Sistering

Maintaining Low-Barrier Admissions

Sistering maintains low-barrier access to services by:

• Publicly identifying as a low-barrier, harm reduction-focused organization;
• Welcoming people who use drugs; and
• Supporting participants regardless of their goals related to drug use.

Creating Flexible & Participant-Centred Expectations

Sistering’s approach is grounded in participant choice, self-determination, and relationship-building. Practices include:

• Providing individualized case support;
• Providing peer-led wellness and recovery programming; and
• Creating opportunities for participants to shape programs and activities.

Fostering Safe & Trusting Environments

Sistering incorporates several practices aimed at building trust, community, and belonging, including:

• Employing paid Peer Harm Reduction Workers with lived experience of drug use;
• Providing peer support groups in English, Spanish, Cantonese, and Mandarin;
• Offering trauma-informed counselling and crisis intervention;
• Supporting peer-led wellness, recovery, and community-building programs;
• Creating opportunities for participants to connect through support groups, workshops, and community activities;
• Providing staff and peer training related to harm reduction, overdose response, and safer drug use; and
• Supporting peer wellbeing through initiatives such as journaling groups and book clubs.

Embedding Harm Reduction & Health Supports

Sistering integrates harm reduction and healthcare supports into daily operations through:

• Employing Peer Harm Reduction Workers with lived experience of drug use, who support participants to make informed decisions about their health and wellbeing;
• Distributing safer smoking and safer injection supplies;
• Providing harm reduction kits and educational materials;
• Offering naloxone training and overdose response education;
• Providing safer sex education and supplies;
• Making referrals to healthcare, counselling, and community services;
• Operating an on-site medical clinic in partnership with Inner City Health Associates;
• Providing low-barrier access to primary healthcare regardless of insurance coverage or citizenship status; and
• Offering access to psychiatry, population health, and palliative care services.

Recognizing Women’s Intersecting Identities

Sistering recognizes the overlapping impacts of homelessness, poverty, drug use, violence, disability, criminalization, and immigration status. Practices include:

• Providing services to women and gender-diverse people;
• Supporting sex workers through dedicated programming and outreach;
• Providing services to newcomers, refugees, and people without legal status;
• Offering multilingual peer support groups;
• Supporting people experiencing physical disabilities and chronic illness;
• Offering settlement supports through an on-site Settlement Worker;
• Providing housing, healthcare, legal, and social service referrals; and
• Supporting participants facing criminal legal system involvement.