FOUNDRY
Foundry offers young people ages 12-24 and their families health and wellness resources, services and supports – online and through integrated service centres in eight communities across BC and through an integrated service centre on 501 Main Street in Penticton.
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Located in: Penticton
Areas Served: South Okanagan & Similkameen
Men’s Health Initiative
Men’s Health Initiative (MHI)'s goal is to increase supportive, community-based networks for men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM) within Interior BC while raising attention to their needs and concerns. Ultimately, our hope is to build on the remarkable strengths and resilience of the diverse queer men communities within Interior BC.
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Areas Served: Provincial
QMUNITY
QMUNITY is what happens when queer, trans, and Two-Spirit folks looking for a sense of community come together to meet, guide, and support each other.
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Areas Served: Provincial
The Access Center
The Access Centre changes lives through poverty advocacy, awareness, and action. The barriers that Access Centre clients face often feel insurmountable to them. We work with them to break down those barriers step by step so that they can move forward in their lives.
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Located in: Penticton
Areas Served: Osoyoos to north of Summerland, east to Rock Creek and west to Princeton, also known as the South Okanagan/Similkameen and Boundary country.
SOWINS - Penticton
South Okanagan Women in Need offers programs and services that provide shelter, safety and support by helping individuals recognize, understand and overcome the impacts of abuse. Their services are provided to individuals who have experienced, or who are at risk of experiencing violence or abuse in the South Okanagan.
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Areas Served: Summerland to Osoyoos and from Naramata to Keremeos.
Transparent Okanagan
TransParent Okanagan is a non-profit organization created by and for parents and caregivers of transgender youth and young adults.
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Email info@transparentokanagan.ca
Facebook facebook.com/transparentokanagan
Instagram instagram.com/transparentokanagan
Okanagan Gender Identity Group (OGIG)
This is a low barrier and inclusive space for trans, nonbinary, gender-nonconforming, gender-queer, intersex and gender questioning people living in Kelowna or the surrounding area to discuss various topics while providing and obtaining peer support. Visit the Facebook page to join the group
Four Feathers Society
The Four Feathers Society is a tribe of Aboriginals living in British Columbia who self-identify as being two-spirit, gay, lesbian, Transgender, Bi-sexual, Intersex, and/or Queer. The society strives to provide opportunities to its members to strengthen and heal their spirits, hearts, minds and physical well-being. It achieves this goal through the power of weaving (networking), community events, education and creative expression. The society is founded on First Nations’ spiritual practices, and upholds the values of honour and respect, which serve to promote healthy and serene living.
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Areas Served: Provincial / Online
2 Spirit of BC Online Talking Circle
An ongoing group for indigenous2 Spirits/LGBTIQ+ living in British Columbia.
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Areas Served: Provincial / Online
Health Initiative for Men (HiM)
Health Initiative for Men (HIM) is a non-profit society that aims to strengthen the health and well-being of gay men, bi men, trans men, two-spirit and queer people (GBT@Q). We offer the full spectrum of sexual health testing, as well as professional counseling, sexual health education, and an engaging mix of social and volunteer opportunities. To learn more about what HIM offers in the Penticton area and BC Interior, click on the button below or call the HIM Interior Phone Line to learn about the programs and interventions in the Interior of BC (1-236-688-4153). The phone line will connect GBT2Q people directly with a HIM staff member or volunteer who can answer locally relevant community navigation questions and provide referrals to any HIM programs, or link them to another community organization.
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Located in: Penticton
Areas Served: Penticton
Okanagan College Students’ Union (OCSU)
Health Initiative for Men (HIM) is a non-profit society that aims to strengthen the health and well-being of gay men, bi men, trans men, two-spirit and queer people (GBT@Q). We offer the full spectrum of sexual health testing, as well as professional counseling, sexual health education, and an engaging mix of social and volunteer opportunities. To learn more about what HIM offers in the Penticton area and BC Interior, click on the button below or call the HIM Interior Phone Line to learn about the programs and interventions in the Interior of BC (1-236-688-4153). The phone line will connect GBT2Q people directly with a HIM staff member or volunteer who can answer locally relevant community navigation questions and provide referrals to any HIM programs, or link them to another community organization.
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Located in: Penticton
Areas Served: Penticton
OutsideIn
HIM is pleased to share this new intervention to help men who are “less out” about their sexuality, find information and tools to safely and confidentially access mental, sexual and social health in the community. The multi-pronged intervention (OutsideIN) includes a website resource and accompanying awareness campaign which aim to build empathy and understanding among the GBT2Q community toward the fact that outness is different for everyone. We invite members of the GBT2Q community to learn more and start unpacking the complexities of outness. The site also features a resources section for healthcare providers.
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Areas served: Online
Family Resource Centre
Building a resilient community by empowering one child, one individual, one family at a time. Our LGBTQ/2S initiative is made possible through support from the Vernon Jubilee Hospital Foundation, Shuswap North Okanagan Division of Family Practice, and Trans Care BC.
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Located in: Vernon
Areas Served: Vernon
Ecetera youth group
A weekly, facilitated program where youth ages 11-18 come together in an intersectional, dynamic, and supportive space where you can: explore identity, forge friendships, build your sense of self-worth, find resources for mental and physical health, and gain empowerment for yourself and others. Our members are 11-18 year olds who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ (Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, Allies and More). We provide a space where you can make lasting friendships – you might even meet your new best friend here!
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Located in: Kelowna
Areas Served: Kelowna
This Space Belongs to You
This Space Belongs to you is a dedicated program for 2S/LGBTQQIA+, and/or IBPOC people (age 12-24) committed to providing safe, inclusive spaces and resources within The Syilx Okanagan including: Gender Affirming Wear Program, no cost and accessible individual counselling to 2SLGBTQIA+ and/or IBPOC young people ages 12-24 facilitated by counsellors identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ and/or IBPOC.
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Located in: Kelowna
Areas Served: Kelowna
OUT IN SCHOOLS
Out In Schools is BC’s award-winning 2SLGBTQIA+ education program. We use film and facilitated group discussion to engage youth in building safer, more inclusive communities.
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Areas Served: Provincial
Health resources through UBC
A wealth of information related to the 2SLGBTQIA+ Community including: Governmental Resources, Online Toolkits and Libraries, Indigenous and Two-Spirit Resources, Intersex Resources, as well as Research Guides from Other Institutions.
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Areas Served: Provincial, Online
New services and opportunities are helping to expand access to childcare, health care, education and training, affordable housing, counseling and crisis support services, as well as support for people facing gender-based violence. Work is also underway to create more opportunities for training, access to good jobs, and more balanced representation in leadership positions.
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Areas Served: Provincial
SART (Sexual Assault Response Team)
The South Okanagan SART (Sexual Assault Response Team) (SOS) plays a powerful role in improving the collective response to sexual violence for 2SLGBTQIA+ people through increasing support to the process of healing from trauma. SART teams hold the promise of improving victim experiences, increasing prosecution rates, collaborating with other providers to create wraparound services, and reducing the prevalence of sexual violence.
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Areas Served: Summerland, Penticton, Oliver, Keremeos, Osoyoos, Princeton.
Willow Midwives
Willow Community Midwives is a space for families in the South Okanagan to access comprehensive midwifery care. They provide care for pregnancy, birth, and up to six weeks postpartum. They provide midwifery care for people in:
Penticton, Naramata, Peachland, Summerland, Okanagan Falls, Oliver, Osoyoos, Keremeos, and Princeton.
Hive Counseling
Hive provides remote counselling exclusively for neurodivergent individuals using evidence-based approaches, creative interventions, and somatic awareness to help facilitate self-discovery, healing, and resolution of adverse childhood experiences, trauma, and relationship fractures. They are experienced and passionate in working with queer and racialized folks.
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Areas Served: Online
The Mastectomy Guide
MG is an outgrowth of the Founder's registered massage therapy practice in beautiful British Columbia, Canada, where she quickly came to realize the stunning lack of rehab resources for breast cancer patients going through breast surgery.
Over the years, she came to see that same lack was present for people getting trans & non-binary top surgery, as well as elective breast surgeries.
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Located in: Penticton
Areas Served: South Okanagan
Between The Vines Counselling
Between The Vines Counselling is dedicated to providing a non-judgmental, gender-affirming space for you to speak on your constant life challenges. They help individuals and couples navigate even the smallest of concerns in their day to day life. Specializing in topics related to intimacy, betrayal, addiction, emotional disturbances & compulsive sexual behavior's all within a trauma-informed lens.
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Located in: Oliver
Areas Served: South Okanagan & beyond
Christina Kinch Counselling
A counselling experience for queer folks:
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Group therapy for people living with pain offers a community of learning and support. Together we will explore what it means to live with ongoing pain, strategies to support emotional wellbeing, and practical ways to take care of ourselves in the midst of it all.
*Options for ono-on-one counselling
Areas Served: online
Rainbow Connection Penticton Facebook Group
We are a coalition of like-minded individuals committed to fostering community engagement. Our group offers a range of localized resources, interactive chat rooms, face-to-face networking opportunities, social gatherings, promotion for local enterprises, and active participation in social causes and initiatives.
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Located in: Penticton
Areas served: South Okanagan
Oasis United Church
Since its founding about fifteen years ago, we have had a gay minister, a transgender woman office manager, and numerous LGBTQ+ guest speakers. Several LGBTQ+ people have been active, key people in the congregation over the years. There is no preaching of repentance and salvation. As well as a minister, a few different members of the congregation lead services. Acceptance and inclusion are important aspects of our church. One of our policies is that any people who may legally marry in BC can marry at OUC (Oasis United Church).
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Located in: Penticton
Areas served: South Okanagan