PTS (community centre)
 | |
| Motto | The Centre for the Celebration of Sexual and Gender Diversity. |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1984 |
| Type | community centre |
| Purpose | LGBT community |
| Location | |
Region served | National Capital Region (Canada) |
Executive Director | Claudia Van Den Heuvel |
Staff | 4 |
Volunteers | 130 |
| Website |
PinkTriangle |
PTS, formerly known as Pink Triangle Services, is an Queer Community Centre located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are the oldest registered Queer or LGBT-specific charity in Canada, becoming registered in 1984.[1] The organization serves Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Trans, Two-Spirit and Queer people within the National Capital Region (Canada).[2] They provide a number of services including support groups, education, research, advocacy and community space for other community groups. o
Another major change that occurred in the 2000s was more focus was attributed to less served members of the community including bisexuals, trans people and those who solely identify as queer. This was also influenced by the decrease of stigma towards gays and lesbians in the broader community that lead to a court ruling making same-sex marriage in Ontario legal in 2003.[3] A bisexual women's group started at PTS which evolved into BiAmore for bisexuals of all genders years later. And in 2004 Trans Youth Ottawa started a group for transgender and transsexual youth and young adults which ran until 2009 and Gender Quest a group for all trans adults started in 2005 and still operates today. In 2005 the Board of Directors added trans, two-spirit and queer[4] to the letters patent to state their official commitment to those communities.
Programs and services
The programs of PTS can be broken up into three prime categories support programs, education programs and resource programs.
Support programs
Historically one of the flagship programs of PTS was based on peer support groups. Over the years PTS has seen many groups come and go based upon need. Over time the programs being more education and social focused including guest speakers and workshop topics. The first group to undergo this change was Pink Triangle Youth (PTY) in 2003.[5] Current support groups include:
- Pink Triangle Youth (PTY): is a group for all queer youth ages 13–24.
- BiAmore: is a group for Bi, Bi-curious and Questioning People who are 18+.
- Gender Quest: is a peer support group for trans-people who wish to explore their gender identity and gender expression.
- Women's Night: is a group for all queer-identified women 18+.
- The Men's Group: is a group for all gay, bi, trans and queer-identified men 18+.
Educational programs
PTS has done education and advocacy work since its outset as an organization however, since 2009 a new focus upon educational outreach programs which provide workshops has become a new priority. The three programs include:
- Creating Safer Spaces: An initiative to educate on the use of inclusive language related to queer communities and how to create safer spaces in regards to homophobia, biphobia and transphobia. The program was funded under special projects by the City of Ottawa in 2010.[6] Though the program works in all spaces it is focused on youth spaces including schools and not-for-profits which serve youth.
- TransAction: A program to do education and advocacy and around the needs of trans people (including transgender, transsexual and genderqueer people). The initial program received funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation for the initial process started in 2011.[7]
- Queer Women's Health and Sexuality: This is a program dedicated to advocating and providing education on the needs of queer women. It encourages a dialogue about the unique needs of queer women's health that may not be addressed in general discourse.
Resource programs
There are plans to expand the resource programs at PTS to include a community calendar and to make an updated user-friendly version of their resource directory which can be found on their website.[8] Currently however, the one prime resource is the Dr. Kelly McGinnis Library, which is the largest queer-specific library in Canada.[9]
References
- ↑ Smith, Dale (25 March 2011). "25 Years of Pink Triangle Services". Xtra!. Retrieved 7 June 2011.
- ↑ "Introduction to PTS". PTS Website. Pink Triangle Services. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
- ↑ "Ontario men wed following court ruling". CBC News. 13 June 2003. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
- ↑ "Pink Triangle Services receives donation of $100,000". Xtra!. 13 July 2005. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
- ↑ Trembley, Robbie (13 March 2003). "The New Pink Triangle Youth". Capital Xtra. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
- ↑ "Projects Approved for Funding 2010". City of Ottawa Web Page. City of Ottawa. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
- ↑ Fagan, Noreen (3 February 2011). "PTS receives grant from Ontario Trillium Foundation". Xtra!. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
- ↑ "GLBT Ottawa Services Directory". PinkTriangle.org. Pink Triangle Services. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
- ↑ "Dr. Kelly McGinnis Library". Group Details. Xtra!. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
External links
- PinkTriangle.org - Current PTS website. (www.pinktriangle.org and www.PTSOttawa.org appear, as of May 28, 2014 to be the same. Perhaps need of update to this reference to external links)
- PTSOttawa.org - New PTS website in development.