Hall, Cheryl Marie2024-08-142024-08-1419981998https://hdl.handle.net/1828/18017This thesis reports the results of a research project that investigates the community development process of developing second stage housing in Victoria, British Columbia. Second stage housing provides housing and support services for longer than the 30 to 90 day period offered by emergency shelters. The thesis focuses on the decision-making process at the Board of Directors' level and how this may impact the experience of sense of place for women who move into the shelter. The Provincial Commission on Housing Options and the Task Force on Family Violence in 1992 identified the acute problems that women leaving abusive relationships have in accessing safe and appropriate housing. Community-based agencies delivering safe and appropriate housing need to consider women's empowerment and the process of moving from a state of victimization and powerlessness to a state of strength. This research examines the experiences of Board members of the Greater Victoria Women's Shelter Society in developing second stage housing in the context of the community development process. This research employs a two-stage research design: (1) a national mail survey of 50 second stage shelters in Canada; and (2) a case study of Margaret Laurence House. The former stage elicited the following information to contextualize the case study: an overview description of shelters, type and level of participation in decision-making, board policies, available programs and service delivery mechanisms in shelters and sources and problems associated with funding. The latter stage included participant observation of board meetings, in-depth interviews with eleven Society members and content analysis of meeting minutes and written policies. Interviews were taped and transcribed verbatim and then analyzed for major themes. The analysis utilizes a triangulation approach, employing primarily qualitative methods to establish the links between the community development process and the social construction of space, gender and organizational theories. Results from the research were organized into three major themes that impact the decisions made: (1) feminist analysis including both politic and process; (2) external policies, such as government, health, judicial and social welfare; and (3) internal policies affecting the mandate, operation, management and outlook of an organization. These findings potentially can influence decision-makers as they contemplate the process and programs of empowering women leaving abusive relationships. This thesis provides a summary of the types of issues that community groups address as they attempt to empower women in order that they can re-establish their own, abuse-free lives.180 pagesAvailable to the World Wide WebThesis