Intersectional Policies and Services

Blueprint Project Update – July 2022

One of the 4 pillars of The Blueprint Project is the development of intersectional policies and service provisions for survivors of domestic violence, through combined local expertise and evidence-informed tools and practices. Acknowledging communities that may experience increased risks and rates of violence coupled with service barriers and gaps, the Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters (ACWS) embedded Communities of Practice (CoP) within the Blueprint Project to ensure intersectionality, representation, and consistency across all components of the Project. The CoPs were conceptualized with agencies and practitioners to test the versions of the Blueprint, assessment tools, and processes throughout the lifespan of the Project and beyond.  

The Blueprint Project supports 1) a 2SLGBTQ+ CoP, and newly formed 2) an Indigenous, and 3) a Newcomer, Immigrant and Refugee CoP. The Communities are comprised of people from across the province who identify as a member of the community/(ies) and of service providers who are at various stages of awareness, knowledge and policy development in furthering inclusion and service provision for community members who have experienced domestic violence. 

The CoPs will engage with project partners who will contribute to the development of the assessment process, protocol, and tools, and will help train front-line staff in the use and implementation of the assessment protocols and tools. The CoPs will collaborate to identify and address gaps experienced by 2SLGBTQ+ people, Indigenous, and Immigrant, Newcomer, and Refugee women impacted by domestic violence, for the purpose of supporting safe and inclusive wraparound services.  

The CoP are intraprovincial and interagency in scope, uniting people working to address violence, including prevention, responses, and support services, with particular focus on domestic violence and gendered services. Along with supporting the research of the Blueprint Project, CoP also connect folks who may otherwise not be connected, engage in emerging topics related to community members, and support the enhancement of intersectional policies and services to better support diverse survivors of domestic violence throughout Alberta. 

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