Venturous Counselling & Wellness

Are the forms used in your practice inclusive of various sexual orientations and gender identities (e.g., opportunities to fill in pronouns, etc.)?

—Yes

Do all individuals involved in the care of individuals accessing your services ask about pronouns and use them appropriately?

—Yes

Are you and your colleagues aware of what specific barriers may exist for trans individuals accessing your services? Please describe some of these below.

—Yes

Facing unequal access to bathrooms/locker rooms that aligns with gender; violence and bullying due to transphobia/anti-queerness; inappropriate and violating questions about sex life/genitalia; constant threat of being unaffirmed, ridiculed, and attacked; exclusion from gender specific services, etc.

Are you and your colleagues aware of what specific barriers may exist for Two-Spirit individuals accessing your services? Please describe some of these below.

—Yes

For two-spirit folks, violence is a constant part of life; the impact of colonization manifests itself also through forcing indigenous folks to adopt western/european models of gender and sexuality, amongst many others. The impact of the violence is rooted in a deep historical and current context (i.e. "corrective" rape). Two-spirit folks are generally still being understood through the lens of colonially defined models of SOGIE.

Are all individuals involved in the care of individuals accessing your services comfortable asking relevant questions about gender identity and sexual orientation?

—Yes

Are you and your colleagues aware of what specific barriers may exist for LGBQ individuals accessing your services? Please describe some of these below.

—Yes

heteronormativity is established as soon as individuals are born; burden of "coming out" rather than inviting in; having to justify the legitimacy of identity/sexual orientation and content with harmful sterotypes; the constant threat of violence; patriarchial views still inherent in the supports of LGBQ+ services; lack of representation contributes to risk of violence in relationships

Can you and your colleagues distinguish gender/identity dysphoria/distress from mental health conditions?

—Yes

Do all individuals involved in the care of individuals accessing your services receive specific training on cultural humility? Is yes, please type below how frequent this training is.

—Yes

Formal training: at least once a quarter if not more. We post and have discussions re: anti-oppressive practices at least once a month in our company slack channel.

Does your practice have gender-neutral washrooms?

—Yes

Are there clear anti-discrimination policies that include gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation in your organization or practice?

—Yes

Are all individuals involved in service provision actively engaged in decolonizing their practices and/or organization? If yes, please type below what actions you and/or your organization are taking.

—Yes

We have policies in place that make decolonizing practices and inclusivity the required norm for service provision. We also allocate our community-building initiatives funding to Indigenous organizing efforts. We also contribute 20% of all walk & talk service profits to Indigenous organizing efforts.

Are all individuals involved in service provision actively engaged in anti-racist practices, policies, and systems in their care model?

—Yes