Skip to content

PROGRAMS AND SERVICES 

This website gives general information about our main offerings.

We provide structured and seasonal programming to support women and gender-diverse people from communities facing systemic barriers to equity. It includes advocacy, development and skills-building programs, peer support, referrals, and low-barrier services to help our communities move forward.

Services are free for eligible members within our priority communities. Our work centres the rights, access, and unique needs of women and gender-diverse people.
Connect with us to learn more about GOOD TO BE GOOD, receive assistance in navigating available options, or discover which program is best for you.

Due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, we provide services and programs online and select in-person.

Click “LEARN MORE” to find out more information about each program.

EMPOWERING CARE PROGRAM

We offer practical support through our Empowering Care Program (ECP). This humanitarian relief-based program provides direct assistance to women*, girls, and gender-diverse individuals experiencing the impacts of gender-based violence, systemic racism, and institutional barriers hindering justice, dignity, and basic rights, and who need urgent survival support. The supports from this program are intended to provide participants (community members receiving support) with immediate relief for their basic costs of living, to provide a sense of security, and to invest in their well-being and safety on their terms.

The program aims to address immediate community needs, deploying aid strategies while fostering a safe environment for women and gender-diverse individuals to seek the support they need and deserve. 

We are dedicated to ensuring that women and gender-diverse individuals—who often encounter unfair barriers and inequalities—have access to the resources, opportunities, referrals, and support they need. Our approach is personalized to unique situations, rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all solution for all. We believe people are best placed to determine the support they need. That’s why we emphasize the importance of centring community member needs and respecting their self-determination by providing support unconditionally.

Please note that this program has a waitlist and an application doesn’t automatically guarantee supports. GOOD TO BE GOOD actively expands financial resources, which means we can only support some applications. All completed applications are processed and reviewed by the program team. If we cannot confirm assistance from the first application submission, we will automatically put it on our waitlist for the next round of emergency and relief supports. We encourage you to visit our Resources webpage for additional help. As we grow, we hope to consistently support more community members through this program. Financial assistance will not be provided to applicants with reasonable financial means or access to sufficient housing and income. 

 

The Empowering Care Program addresses the immediate basic needs of community members, aiming to help them maintain their safety and agency, and invest in their well-being and development on their own terms. This program is intended to provide community members with humanitarian relief and a boost of investment into their well-being in a dignified manner. We aim to reduce barriers when accessing support and empower women and gender-diverse people to build safe, thriving livelihoods. We employ trauma-informed and anti-oppressive care when centring voices and experiences within communities. This program supports basic needs and fundamental rights through advocacy, awareness, and mobilizing and re-distribution of resources—we view this as an investment in realizing gender equity.  

 

The Empowering Care Program is offered on case-by-case basis to supplement basic needs considered as an emergency need. We prioritize applications from individuals who are part of our priority communities, such as those identifying as Black, Indigenous, Person of Colour, racialized, women, girls, young women, and gender-diverse people who are experiencing violence or abuse, unstable or precarious housing, low-income, intersection with the criminal justice system, chronic health conditions or disabilities, immigration and migration challenges, unemployment or underemployment, and lack of access to healthcare and support systems. Applications are prioritized based on needs, urgency, and/or income status. If you apply to the program and are under the age of 18 years, you must apply with a guardian, parent, carer, or referral. 

 

Empowering Care emergency and relief essential supports can include:

  • Transportation expenses
  • Phone or internet connection
  • Gift cards for necessities
  • Menstrual and wellness products
  • Transportation costs  
  • Essential expenses related to leaving violence 
  • Expenses related to attaining permanent resident status or Canadian citizenship
  • Financial assistance for reproductive or gender-affirming care health services
  • Emergency housing and resource planning for survivors of abuse
  • Case management for community members including providing referrals, information, advocacy, and wraparound support
  • 1:1 Peer Support Counselling 

 

Outreach services can also be delivered to partnering agencies with women, girls, and gender-diverse communities as part of their constituency. The program policy is available in the application or can be directly shared upon request. To view the program policy, click here. 

 

Empowering Care Program Contact: 

Email: [email protected]
Phone or text: 647-503-4663  

 

 

FREE MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS SERVICE! 

Through our programs and services, we offer free access to clean, safe, and culturally-appropriate menstrual products to people who menstruate with high needs in our communities. This initiative aims to provide community members from priority groups with the necessary menstrual products, so they can participate in essential activities without facing exclusion. Using reusable or sustainable products can improve the quality of life for women by eliminating the need to regularly purchase expensive hygiene products.

This Program Prioritizes: 

– Black Women, Indigenous Women, Women of Colour, Transgender, Non-binary, 2-spirit, and gender-expansive community members;
– Low-income individuals who are over the age of 14 years and
– residing in Canada. 

The service operates on a need-to-need basis without arduous administration or policing of bodies and needs. To apply for a free menstrual product, email our team at [email protected]. 

PEER SUPPORT SERVICES

We offer free and confidential Peer Support Services for women and gender-diverse members over 16 years of age from our priority communities. These services are strengths-based, compassionate, non-directive, anti-oppressive, feminist, trauma-informed, and community-oriented forms of care. Our trained and interdisciplinary Support Workers and Community Workers assist women and gender-diverse individuals in the following ways:

  • Social Work Services (including resource support services and advocacy interventions) 
  • Short-term Case Management (including goal planning and follow up services)  
  • Monthly Peer Support Groups (including workshops and training sessions) 
  • 1:1 Peer-based Support Care Counselling (including referrals to community resources and emergency services) 
 

Through our tailored services, we also connect women and gender-diverse members by referring them to community programs, support services, recreation opportunities, and information as we support their well-being, safety, and journey to healing and restoration. We also provide peer-based mentorship, goal-setting guidance, and crisis risk assessment. 

A key focus is building trust and engagement with community members when providing care and support through this program. Our team promotes empowerment, respect, and self-determination during program participation and adheres to a Code of Conduct and Ethics.


Our one-to-one Peer Support Services are tailored to a community member’s specific needs, situation, and reasons for seeking assistance. Following an initial assessment, we develop a trust-based, person-centred relationship that encompasses supportive listening, self-advocacy, and finding solutions as needed. Services are free to eligible community members, and available through phone or video calls by appointment only. Services are confidential and available in English. 

This service can help community members to:

– Access social and practical support and/or specialized referrals to services; 
– Connect with services tailored to fit individual needs, goals, and abilities; 
– Connect with other community leaders and individuals in their support systems or with service agencies; 
– Advocate for individual choices and actions, ones that lead to positive outcomes and opportunities.

We are committed to empowering women and gender-diverse members of our community by supporting their needs, promoting their autonomy, and providing access to information, advocacy, and personalized resources, with the hope of enabling them to make informed life choices on their terms. Referrals to other agencies or services are made with the utmost care to ensure that individuals receive support from a gender-responsive approach. Please note that while our Support and Community Workers may offer emotional and practical support, they do not provide medical or scientific advice or diagnosis.*

For intake, email to connect or set up a video call.

Peer Support Program and 1:1 Services contact:
Lindsay, Manager of Care Support Services 
[email protected]
(Call or text) 647-503-GOOD (4663)

*After connecting through email or phone, you will be connected to a Community Worker who will collect information about the issue(s) you are facing and schedule services based on any requirements. Peer and Support Workers can help with a range of issues, including relationship challenges, stress, inability to access social services, depression, anxiety, addiction, grief, and more. 

We do NOT provide crisis or clinical services. If you, or someone you love is at immediate risk please contact your local emergency services. 

MONTHLY PEER SUPPORT GROUPS

Community and connection hold great power. Sharing space with others in similar situations and learning from each other can be incredibly transformative.

Our monthly Peer Support Group is a free, community-based space for community members to connect as peer participants. This monthly service is part of our larger Peer Support Service program. Peer Support Groups are a place for women and gender-diverse community members to share resources and experiences related to mental health and well-being, challenge gender norms together, foster healing and recovery, and create a community that nurtures a sense of belonging.

Open and closed monthly groups run throughout the year. New members are welcome and no referrals are needed. Due to limited group space, participants are required to register for each session in advance. This service is free and no commitment is required. 

Groups are guided and facilitated by our Peer Support Services team who share similar backgrounds and lived experiences. We also aim to reduce barriers to accessing services by providing advocacy, resources, and referrals. The monthly program has grown to offer support groups that include guest speakers and focus on health and wellness activities, receiving positive feedback from our community! 

During the monthly Peer Support meetings and sessions, the group explores resources, shares experiences and challenges, and exchanges knowledge and skill-building tips that nurture well-being and foster connection. We aim to provide a safe, non-clinical, compassionate space where women and gender-diverse participants can share their experiences, emotions, coping strategies, interests, and experiences with systemic and interpersonal challenges. Our goal is to help participants feel less alone, anxious, or isolated, more empowered and connected, and to reduce the stigma around conversations about women’s mental health and wellbeing. Group topics can include but are not limited to:

Recovering From Traumas
Work-Life Balance
Navigating Systems as a BIPOC Woman 
Interpersonal Relationships
Developing and Maintaining Healthy Relationships
Care-Giver Support Self-Care
Collective Care Practices 

Before joining the program, our Community Workers can help participants explore how we can make connecting in an online group comfortable, safe, and welcoming by using Group Guidelines and Safety Standards. Peer Support Groups require all participants to adhere to Group Guidelines prior to joining their first session to ensure privacy and confidentiality as all discussions are confidential. We strive to meet accommodation and accessibility requests— examples include audio descriptions, closed captioning, breakout rooms, and sensory items. 

This program is only offered to those who identity as part of our priority communities. To ensure a safe and supportive space, organizations or representatives from an institution for organizational purposes will not be admitted to groups.  

Peer Support Groups and General Info Contact:
Mecca Ongy, Community Worker 
[email protected]
(Call or text) 647-503-GOOD (4663)

CHANGE MAKE-HER - ENTREPRENEURSHIP SUPPORT GROUP PROGRAM

Empowering Women and Gender-Diverse Folks through Entrepreneurial Development Workshops and Opportunities.

Change Make-Her is a free interactive virtual program for women, non-binary and gender-diverse folks* focused on developing entrepreneurship and leadership skills through mentorship-based training and development workshops,  community-building, peer support, and inclusive resources and tools. 

This is a community-led program that aims to bridge the gap for women and gender-diverse individuals with entrepreneurial motivations and skills, overcoming systemic and interpersonal obstacles by guiding them through foundational economic-readiness workshops with a low-barrier, intersectional, and compassionate approach.

GOOD TO BE GOOD believes that entrepreneurship can provide a meaningful pathway for women and gender-diverse individuals facing multiple barriers to independence and well-being. It can enable them to generate income, build confidence and community, and self-determine aspects of their economic and social circumstances. This program aims to uphold the principle that, regardless of circumstances, women and gender-diverse individuals have the right to pursue economic and social justice with safety, support, and self-agency. 

 

 

ALERT: COHORT 5 IS NOW CLOSED. COHORT 6 TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON! PLEASE JOIN OUR MONTHLY NEWSLETTER TO GET NOTIFIED.

The Change Make-Her is built through the power of connection, knowledge-sharing, community, and empowerment! This program aims to empower women and gender-diverse individuals* with the fundamentals of launching or growing a new micro or small business, or developing income-generating activities (freelance, gig work, contracting) on their terms. This program connects participants with workshop training facilitated by established entrepreneurs and industry professionals, fellow peers, relevant information and resources, and tools, providing a solid foundation for adapting to a changing economy.

In this program participants will: 

Build Entrepreneurship & Leadership Skills 
Navigate Business Fundamentals 
Bolster Empowerment, Social Inclusion & Personal Development 
Enhance Independence & Interdependence (to attain safety, security, and connection) 

Over eight weeks, through a series of mentor-based, workshop-based group training sessions in entrepreneurship, participants will have the opportunity to establish connections, interact with industry professionals for built-in support, learn start-up strategies, and develop essential business and leadership skills in marketing, communication, business planning and development, and financial literacy. They will also unpack self-care practices and connect with other women and gender-diverse individuals facing similar challenges in a supportive and inclusive space. Participants will engage in sessions that prepare them for real-life applications and experiences, fostering inspiration, ideation, and implementation.

Upon completion of the program, successful participants will receive a completion certificate and a micro-grant to meet their business needs. Participants will also receive tools and resources to take their ventures to the next level.

At this time, sessions are conducted online and take place once per week during the 8-week program. The program is delivered in the English language. The program is offered entirely free to our priority communities, with no course or application fees.

To promote and enable equity in participation, participants are offered access to tailored wrap-around supports, including peer engagement, community resources and referrals, accessibility accommodations, and internet assistance. An assessment of learning and communication needs will be included in this process. Additional wraparound supports, such as childcare and transportation, are available based on individual needs and the program format. 

The program’s curriculum draws on culturally responsive educational business theories, integrating developmentally appropriate content and real-life experiences. The tools and resources provided at each workshop are practical, with some teachings considered “best practice” in today’s Western capitalist environment. Our commitment is to work within frameworks that are trauma-informed, anti-oppressive, culturally relevant, feminist, and intersectional to meet different learning styles and experiences. All sessions align with the standards and principles of GOOD TO BE GOOD and are guided by its mission and values. The ultimate motivation for economic security is not financial stability in and of itself but rather the ability to lead a life of freedom, safety, and dignity.

Cohort 5 Program Contact:

Arezoo Najibzadeh, Program Manager

[email protected]
Our team is responsible for evaluating applications based on set criteria.

 

Manager

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

 

Priority Communities
*We recognize that discrimination exists and certain groups of people experience disproportionate barriers to economic, social, and development opportunities and their rights. As an equity-driven non profit with a mission to serve marginalized communities, we prioritize women and gender-diverse people from historically underserved, under-resourced, and marginalized communities, including those who identify as Indigenous, Black, newcomer, survivor, migrant, refugee, landed immigrant, LGBTQ2IAA+, low-income, unemployed or underemployed, living with mental health conditions or disabilities, and facing systemic barriers to economic and social participation and access to resources.

 

Using inclusive language is important, particularly for people who have historically been excluded and marginalized based on their identities and characteristics. We use the term “marginalization” or “marginalized to refer to the inequality certain individuals and groups face in society due to power imbalances built in our systems. The term “marginalized” is used throughout website information and program documents. We recognize that marginalization is intersectional, meaning that individuals can experience multiple forms of oppression and discrimination simultaneously based on their intersecting identities. 

Website Language
*For the purposes of our website and program communications, we use the words “women” and “women and gender-diverse people” to reference an inclusive term that include and encompass Two-Spirit, gender non-conforming, gender queer, trans, cis, femmes, non-binary people, gender-diverse people, and people of marginalized genders who identify with the term. Where brevity is required, we use these words as an umbrella term to refer to our priority community in our mandate. We recognize and uphold the fact that gender is not homogenous and not defined by biology.

Accessibility
We strive to provide accessibility for team members and community members across all functions of GOOD TO BE GOOD by removing barriers and providing accommodations and/or modifying expectations if necessary. Closed captioning is available for online programs, meetings and external and internal webinars. We take positive steps to increase accessibility by improving learning, virtual, and physical accessibility to our services through feedback loop, continued reassessments on our practices and assumptions, knowledge-sharing, consultive partnerships, and collaborative approaches. Technical assistance is also available to address specific access needs throughout communication and engagement to better serve and support community members who identify as neurodiverse. We respect and uphold the requirements set forth under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and follow the recommendations found on the Ontario Human Rights Commission as best as possible. We ask all community members accessing our programs and services to inform us how we can make their experience with us better. 

Program and Service Intake
For community members accessing Good To Be Good programs and services for the first time, we collect self-identification data confidentially during intake or through sign-up forms, using ethical practices. These practices include limiting the number of team members who can access this information, maintaining privacy and confidentiality, and clearly communicating the purpose of data collection and its usage for services. Data can be deleted according to our applicable privacy policy. We also aim to address any formal or perceived barriers and obstacles to access and provision. We aim to reduce the frequency with which community members participating in our programs are asked to undergo formal intake processes and continue to expand eligibility and availability. 

During program or service sign-up or intake, community members are asked to verify specific and only necessary information about their identity, such as name, gender, country, date of birth, etc. We do not collect biometric data (such as face or fingerprints) or the data of minors. Verified information helps ensure authenticity and accuracy, allowing our team to know with whom we are interacting and fostering trusted, safe, and meaningful interactions. We can accommodate community members with alternative methods such as video verification, where exceptions may apply.

To ensure community members feel safe and respected during their participation, each program has established guidelines or a code of conduct. By joining our community, program or service participants agree to abide by our terms. We reserve the right to modify or update this code of conduct as necessary.

All services provided by Good To Be Good are confidential, within the limits of the law. This means that outside of a closed program, no one will know you have used it unless consent is provided to the organization. We expect all participants to respect the mutual confidentiality of discussions and materials shared within the program or service.

Consent
When processing and handling information for a program or service, we uphold consent and adhere to applicable laws and regulations

 

We aim to uphold the right to free, prior, and informed consent of Indigenous Peoples in Canada accessing our programs and services and when we take actions which impact them and their rights, including their lands, territories and resources.

Program Participation Privacy 
All programs and services that are online are delivered on Zoom and compliant with all federal and provincial privacy legislation and HIPAA, PIPEDA & PHIPA. 

Website Privacy 
Good To Be Good is committed to respecting your privacy and protecting personal information. We have taken appropriate measures to protect the privacy of any personal information that you provide to us or that we collect when you visit our website. When you browse this website, we typically do not ask you to provide your personal information or personal health information through this platform. 

In the event that personal information needs to be provided to us, for example, when applying for a service online, the collection will be limited to that which is absolutely necessary, and, a privacy statement that complies with the applicable privacy law will be provided on the page that you enter your information in to. The privacy statement will, at a minimum, provide the reason for the collection of your personal information, as well as whom you can contact for questions about the collection.

Our servers automatically gather basic and anonymous data using cookies for traffic monitoring and statistical analysis whenever online visitors access our website. This may include IP address, browser type, and dates and times of visit. This information is utilized to analyze operational and performance trends and to enhance the quality of our websites and services. It is not utilized to personally identify individuals. Good To Be Good is the sole owner of the information collected through this website. That means we do not exchange, rent, sell, or otherwise disclose your personal information to any outside organization or person unless the disclosure is required by law.

Stay Safer Online 
Security of our community is one of our top priorities. GOOD TO BE GOOD and its employees and contractors will only communicate through our official social media channels, phone line, email, and through partner channels such as GlobalGiving and Donorbox. If you receive a suspicious message, text, phone call, letter, or email, or if you’re unsure about the authenticity of any communication, please contact us directly at [email protected].

 

Always confirm the identity of the sender before responding to any request for personal information or data. A directory of current staff can be found on our website. Official GOOD TO BE GOOD communications will come from our email domain (@goodtobegood.ca) and verified social media accounts. Avoid clicking on links or downloading attachments from unknown or unsolicited emails, WhatsApp users, or social media accounts. We recommend to hover over links to see where they lead before clicking.

Feedback
If you have ideas or suggestions for our programs and services, or feedback on your experience with any components of the organization or this website, email [email protected] or call 647-503-4663. We welcome your comments, concerns, and suggestions. 

To submit a formal complaint or compliment, download the General Complaints Policy (opens in new window) and follow the steps accordingly. 

Skip to content