History |
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The YWCA has been central to life of women in the north since 1966. From its modest start providing housing to single working women, YWCA Yellowknife has evolved to meet the needs of women and children - and the community itself.
YWCA Yellowknife milestones
1966 - YWCA Canada and YWCA Toronto answer a request from government to provide housing for a growing population of single, working women in Yellowknife. A local committee is struck to establish a YWCA in the Northwest Territories
1968 - The new YWCA Yellowknife opens the doors of a seven bed residence on Matonabee Street, and moves to larger locations in order to continue expanding.
1969 - YWCA opens its first summer camp for children (later taken over by the City).
1972 - YWCA opens first day care centre in the NWT in Yellowknife, and continues to expand child care spaces through the decade. These day cares lasted until preschool programs ended in the mid-1990
1974 - YWCA opens the first after-school program - at Mildred Hall School at the request of the school board. That program continues today at every school in the city, and in both French and English
1978 - YWCA Yellowknife expanded housing options yet again, by opening a large residence in Northern United Place.
1986 - The 12 bed Alison McAteer House is established and named after a former YWCA president and city councilor. YWCA Yellowknife opened its first group home for adults with disabilities who need support. A second group home for adults with disabilities was opened in 1991
1995 - YWCA Yellowknife closed its group homes and moved adults with disabilities into their own shared apartments. The YWCA continued to provide in-home support in a less restrictive environment.
1996 - The Alison McAteer House family violence shelter housed at NUP moved into a separate building, especially renovated to be a safe shelter for women and children.
1997 - YWCA Yellowknife moved out of Northern United Place to make way for the Aurora College campus. The transitional and emergency housing programs for families moved to the 39 suite Rockhill apartment complex on 54 Avenue where it continues to this day.
2003 - YWCA begins offering in-home support and outreach for people with chronic psychiatric illness. YWCA purchases the first of five homes for clients who need in-home support
2006 - YWCA offers first Power of Being a Girl Conference for girls ages 12-14 to build confidence and self-esteem.
2008 - YWCA partners with Taiga Adventure Camp to provide a summer camp for both pre-teen and teenage girls in Fort Smith.
2009 - YWCA begins offering GirlSpace to girls ages 8 to 13 afterschool. The program's goal is to empower girls.
Now in its fifth decade, YWCA Yellowknife continues to answer to the community's call for help by providing an array of services to women, children and families.
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YWCA Yellowknife Executive Director, Lyda Fuller, YWCA Toronto CEO Heather McGregor, YWCA Canada CEO Paulette Senior |
Former board member Esther Braden, and on the right is our first full-time executive director, Ruth Spence |
Vicki Tompkins, the Board President |