Turning Women’s Health Information into Community Resources
Our programs focus on helping women and girls better understand health conditions that uniquely or disproportionately affect them, recognize when symptoms may require further attention, navigate available healthcare resources, and feel more informed and confident advocating for their health.
We are especially committed to making women’s health education accessible to communities that may face socioeconomic, cultural, geographic, or other barriers to reliable health information and support.
Women continue to face systemic barriers in accessing timely, affordable, and helpful health education and mental health support. Statistics Canada reported that 38.5% of girls and young women aged 15 to 29 met the criteria for at least one mental health or substance use disorder in 2022, yet only 54.6% of those individuals accessed formal supports. These gaps are compounded by income, race, disability, gender-based barriers, and lack of access to culturally safe or affordable resources. Our programs help to address these disparities and provide educational materials to empower women about their health and well-being.
Community Outreach
Access to trustworthy information should be available regardless of socioeconomic status. We partner with community organizations through workshops, presentations, community events and educational initiatives to expand women’s health education across Canada. This includes working with community centres, libraries, women’s organizations, youth organizations, schools and community health organizations. Topics focus on women’s health literacy, under-recognized health conditions, navigating healthcare, and understanding when and where to seek appropriate support.
Healthy Futures for Girls
The way young people understand health can influence how they recognize symptoms, communicate concerns and advocate for themselves later in life. Our initiative provides age appropriate health education for schools and youth organizations. We may explore topics around menstrual health, PMOS and endometriosis awareness, reproductive health, mental health, navigating health information and preparing for conversations with health professionals.
Digital Health Access
LALF is exploring responsible uses of digital technology to help women access reliable health education and navigate available resources. We will soon be launching our virtual women’s health navigator.