Empowering Communities: A Look Back at Our 2025 Impact Journey

RTYVA 2025 Impact Report.pdf

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Healing and safety are the foundations of strong communities. In 2025, Rooted Together: Your Village Awaits made significant strides in building these foundations across Toronto and beyond. Our work focused on preventing gender-based violence (GBV), supporting survivors, and creating systems that respect and reflect cultural diversity. This post highlights the key achievements and partnerships that shaped a year of meaningful change.

Community members planting in a shared garden, symbolizing growth and healing

Building Healing Through Community Partnerships

Healing goes beyond individual recovery. It requires a supportive environment where people feel safe and valued. In 2025, Rooted Together partnered with community health centres and housing initiatives to create spaces that promote healing for survivors of GBV. These partnerships helped provide:

• Safe housing options tailored to survivors’ needs

• Access to culturally sensitive health services

• Peer support groups that foster connection and resilience

  
  

For example, collaboration with a Toronto-based housing program resulted in 50 new safe units designed specifically for survivors, offering both shelter and community support. This initiative helped reduce the risk of re-victimization and provided a stable foundation for survivors to rebuild their lives.

Strengthening Communities Through Education and Workforce Programs

Prevention starts with education and economic empowerment. Rooted Together worked with academic institutions and workforce development programs to equip individuals with knowledge and skills to challenge violence and build safer communities. Highlights include:

• Workshops in schools focusing on healthy relationships and consent

• Training for frontline workers on trauma-informed care

• Job readiness programs for survivors to gain financial independence

  
  

One notable success was a partnership with a local college that integrated GBV prevention into their curriculum, reaching over 1,000 students. This approach helps create a generation that understands respect and equality as core values.

Advancing Prevention With Culturally Responsive Systems Change

Systems change requires listening to diverse voices and adapting approaches to fit different cultural contexts. Rooted Together emphasized culturally responsive strategies to ensure all community members feel included and supported. Key actions involved:

• Developing multilingual resources and outreach materials

• Engaging cultural leaders in dialogue and program design

• Hosting community forums to gather feedback and build trust

  
  

These efforts led to increased participation from underrepresented groups, including Indigenous and newcomer communities. By respecting cultural differences, prevention programs became more effective and accessible.

Community forum with diverse participants sharing ideas on prevention and support

Measuring Impact and Looking Ahead

The impact of Rooted Together’s work in 2025 is clear in the numbers and stories of change. Some highlights include:

• Over 3,000 individuals reached through education and support programs

• 75% of survivors reporting improved safety and well-being after accessing services

• Expansion of partnerships to include 10 new organizations across Canada

  
  

These results show that healing, dignity, safety, and joy are achievable when communities come together with shared purpose.

Your Village Awaits

Rooted Together believes that no one should face challenges alone. Our village is made up of partners, survivors, and allies committed to building a future free from violence. The journey continues, and your involvement matters. Whether through volunteering, spreading awareness, or supporting programs, everyone can contribute to stronger, safer communities.

For a detailed overview of our 2025 impact, please download the full report attached at the top of the page.