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Young Parents Resource Centre and Supportive Housing Facility

Young Parents Resource Centre and Supportive Housing Facility. Good for Moms. Good for Babies. Good for the Community.

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Young Parents Resource Centre and Supportive Housing Facility

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  1. Young Parents Resource Centreand Supportive Housing Facility Good for Moms. Good for Babies. Good for the Community.

  2. “I wish the building was open now. There are 16 year olds with no place to live and they are going to have their children taken away from them. If they had a place like this to go, they would be able to keep their child.” - Young Parent “It’s hard when other people think they know what is best for your child just because you are a young mother…” - Young Parent

  3. In the Community… • A steady flow of young women at risk of homelessness who become pregnant • Young parent population has complex needs that are without adequate/effective supports • Many young mothers have children taken into the care of Child Youth & Family Services (CYFS)

  4. Getting the ball rolling… • Program and Design Charrette • Funding from HPS ($40K) & CMHC ($1K) secured for three phase exploratory/planning process • Phase 1 included site visits to similar existing projects in the GTA to evaluate design, layout & program delivery • Phase 2 & 3 focused on charrette process for 90 – 100 stakeholders as well as pregnant & parenting youth • Best Practices from across the country

  5. Ideal Resource Centre… • Target population: • Entry: pregnant/parenting youth (16 – 24) • Eligible until their child is 3 years old (after which transition assistance to other housing is available) • Close to services/amenities, bus routes • Away from high traffic areas, near green space • Play equipment nearby or onsite • Not in the downtown area • Must be warm & inviting, cannot be institutional • Must be an inclusive/accepting environment • Universal design ensuring access for participants, staff & visitors with disabilities

  6. Physical space • Must balance private spaces with common areas • Program and staff spaces • Other space suggestions include: • Quiet Room, Supervised Visit Room, Community Kitchen & Storage Space for displaced youth • Overall space must be flexible: • Sliding doors, multipurpose room, adequate space to grow programs/services • The amenities within the space could include: • Security cameras (program/public areas & especially housing component), each unit should have a bathroom, natural light & outside recreation

  7. Staff & Volunteers • Volunteer approaches: • Provide child care on-site • Provide overnight parental respite • Tutoring • “Staffing” the donation room • Provide transportation • Acting as ‘surrogate grandparents’ playing roles historically played by grandparents • Staff approaches: • Think outside the box • Hands-on holistic support • Strengths based focus • Respond to individual needs & circumstances • Be a constant in youths’ lives • Knowledgeable about government & community based resources available to the youth/their children

  8. Programs • Parenting & Child Development • On-Site licensed child care (staffed by ECE’s) • Parental respite • Family Resource Centre • Baby/Infant groups • Play groups • “Learning Begins” • “Me, My Baby and World” • Mother Goose Programs • Dad’s Group/Playgroup • Healthy Baby Club (for pregnant moms) • Information sessions (for pregnant moms) • Prenatal care • Post-natal care (moms and babies) • Attachment & bonding • Child development • Creating child friendly environments/child safety • The importance of play • Age appropriate toys • Labour & delivery support • Doulas & Midwifes

  9. Programs • Education & Training • Assessment, flexible approach leading to ABE or GED • Life skills development • cooking, nutrition, grocery shopping, safety/emergency training, banking & financial planning • Personal development • communication, coping skills, stress/time management, trust, healthy relationships, organizational skills & self care workshops • Arts & recreation • Employment & training • Drop in & Outreach Support

  10. Concepts

  11. Making it happen… • Government Funding • Calls for proposals expected this fall • NL Housing (Prov) • HPS (Fed) • Capital Campaign • Community Champions • Board members • Vale • Chevron

  12. In their words “I still don’t have a place I call home… I have two children out there but I don’t get to see them very often and when I do, I feel so bad and want to change my whole life so I can be their mom but I don’t know how to do it all. Someday, I hope I’ll get them back. I want them to know that I care about them. I want to get my life together for them.” - Young Parent

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