IWS Grant recipients strive to empower women in PEI

The Interministerial Women's Secretariat (IWS) is pleased to announce the recipients of this year’s IWS Grant Program. 

The IWS Grant Program supports and empowers women across Prince Edward Island by providing financial assistance for projects and initiatives that promote gender equality, women's empowerment, and advance women in society.

The program received an overwhelming response from organizations and community groups dedicated to championing women's rights and gender equity. After careful deliberation, 20 projects were approved for funding, a value of over $450,000.

“These projects represent a diverse range of initiatives aimed to address issues affecting women across the province. From educational programs and skills training to advocacy campaigns and community outreach efforts, each project demonstrates a commitment to advancing gender equality and creating a more inclusive and equitable society for all.”

- Minister of Education and Early Years and Minister responsible for the Status of Women, Natalie Jameson

"STEAM PEI is extremely pleased to receive a 2024 Grant from the Interministerial Women’s Secretariat to support our Girls GET Math after-school program. Parents have told us they saw significant boosts in their daughters' confidence and a broader understanding of math's real-world applications after taking part in the program. Witnessing these positive changes and fostering a resilient attitude in math is immensely rewarding. With this funding, we're looking forward to offering the Girls GET Math program to more PEI schools as well as continuing 'Subtract the Suck,' our web-based campaign aimed at improving perceptions towards math and demonstrating to Islanders of all ages the fun and essential role that math plays in daily life," said STEAM PEI's Director of English Programs, Phoenix Horrocks.

Media contact:
Autumn Tremere
Department of Education and Early Years
Interministerial Women’s Secretariat
agtremere@gov.pe.ca

Backgrounder

The following are the approved projects for the 2024 IWS Grant program:

Family Service PEI has been approved for $26,450 for the Women’s Financial Empowerment Initiative. This program supports the financial independence and empowerment for women and is inclusive of Two Spirit, trans, and non-binary peoples. Empowering women with financial independence, particularly following economic abuse or the end of a relationship, is a critical step toward helping them address financial challenges and to help rebuild their lives with confidence, knowledge and support. 
 
PEI Association for Community Living has been approved for $20,000. The focus of this project is to raise awareness about coercive control, providing an educational workshop, and creating resources specifically tailored to women with disabilities.

King’s Playhouse has been approved for $35,000. The Kings Playhouse project Front Row Centre Women’s Stories and Seminars will showcase empowering stories of women and girls while presenting practical workshops from PEI’s leading women’s organizations in their respective areas of expertise.

Native Council PEI has been approved for $75,000. This project will present supportive workshops for Indigenous women and girls to help them move forward in their lives, gain skills, and bolster confidence and identity.

East Prince Women’s Information Centre has been approved for $17,700 to provide a Girls Exploring Trades and Technology (GETT) camp for girls which introduces them to trades and technology and enhancing math skills.

Centre Goeland has been approved for $7,500 for a retreat filled with reflection, celebration, sharing, training and planning, that will culminate in an Angèle Arsenault tribute show featuring women, girls and non-binary artists from the community in collaboration with professional artist Jeanette Arsenault. Messages about women’s equality and the importance of well-being will be interwoven in the performances throughout the show.

PEI Coalition for Women in Government has been approved for $10,670 to fund a study to explore why women are still underrepresented in government in Prince Edward Island.

Early Childhood Development Association has been approved for $20,000 to host events and create a video that will showcase the growth and progress within the Early Learning and Childcare sector over the past 50 years.

Generation XX Summerside has been approved for $25,000 to addressing pressing issues concerning dating violence, gender stereotypes, sexual harassment, and to promote safe and healthy relationships among young people.

Trend Camp has been approved for $7,000 to provide a week-long camp opportunity for girls involved in hockey to focus on positive mental and physical health. The participants will be selected by Hockey PEI based on their hard work and leadership qualities.

Sierra Club Canada Foundation- Wild Child PEI has been approved for $15,000 to focus on STEAM education in the outdoors and to create opportunities to mentor youth and children to build both confidence and a foundation of STEAM learning. The goal is to foster youth who can thrive in the STEAM field.

Skills Canada PEI has been approved for $25,000 to increase their ability to offer diversity in all their programing and help to remove barriers that would prevent young women from ultimately finding gainful employment in trades and technology careers. This can be accomplished thought career exploration, Skills Canada Provincial Skills Competition, experiential learning, mentorship, and essential skills development.

Women’s Network PEI has been approved for $25,000. This project will create space for people to reconnect by setting up intergenerational meet ups for women and non-binary people across the province. 

STEAM PEI has been approved for $35,000 to offer the Girls GET Math program for students identifying as female in Grades 5 and 6 at six schools across PEI. Women continue to be under-represented in STEM fields, especially those subjects that are considered more math-intensive. 

Adventure Group PEI has been approved for $17,000 to create and deliver “G.L.O.W.” (Girls' Leadership & Opportunity Week), to provide opportunities for girls to build personal empowerment and leadership skills through adventure-based and experiential education activities.

PEI Business Women’s Association has been approved for $25,000 for the Charting the Future project that will help women in business understand and identify the current challenges they face in building and growing their businesses, and identify programs and supports to overcome the challenges.

Blooming House Shelter has been approved for $28,700 for the In Her Shoes Awareness Campaign to dispel the stigma surrounding homelessness.

PEI Soccer Association has been approved for $2,500 for the Advancement of Girls and Women in Soccer Project.

CHANCES has been approved for $10,500 for the Community Kitchen Program to address nutritional needs and promote healthy living within our community. This program aims to empower participants with essential nutrition education and practical cooking skills, fostering healthier lifestyles and stronger family well-being.

Muslim Society of Prince Edward Island has been approved for $25,000. The goal of this initiative is to implement a dynamic educational approach tailored to foster an environment where Muslim women can learn collaboratively. This approach will promote essential life skills such as communication, leadership, and teamwork and empower women to take charge of their educational experiences, paving the way for personal growth and collective success.