Overview
We aim to bring trauma- and violence-informed physical activity into Interval House’s shelter and transition housing settings to support women, gender-diverse people, and their children affected by gender-based violence. Survivors of GBV often face depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, chronic pain, and major barriers to rebuilding their lives, especially when housing is unstable. In Ontario, shelters are increasingly serving as long-term housing, making recovery-oriented supports more urgent than ever. This campaign responds to that need by creating safe, accessible movement opportunities that promote healing, connection, and well-being during a critical period of transition.
The Background
We are working to make physical activity a meaningful part of recovery for survivors of gender-based violence. The program is designed to respond to the realities of trauma, housing instability, parenting stress, and service navigation, while offering a supportive space to rebuild confidence and reconnect with the body.
This initiative will also provide meaningful training opportunities for Carleton undergraduate and graduate students to work alongside Interval House staff and residents in co-creating programs and knowledge mobilization strategies. Through this collaborative approach, students will gain hands-on experience in community-based research while contributing to work that is responsive, respectful, and grounded in lived experience.
The Rollout
Funds will be used to support student training and delivery of trauma- and violence-informed programs. Students will employ arts-based evaluation to help participants express their experiences through body mapping and drawing; with consent, these creative outputs will inform a final commissioned artwork that turns participants’ lived experiences into a powerful tool for storytelling, awareness, and social justice. This artwork will be shared at Interval House’s annual gala, auctioned as a fundraiser for the shelter.
The Impact
Your support will help expand access to free, evidence-based programming that can improve well-being and strengthen recovery for survivors of GBV, supported by Carleton students. It will help create safer spaces for movement, build social connections, and reduce isolation during a time of profound instability. For shelters and transition housing programs, this means adding a practical, recovery-oriented service that complements existing supports. For survivors, it means having access to programming that supports both body and mind. For the community, it means investing in prevention, healing, and long-term well-being.