United Way Regina looking to help potential victims of violence

The United Way Regina is working to more effectively aid potential victims of intimate partner violence after receiving $634,000 from the provincial government.

The money will go towards the 211 hotline and its new expansion Re:CONNECT. which is managed in partnership with Family Service Regina.

According to CEO Robyn Edwards-Bentz, the United Way is trying to create an opportunity for a “no wrong door” situation for those seeking help.

“When a caller comes to 211, they might have a range of issues that are active in their lives and they’re speaking to a very skilled service navigator that will help them sort through and find the best resources in their community,” Edwards-Bentz said at a media event Wednesday.

“It’s not a crisis service,” she explained. “It’s non-crisis, and it’s making sure that people know where to go. There’s so many available programs and services across the province, but where do you start? Where do you go to look for what you need?”

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211 Saskatchewan and Re:CONNECT can be reached by phone, text or online chat. Access to the services is offered throughout Saskatchewan in more than 175 languages – 17 of which are Indigenous.

The 211 website had 230,000 unique visits in 2023, according to Edwards-Bentz.

“(Those were) people looking for information, looking for help, and trying to find a way to find what they need,” she said.

Bronwyn Eyre, Saskatchewan’s justice minister, said the funding is one of the tools the government is using to address Saskatchewan’s leading rates of intimate partner violence.

Eyre touted the “non-judgmental” and “in-the-moment” support provided by the services.

“When people feel – at whatever point they’re at – that they need to reach out, they can,” Eyre said.

Eyre said the support offered by Re:CONNECT is free and immediate. On contact, 211 service navigators assess the needs of a caller and, if appropriate, connect them to Family Service Regina case workers who provide up to 30 minutes of intervention therapy.

After the session, Eyre said callers are referred to other relevant services or longer-term counselling.

“If you need support in the moment — whoever you are, wherever you are and whatever you’re facing – this is one tool at your disposal,” Eyre said.

“I think (it’s) a very important part of the overall picture in terms of addressing interpersonal violence and just struggles that people are finding themselves in.”