Building safe bridges for the community

University of Alberta Faculty of Law student Juliana Quan was a volunteer with Student Legal Services (SLS) when she first identified a need that she could help fill in the community.

Working with the Family Law Project in SLS, she witnessed clients struggling to find support beyond the legal advice the volunteers could provide.

“It became clear that there was a desperate need for a centralized resource that could guide them through the maze of support services available,” says Quan, who is currently a third-year law student.

This realization inspired her to create Safe Bridges, an online resource hub that earned her a 2023 Gerald L. Gall OC Global Community Services Grant. The grant, which provides financial assistance to students who wish to pursue a project that serves the larger community, is named in honour of Professor Gerald Gall, OC – a longtime Faculty of Law instructor and constitutional law expert renowned for his deep commitment to the advancement of human rights.

Quan says Safe Bridges is designed to be “a holistic resource that not only navigates the legal complexities but also connects individuals with the full spectrum of support they require.”

This spectrum includes everything from crisis support lines and emergency shelters to specific supports for the Indigenous and 2SLGBTQ+ communities.

Ensuring that the resources provided on the site are both comprehensive and easily navigable was one of the biggest hurdles Quan faced as she got Safe Bridges off the ground last summer.

After conducting her own in-depth research into the existing resources, she held a series of consultations with professionals from various support services in order to build a strong proposal for the project. She then reached out to friends and volunteers with the technical skills to build the hub.

“It was a process filled with learning and adapting, but ultimately, it was the collaborative spirit that turned Safe Bridges from an idea into reality,” Quan says.

Since Safe Bridges launched, the project has been met with “overwhelmingly positive” feedback.

“Users have expressed appreciation for having a centralized, user-friendly platform during what is often the most tumultuous time of their lives,” she says, adding that the service providers included on the site have noted an increase in informed inquiries, which allows them to provide more effective assistance.

With Safe Bridges now up and running, Quan’s next step is to focus on outreach, ensuring that everyone who could benefit from the resource knows about it. She’s also exploring options to expand in order to serve communities beyond the Edmonton area.

As she looks to the future, Quan says she will continue to be inspired by Professor Gall’s legacy in human rights and education.

“Receiving the Gerald L. Gall, O.C. Global Community Services Grant is a profound honor that deeply resonates with us at Safe Bridges,” she says. “It fuels our commitment to continue his work in our community, advocating for and supporting those in need with the same dedication he exemplified.”