Indigenous Homeward Bound Fort Erie Program (IHBFE)

What is the overall impact of the initiative and how is this measured?

Each cohort will include 6 participants. Spring 2019 will add the 2^nd cohort of women with the first cohort be mentors to the incoming women.

What challenges have you faced and how were these overcome?

• Secure funding – the program was funded for 6 months, then one year, and we now have a grant for 3 years – but we are always in the position of looking for secure funding and expanding funding to include single parent male participants that are also in need of this same support.
• Housing: while a component of the WoodGreen model, it is currently not option for our project. There is a housing crisis in our community with no affordable housing available. We are working with the Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services to do a retro-fit or a new build that would house the IHBFE participants and their families but also other community members such as seniors and Elders.
• Challenges Facing our Participants: Many of the program participants have a history of trauma. They have been stereotyped, experienced violence, been homeless, lived in poverty and are marginalized. They have little or no confidence in themselves and many do not believe in their own capacity to set and achieve goals. In order to address these challenges, the project is highly individualized and works to help support participant to connect with their cultural identity, and their purpose. They need to build their confidence, to buy into themselves and be brave in order to take those first steps towards their future.
• Transportation is a major issue for participants as they live in a rural community where public transit is not readily available. Finding funding for transportation has been a challenge as well most especially now with the new Government funding cuts.

What are 3 key lessons you learned from developing or delivering your initiative? What advice from those lessons would you share with others?

• Need to adapt the model to the meet the needs of your participants and the realities of your community. For example we cannot provide a housing component to our program right now due to the lack of housing in our community.
• The Program duration needs to fit the pace and timeframe of the participants. While the model is usually 4 months in length the IHBFE program is up to one year in length dependent on the participant . We start here the participant is at and ensure they have the time they need to access the assistance they need to achieve their goals and make the changes they want in their lives. Some move more quickly than others; some have more challenges than others and move more slowly. You need to fit the timeline to the participant and be patient and supportive of their progress and their pace.
• Sometimes participants need to experience the paid work placement as part of their career exploration, not in the last year of the program. Having the work experience first assists in making a concrete career choice, whether it be for or against that line of work.

What have participants, stakeholders and partners thought, felt and/or said about your initiative?

Clips from quotes by participants on what IHBFE has done well…

• Tailored the program specifically to me
• Getting to know me as a person
• Included mental, emotional, spiritual, physical
• Given time to learn how to be time sensitive
• I felt listened to
• Work with women at own pace
• Gentle reminders
• Support and encouragement
• Funding assistance with school applications, license, childcare, training
• Gas assistance (fuel cards)
• Support of son
• Assessment for learning disability
• Cultural supports
• Women’s Sharing Circle

Which Essential Skills are covered by the initiative? Reading Text Document Use Numeracy Writing Oral Communications Working with Others Thinking Skills Computer Use Continuous Learning

How are the Essential Skills integrated into your initiative?

Each participant is involved in an individualized upgrading program based on their goals and educational plans.

A Learning Assessments may be in order if IHBFE participants have concerns that require proof for post-secondary learning supports to be put into place to assist with their academic success.

The Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres has drafted a 12 week curriculum based on input by the 6 UIHB Friendship Centre Program Coordinators experience establishing Best Practises. Each Friendship Centre can tailor the curriculum to the needs of the current participants.  Relevant topics include goal setting, confidence building, financial management, problem solving and decision making, self care, communication, meaningful career guidance. The curriculum is delivered in a culturally relevant format.

Cultural teachings and workshops are offered here at FENFC frequently.  Guest speakers and elders are invited to share their knowledge and wisdom to specific program as well as to the community. Leaders also share their craft skills such as beading, moccasin making, sewing tradition pieces such as ribbon skirts. Private sessions are scheduled for IHBFE participants to receive guidance from indigenous healers and well as with a Mental Health worker.

Academic upgrading is provided in-house through Katkwenyes Program (Literacy); also on site by Niagara College (NC). Each participant has a personalized academic program based on their history as well as chosen post-secondary career field for prerequisites. Instructors from NC deliver English and Math upgrading every Monday and Tuesday, while science is on Thursdays.

How do you assess participant Essential Skills?

Standard self-assessments are part of the intake in order to best address needs of participants.

Participants’ skills development and upgrading progress is assessed by instructors delivering academic upgrading.

Training and certification is assessed based on achieving certification i.e. First Aid and CPR Level C with AED, Safe Food Handing, ASIST Applied Suicide Intervention Training, etc.

Essential Skills can most easily assessed by attendance records, attitude and outward changes to personal growth as well as participation in extracurricular and community events.

What are the components of the initiative? Occupation-specific skills training Academic upgrading Occupational certifications and/or licensing Work-integrated learning (i.e., internships, co-ops, work placements, etc.) Career and/or educational planning Job search services Cultural, language, and tradition awareness and/or training Other

How do you support participant success in the program? Child care support Individualized counselling Extended family support/counselling Individualized tutoring Food allowance and/or on-site meals Work related clothing/equipment Job placements Job retention support Access to other in-house services After program follow-up support Other

How was Indigenous culture integrated into the program content or delivery?

Culture is at the core of the project. IHBFE would not be successful without connecting to one’s roots, knowing their purpose and identity, their strengths and weaknesses.

What do you think are the most important competencies and attributes for staff involved in this initiative to have?

Staff must have buy-in to the success of the program, be there to support and never to judge.

Staff must believe in the success of each participant and find a way to support the current challenges.

Each personal plan must be flexible, with staff considering the participants choices after presenting a few options. Staff must make adjustments as needed while holding the participant accountable for their decisions.

Staff must be there to celebrate the success of every step forward, no matter how big or small. Praise that is deserved goes a long way in building confidence to keep moving forward on a good path.

Who are your partners, and what is their involvement in the initiative?

• WoodGreen Homeward Bound, Toronto
• Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres: the IHB program is being delivered by Fort Erie Native Friendship Centre as well as 5 other Ontario based Naïve Friendship Centres
• Niagara Chapter of Native Women
• The Counselling Foundation of Canada – funder
• Ontario Trillium Foundation – funder
• Ontario Aboriginal Housing Society – working to assist in finding a solution (retro-fit or new build) to solve housing issue for this program
• Niagara College – providing academic upgrading