After She Leaves Tour: Reflecting on Training Across Ontario
Between 2024 and 2026, Luke’s Place traveled to communities across Ontario to deliver our flagship training program, After She Leaves. This two-day training supports frontline workers who assist survivors of intimate partner violence navigating the family law system.
Over the past two years, we have delivered training to 231 frontline workers across Guelph, Parry Sound, Toronto, Kingston, London, Sault Ste. Marie, Thunder Bay, and Brampton, connecting with frontline workers from across each region. In every location, frontline workers shared insights into the barriers survivors face in their communities and within local family court systems. We also heard about the incredible dedication, creativity, and persistence workers bring to supporting survivors every day. Learning from these local experiences was one of the most meaningful aspects of this tour.
Sessions were facilitated by family lawyers, alongside frontline workers, and local advocates, ensuring the training reflected both legal expertise and the realities of local systems, services, and challenges.
After She Leaves has long been Luke’s Place’s flagship training program. Originally developed as an in-person curriculum and later expanded into a comprehensive manual, the program continues to evolve. We are now excited that After She Leaves has also been developed into a website to complement our online training course and manual, making this critical knowledge more accessible to frontline workers across Ontario who may not be able to attend in person.
We are deeply grateful to the communities that welcomed us, the facilitators who shared their expertise, and the frontline workers who participated, asked thoughtful questions, and shared their experiences. Your knowledge, compassion, and commitment strengthen support for survivors across the province.
While this tour has come to an end, the work continues. We hope the connections made, knowledge shared, and the resources developed will continue to support frontline workers and, most importantly, the survivors they work alongside every day.
Participant Feedback
“A truly great experience.” – Thunder Bay ASL Participant
“I found all the content very useful. The practical information that I can bring into work is very helpful, such as urgent and emergency motions. As well as the child interests test to know what to focus on in affidavits and other court paperwork.” – Kingston ASL Participant
“Great workshop! I have been doing this work for decades and I learned lots!” – London ASL Participant
“This was an amazing experience with so much information that we can use to support our client base. Thank you for all that you do.” – Sault St Marie ASL Participant
“Very informative & interactive session!” Toronto ASL Participant
“Thank you for providing such relevant information! I have really enjoyed my time here.” – Guelph ASL Participant
This project was funded by the Department of Justice Canada.
If your organization would like to request a training from Luke’s Place, we offer customized sessions for service providers and other professionals supporting women subjected to violence. Our sessions cover topics such as family law, navigating the family court system, and safety planning, and can be delivered in-person or online.
Contact us to discuss your training options!
