, and includes a mentorship component.
• Counselling: A counsellor is available on site every Monday from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. to assist with addiction and other personal issues.
  
• One to one individualized support: Individualized service planning to best meet participants particular set of needs and barriers.
  
• Weekly "Beauty Day": Depending on volunteers available; we often offer free  haircuts, massage and manicures. Beauty day is always on Friday from 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. 

 These programs really help with the healing  process of many targeted women in our community.

Peers Opportunity Centre

For part of the Thinkery Project our group  visited the Peers Opportunity Centre in Victoria, BC which  provides support, resources, and programs specifically for past and current sex workers—any gender—as well as help with housing, training and volunteering opportunities, advocacy and public education around sexual exploitation and the issues of adult sex work.

"The Big Idea"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPfMRHzOzqo&feature=plcp

Why should I care?

As part of our Pl 10 Thinkery project, our group decided to look deeper into womens rights, more specifically, sex trade workers in Victoria, British Columbia. What words come to mind when you hear the term "prostitution"? Worthless, shameful, dirty, diseased, and waste are few. But these women are not worthless. They are women who find themselves in a difficult situation, women who need money fast. Even women who are abducted and forced into the trade. This is just another job to these struggling women, and our community is not helping by excluding them from the common society.

Because modern society turns a blind eye to these valuable women, Many can get away with mistreatment, abuse and taking advantage of what's not theirs. When you are working in the streets, danger of being raped, murdered or injured is increased by 60%. So why should we care? These women have put themselves in this position, right? No, many have not. You should care because just like you would grant someone the respect and help they need to overcome a drug addiction, you should treat sex workers no differently. These women are beaten, lied to, and many are homeless. They need support. If you can't help, then at least show to them respect. They are people, and no different then a cousin, a sister, or mother. So in this blog, the focus will be the protection for women on the streets, and helping them feel more accepted in their community, and ultimately... gaining their trust.