About
Overview
Odyssey House is a non-profit organization and registered charity. We provide safe, secure, and supportive accommodation for women and their children who are victims of domestic violence, are in crisis, or in need of a housing alternative. Odyssey House is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
We accommodated 464 women and 217 children in our emergency shelter and 19 women and 33 children to our second-stage shelter during the fiscal 2016/2017 year. We took 3,370 calls to our crisis lines last year. Our trauma counsellors worked with 63 individuals from Dec 1 2016– March 31 2017. We delivered 199 Presentations to 2664 Participants. We held 130 outreach support groups with 1147 women. Our afterschool childcare program provided 1219 hours to 919 children. Our emergency Shelter has the second highest occupancy rate in Alberta for funded Women’s Shelters. (ACWS, 2009).
Our Services
Emergency Shelter
42 beds in a private, secure, welcoming facility. For women and children in need of short-term emergency accommodation.
Shelter
Serenity Place
An apartment building for women, with or without children, in need of safe, affordable housing and specialized programming.
Housing
Outreach Community Support
The healing journey can be long and difficult. It wasn’t made to be walked alone. Programs open to residential and outreach clients.
Outreach
Childcare Support
Get the help you need. After-school and respite care for children is provided for residents. Outreach clients can also access childcare during group support.
Childcare
Public Education
Community awareness is key to the prevention of family violence. Our Public Education Coordinator is active in the community, advocating healthy relationships.
EducationOur Mission & Vision
Our Vision
To help women and children break free from the cycle of family violence.
Our Mission
Everyone has the right to live with dignity, safety, and equality.
Guiding Beliefs
- Everyone has the right to a life free of violence.
- Women have the right to make choices in their own lives.
- The role of staff is to educate and empower clients to make choices and accept responsibility for those choices.
- Everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect.
- Everyone has the right to services that are delivered in a professional, nonjudgmental and sensitive manner considering diverse cultures.
- Every child has the right to live in a safe and protected environment which fosters optimum physical, cognitive, emotional, spiritual and social growth.
- We will recognize a family unit as it is defined by its members.
- All matters are considered confidential except where dictated by law.
- We endeavor to provide the best possible information and support available. This may include, but is not limited to, advocacy, referrals, resources, and case conferences.
- Services are delivered on a case by case basis, allowing for unique and/or specific client needs.
- Education regarding family violence and women’s issues is an effective, proactive form of prevention and empowerment.
- Survivors of family violence deserve support and information as they continue their “journey of healing”
Legal Registration
- Incorporation number: 50220615
- Registered Charity #: 129126462RR0001