Welcome to our Website
We are pleased to welcome you to our website. The CFFNOO is the only francophone organization in Northwestern Ontario providing services in French in the field of violence against women.
We offer a wide range of services which involve all aspects of intervention pertaining to the problems of sexual assault against women.
The CFFNOO has two locations: one in Thunder Bay to help serve the communities West of Thunder Bay as well as the communities on Hwy 17 East. The satellite office located in Geraldton will help serve the communities in the Municipality of Greenstone on Hwy 11.
OUR OFFICES
P.O. Box 21058
Thunder Bay, Ontario P7A 8A7
Telephone: 807-684-1955
Fax: 807-346-1220
admin@cffnoo.com
P.O. Box 1030
P.O. Box 1030
Geraldton, Ontario P0T 1M0
Telephone: 807-854-9001
Fax: 807-854-9021
MISSION
The Centre des Femmes Francophones du Nord-Ouest de l’Ontario (CFFNOO) is a non-profit community organization offering services to women 16 years old and over who have been sexually assaulted (Rape Crisis/Abuse Centre). Our mission is to work to end all forms of violence against women and to assert women’s rights and multiplicity of choices available to them. Furthermore, CFFNOO pursues the following goals:
- To offer essential services to women (and to their children);
- To offer a diversity of programs and support as needed, to French-speaking women;
- To develop and maintain local, regional and provicial partnerships;
- To promote the prevention of the violence against women and their children;
- To facilitate accessibility to services and programs to francophone women in areas without French Language Services in Northwestern Ontario.
Services that are available:
Counselling and Peer Support
Individual counselling and peer support services are offered by our staff to women 16 years and older, in order to help them respond to their individual situations. These services can be obtained on a one to one basis and/or through group sessions.
Accompaniment
Upon request staff or volunteers may accompany a client to places where other services are provided. These services may include hospital, police station, court services, medical and psychiatric clinics, abortion counselling services, AIDS clinics, immigration and housing programmes or other social services.
Practical Assistance
The Centre can provide assistance to women in crisis according to their individual need. Assistance may be provided in a variety of practical ways, including but not limited to the provision of clothing, transportation, childcare and food.
Information and Referral
The Centre maintains up-to-date resource materials and information in French on several topics and on community support services. These resources are available to women to do research, for personal reading or even to help another women in need. Free Internet access for women is available to those who cannot obtain this service elsewhere. The Centre also assists victims by coordinating referrals to other services.
Advocacy
Services are provied to assist women with medical, legal, and social services. Advocacy may include helping with correspondence, filling out forms, making calls on behalf of victims, and referring clients to various services or programmes.
Community Liaison/Development
The Centre participates in activities to build cooperative and mutually supportive relationships with other community groups and organizations. Community Liaison/Development activities may include networking, local protocols development, identification of gaps in service and active participation and involvement with local community and provincial coordinating committees.
Free lending library
Our Thunder Bay and Geraldton locations have many items in their lending library. This service is offered to any French speaking woman. We lend books, DVDs of movies and documentaries on several topics related to the prevention of violence.
Prevention Programs
Prevention programs are offered on a regular basis, such as: INTINCTS (self-defence classes), support groups for francophone women 65 and over, workshops on sexual assault in the workplace, workshops on judicial themes, as well as self esteem programmes for women and girls.
In addition, facilitators offer prevention workshops created by Centre ontarien de prévention des agressions (COPA), to students, parents and staff of the French language schools in North Western Ontario.
Volunteer training
Volunteers have the opportunity to develop their skills by taking free courses and training. Volunteer training focuses on personal development, skills, social commitment and community involvement. This program is the cornerstone of our Center.
Public Education
Public Education
The Centre offers educational activities directed at the general public. The purpose of public education is to provide information about sexual violence and other types of abuse and also aims to challenge the myths and misconceptions that exist in our society.