About Resilience in Action
Resilience in Action is a two-year initiative from VESTA Social Innovation Technologies that’s improving how survivors of gender-based violence find help and report safely.
The project builds on VESTA’s pilot project in Kingston, Ontario. With new federal funding from Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE), that model is now scaling across the country.
Our focus is clear: adapt VESTA’s trauma-informed platform and training for the organizations serving immigrant, refugee, and non-status women. By combining technology, community knowledge, and survivor insight, we’re making reporting and support systems work better for the people who rely on them most.
“When we invest in advancing gender equality, we invest in stronger communities, a thriving economy, and a more inclusive future. This funding demonstrates the Government of Canada’s commitment to breaking down barriers and ensuring that women and all victims and survivors of gender-based violence have the support they need to succeed in every aspect of society.”
The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Culture and Identity, Parks Canada and Quebec Lieutenant
Why it Matters
When VESTA launched its secure reporting platform with Kingston Police and the Kingston Sexual Assault Centre, the results were clear:
Survivors described the platform as a kinder, gentler way to begin the reporting process, which made it easier to come forward and choose what to do next.
45% of survivors
using the platform reported to police, compared to Canada’s national average of 6%.
But the need goes far beyond one community.
According to federal data, 44% of Canadian women experience some form of intimate partner violence in their lifetime. Rates are even higher among Indigenous, immigrant, and racialized women.
For many of these groups, structural barriers, from language to documentation to trust, make formal systems of justice and care difficult to access.
That insight became the foundation for Resilience in Action.
By working directly with frontline and settlement staff, we’re helping more communities offer safer, culturally sensitive ways to access support.
How it Works
ACCESS
Partner organizations receive access to a secure, trauma-informed platform that’s already been tested and proven in newcomer communities.
ADAPT
We work with our partners to customize language, workflows, and resources to reflect their community’s realities.
APPLY
Frontline workers receive hands-on training to integrate the tool into daily practice and connect survivors to support more efficiently.
ACCESS
Partner organizations receive access to a secure, trauma-informed platform that’s already been tested and proven in newcomer communities.
ADAPT
We work with our partners to customize language, workflows, and resources to reflect their community’s realities.
APPLY
Frontline workers receive hands-on training to integrate the tool into daily practice and connect survivors to support more efficiently.
Who We Support
FRONTLINE & SETTLEMENT ORGANIZATIONS
Community hubs are often where disclosures happen first. We provide the tools and training to respond safely and connect survivors
to support.
COMMUNITY
LEGAL CLINICS
Trusted spaces for newcomers and non-status women. We offer secure systems to document disclosures and protect privacy.
RESEARCH & ADVOCACY PARTNERS
Organizations driving systemic change.
We share insights and data to strengthen prevention and coordination.
TECHNOLOGY & INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS
Collaborators advancing tech for good. We ensure tools stay accessible, trauma-informed, and grounded in community needs.
Our Goal
Our goal is to strengthen Canada’s network of frontline and settlement organizations so every survivor can access trauma-informed support when and where they need it.
That means equipping the organizations that serve them with practical tools, reliable training, and a more connected network of community partners.
We’re building toward a future where every survivor is met with safety, dignity, and care. No matter where they turn for help.
Together, we can make that standard a reality across Canada.
Be Part of the Change
Gender-based violence affects every community. And creating safer systems takes all of us.
We’re calling on organizations, advocates, and allies to join us in this work.
Together, we can build communities where survivors are not only heard and believed, but protected, supported, and empowered.