Pathways | WISH Drop-In Programs - Supports for female street-based sex workers

WISH Drop-In Programs - Supports for female street-based sex workers

Employment, Food, Healthcare Providers, Indigenous Services, and Victim Services

Provided by WISH Drop-In Centre Society

Offers numerous programs such as music therapy, supportive employment, and group therapy sessions, to improve the health, safety and well-being of female street-based sex workers.

WISH works to improve the health, safety and well-being of women who are involved in Vancouver’s street-based sex trade. They offer numerous programs such as

Music Therapy:

Song-Sharing Circles, where women share songs of strength or hope;
Drumming Groups, where the use of drums might ground participants and offer strong group connection, in partnership with our Aboriginal Health and Safety Program;
Song-Writing Support, where participants can receive support with songwriting skills and have access to basic recording equipment to record the song on-site;
Relaxation Groups, where participants can come rest and re-centre with the use of resonant instruments and basic mindfulness;
Jams, where participants might want to try playing an instrument she has never had access to in past, and where participants join together in music-making.

Supportive Employment Program: Provides women with opportunities to develop skills, experience, and confidence within a safe working environment at WISH.

Aboriginal Culture and Creativity Program: In this daytime program, a core group of 8-10 women meet twice weekly and engage in hands-on traditional art activities, learn cultural practices and participate in health and wellness-themed workshops.

Individualized Support: The AHSP Coordinator, who is an indigenous woman, offers culturally-safe support for Aboriginal participants. She builds trust with indigenous women who have experienced trauma related to colonization and the residential school experience, in addition to the violence they face on the streets. She has ‘office hours’ in the WISH Drop-In Centre twice a week and makes appointments with women outside these times as well. Her services include help with housing, navigating the court system and filling out forms for ID.

Transitions: Transitions project supports women in moving to safer sex work, or to reduce their reliance on sex work, or to eventually exiting altogether. Transitions support participants by maintaining sustained involvement while they work towards achieving their goals and work with women to feel safe, healthy and independent. Support provided involves four key areas: Individual support and assistance, including housing, detox, legal issues, and mental health/health services access; Employment and pre-employment support; Cultural support and social/creative activities, and Education/training support.

Health Clinic: WISH Health Clinic is on-site within the WISH Drop-In Centre, staffed by Nurse Practitioners from BC Women’s Hospital and Health Centre twice a week. The clinic provides care to street-based sex workers who require regular health care, but often face barriers to access, including a feeling of judgement and stigma from healthcare professionals, not feeling safe in local clinics or potentially seeing dealers or abusive male partners in traditional healthcare spaces.

The WISH Drop-In Centre The centre is open from 6:00 PM. – 12 Noon. 18 hours per day, 365 days a year. It is a safe, low-barrier place off the street where women can find: