Due to a change in its funding model, Trans qathet is undergoing operational changes. The peer support organization offers support to the region’s transgender community and beyond, as well as trans-specific resources, medical navigation and education. It will now be scaling back program hours at its resource centre in Town Centre Mall, according to a media release.
“We’re still here and our purpose and function for the community is not changing,” stated Trans qathet board member Laurance Playford-Beaudet, in the release. “Right now, we are transitioning from 50 staff hours a week to just eight hours, with greater dependency on our volunteer team. This reduction in paid hours is a strategy to allow us to continue operating as a peer support resource over a longer period, on a much smaller budget.”
Trans qathet was founded in 2021 to provide peer-to-peer support for gender diverse and trans people, and their allies. The group, which receives core funding from TransCareBC and has been receiving in-kind organizational support from Lift Community Services, provides drop-in supports and programs, as well as education and training workshops locally and province-wide.
Playford-Beaudet stated that the group is now registered as its own incorporated society to develop a sustainable model in hopes of continuing to grow capacity for the future.
“We’re grateful to Lift for founding the program, and now we’re ready to explore new funding and partnership models for ongoing success,” added Playford-Beaudet. “We know this service is essential to the community, as we connect with 10-plus people daily at the centre and receive a large volume of requests every day for support.”
For more information, go to transqathet.ca.
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