Overview of Support Services
Here is a brief list of services that we are able to provide (beside each item is the best person to contact for each service, however, do not hesitate to talk to the other members of the support team about these services as we share many of these responsibilities):
ACTIVE LISTENING
We provide active listening from an anti-oppressive, trauma-informed, client focused lens. If you would like to talk to someone who will actively listen to you, be compassionate to your life and your circumstances, and that will try to help you navigate through mental and physical health concerns please contact us. If what you are looking for is beyond our scope or you would like to find a Therapist or a Social Worker we will gladly help take on that search with you and will assist you in finding the best person to be on your journey alongside you.
Contact Support
HOUSING
Guelph housing rates have skyrocketed in the past few years and many of us have felt the strain of not being able to afford rent. We can assist in helping to find housing that is within your budget and getting you in contact with our county’s housing services to apply for their programming.
Contact Support
MEDICATION
Guelph housing rates have skyrocketed in the past few years and many of us have felt the strain of not being able to afford rent. We can assist in helping to find housing that is within your budget and getting you in contact with our county’s housing services to apply for their programming.
Contact Support
NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT
We might not have a food bank but we will always try to help out with food insecurity. If you need help accessing food please do not hesitate to ask us how you can get in contact and if we can help you get to a food bank. If that is not quite what you are looking for we also have:
- $10 gift cards to grocery stores (available once per month)
Contact Support
TRANSPORTATION
If you are having trouble getting to and from your medical appointments, or need some assistance in going to other services like the Guelph food bank or the Guelph Housing office downtown (to name a few) we can help you out. Below are some of the ways we can do that.
- $25 grocery gift card (accessible once per month)
- $10 gas card.
- Up to 10 bus tickets (accessible once per month)
- Arrange transportation (if given 1 weeks’ notice before your appointment)
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FINANCIAL SUPPORT
If you are looking for assistance in budgeting or planning out how to make your finances work we are more than happy to have that conversation with you or find the supports that are best for your individual situation. We also have an Emergency Financial Assistance Fund that allows us to help out when folks are in a bind. Due to the specific requirements of our funding for that program there are some limitations to how much, and who, we are able to help out but if you are a person living with HIV in the Guelph-Wellington area we can usually assist people by paying bills up to $200 per fiscal year.
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ADVOCACY AND CASE MANAGEMENT
When it comes to things like housing, medication, mental health support, finances, and barriers to accessing food people rarely are dealing with one issue popping up at a time. We understand this and we will try to help your voice be heard within these systems while we help you navigate them. We assist in:
- Applying to ODSP/OW, or other government systems
- Accessing Legal Services
- Letter Writing
- Accompanying people to appointments (medical and non-medical)
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EVENTS
We have many exciting events throughout the year, but due to Covid-19, many of these events will be held virtually or are temporarily on hold;
- Peers in Motion (a quarterly outing to a cool seasonal event)
- Movie Night (a monthly get together at a local movie theatre)
- Client Educational Dinner (a yearly dinner with a guest speaker who comes in to talk about a special topic in mental health)
- Central West Opening Doors (a yearly conference around counselling and HIV where workers and peers come and learn from experts in specific fields)
- ARCH BBQ (a yearly summer BBQ in Riverside Park)
- Holiday Party (a yearly holiday get together in early December with a catered meal and door prizes)
- Aaaaand many more…
If any of these services sound like something that you are in need of or are interested in do not hesitate to contact us. Our information is.
Support Services Coordinator
519-763-2255 ext. 126 support@archguelph.ca
Practical Support Worker
519-763-2255 ext. 153 Practicalsupport@archguelph.ca
To hear about events as they are being planned please subscribe to our newsletter by signing up on our website or by letting the Support Services team know and providing us with your email.