Manitoba Resources / Ressources du Manitoba
Manitoba Resources / Ressources du
Manitoba
MANITOBA
ANDREWS STREET FAMILY CENTRE (ASFC)
220 Andrews Street Tel.: (204) 589-1721
Winnipeg, Manitoba Fax: (204) 589-1721
R2W 4T1
Andrews Street Family Centre is a new centre, in the William Whyte
neighbourhood in the north end of Winnipeg. It opened its doors in
May 1995. The Centre's approach to program development is based on
the premise that the community has been defined in terms of its
deficits for far too long. In response to this entrenched
perspective, ASFC works within a framework that appreciates and
builds on people's strengths and community capacities.
While professional staff from outside the immediate area are
presently operating the program, their positions are not viewed as
permanent. The intention of the staff currently employed at ASFC
is to build on the "people power" that already exists in the
community, and work themselves out of jobs. Job descriptions
specify that a community member will be mentored into these
positions. The overall objective is to increase the capacity in
families and the neighbourhood for self-help, and to keep jobs in
the community.
At this time, four interrelated programs are included under the
umbrella of ASFC. These are:
* Andrews Street Family Centre
ASFC focuses on providing services to children aged 0-6 years.
ASFC is a family resource centre offering a variety of programs,
such as a parent-child drop-in, prenatal (including layette making)
and parenting courses (Nobody's Perfect), a Well-Baby Clinic,
workshops on a variety of topics, a food buying club and a store
operated by community residents. ASFC also runs a community
kitchen and a food bingo each month, timed to coincide with those
times when dollars are scarce and featuring food hampers as prizes.
Furthermore, ASFC offers Men's Nite for men who wish to participate
in a Sharing Circle. ASFC also publishes a weekly newsletter to
inform local residents of current events at the Centre, and to
share information such as economical recipes and articles on
various aspects of child and family life, health and well-being.
* Moms Helping Moms Program
The Moms Helping Moms Program focuses on making connections withisolated, adolescent, lone parents who are not linked with other
helping services. The goal of the program is to reach out to at-risk minor parents and prevent family crises and break-up. ASFC
hired three community women, who had successfully completed the
training as outreach/support worker, to work with other mothers in
the area on a peer support basis.
* Pritchard Place Drop-In Centre
Pritchard Place Drop-In has been operating for several years,
providing programs that emphasize recreational and cultural
activities designed for children and youth aged 7-17 years.
Parents are welcomed and encouraged to participate along with their
children. In addition, cooking/nutrition sessions for young people
are held in recognition of the fact that many kids now cook for
themselves at home.
* Andrews Street Community Patrol
The Andrews Street Community Patrol grew out of the community's
desire to restore a measure of safety for local residents, both in
their homes and on the streets.
ANISHNABE RESPECT
462 Selkirk Avenue Tel.: (204) 589-5327
Winnipeg, Manitoba Fax: (204) 586-7745
R2W 2M5
Founded in 1981, Anishnabe RESPECT is a community organization that
works with Winnipeg Aboriginal people who are victims of chronic
unemployment, to prepare them for the work place or a return to
studies.
Anishnabe RESPECT's perspective regarding preparation for work is
an holistic one, which not only takes into account the employment
and training needs of participants, but also assists them in their
efforts to improve their personal, family and collective welfare.
Support programs form an integral part of this organization, which
provides, for example, a counselling service for victims of sexual
abuse, and a family counselling service.
The presence and participation of elders during employment
readiness classes, and the emphasis placed on contemporary native
spirituality anchor Anishnabe RESPECT in the culture of Manitoba
First Nations. Participants who, for the most part, have
experienced extreme poverty or have trouble adjusting to urban life
can reclaim a sense of belonging. Staff at the organization are
native.
Anishnabe RESPECT is also unique in that it has made the family the
centre around which its programs are structured. In fact, the
organization requests that two members of a given family (in thebroad sense of the term) participate in the program. Classes are
therefore composed of pairs linked by family or friendship ties
(mother-daughter, sisters, cousins, spouses, close friends, etc.).
This arrangement enables participants to find support within their
own living environment and to count on someone who shares the same
experiences and aspirations.
Spread over 26 weeks, the program combines 11 weeks of class work
with 15 weeks of job placement. The first 11 weeks enable
participants to explore their attitudes toward work, but also
enable them to reflect on their family and social life. In the job
placement part of the program, because of the needs of the
participants, Anishnabe RESPECT specifically seeks to place
participants in entry-level situations where they will gain work
experience, rather than direct them toward a specialized type of
job.
Anishnabe RESPECT works in conjunction with a number of
organizations in the field, particularly with native organizations
in Winnipeg's North End that provide family and women's services.
Part of their training program is based on connecting participants
into the community services networks available in their community.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES II
1510-330 Portage Ave. Tel.: (204) 942-2197
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3C 0C4
The objective of Career Opportunities II, a community-based agency,
is to provide employment services and related activities that will
address the needs, problems and concerns of disadvantaged women
aged 35 and over, as they attempt to enter or re-enter the labour
market. The program is designed to assist those women with their
special needs and overcome barriers that impede their entry into
the labour market, or help them access the necessary training
opportunities. The project provides support and counselling
intervention following placement in employment and training.
FORT GARRY WOMEN'S RESOURCE CENTRE
1088 Pembina Highway Tel.: (204) 477-1123
Winnipeg, Manitoba Fax: (204) 475-9127
R3T 1Z9
The Fort Garry Women's Resource Centre provides a meeting place
where women can obtain information, receive referrals, express
issues and share concerns. The Centre also provides opportunities
through which women can share their knowledge, skills, ideas and
experience, in support of one another. In keeping with the
feminist philosophy of supporting women and their right to be full
and equal members of society, its aim is to provide women with
information, referrals to appropriate services, supportive
counselling, opportunities for personal growth, and sharing withother women in the community. The Fort Garry Women's Resource
Centre, which is mainly used by low-income women, also strives to
empower these women.
The main activities at the Centre include a drop-in service for
moms, single moms and women age 45+, courses and workshops (e.g.,
for single mothers and women who left an abusive relationship),
outreach, self-help and support groups (e.g., parenting groups),
networking with community groups and individuals, clothing exchange
(where people can recycle their clothing by bringing in wearable
clothing and exchanging it for what they want), and a program for
women who want to start a home-based business.
THE MA MAWI WI CHI ITATA CENTRE, INC. (Ma Mawi)
305 - 338 Broadway Tel.: (204) 925-0300
Winnipeg, Manitoba Fax: (204) 946-5042
R3C 0T3
The Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre is an agency characterized by the
wide range and coherence of services it offers Winnipeg's
Aboriginal families, regardless of their status. Its name means
"We all work together to help ourselves" in Ojibway. Established
in 1984 in an environment where native families experience many
difficulties, the Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre's mandate is to offer
support programs that encourage and promote the well-being and
preservation of native families.
For Ma Mawi, First Nations families, whose rate of children in care
is disproportionally high, are victims of a discriminatory social,
economic and cultural system. Ma Mawi subscribes to the Aboriginal
model of the extended family and asserts that "children are not the
sole responsibility, or private property of individual parents.
Rather, the care, protection and well-being of children extends to
the entire community". All staff at Ma Mawi are native.
Ma Mawi primarily focuses on the reconstruction and rebirth of the
dignity and empowerment of families within their community. Its
various programs present traditional native, as well as non-native
approaches, according to the needs and desires of the families.
For example, its Family Violence Program incorporates a number of
elements of native traditions. Its Family Support Program includes
a "Healing Circle" for women. Some programs for young people are
complemented by Talking Circles and the intervention of Elders. On
the other hand, Ma Mawi provides night time crisis support until
2.00 am, a home visiting service, etc. Ma Mawi also does a great
deal of work with the young natives in Winnipeg and cooperates
closely with many of the organizations they frequent.
The team working on Ma Mawi's Family Violence Program has published
the Family Violence Program Model. The goal of the manual is to
assist workers in native communities (be they urban, rural or
living on reserves) to develop programs that are culturallyappropriate to Aboriginal families and communities.
NATIVE WOMEN TRANSITION CENTRE
105 Aikins Street Tel.: (204) 989-8240
Winnipeg, Manitoba Fax: (204) 586-1101
R2W 4E4
The Native Women's Transition Centre is a residence for native
women and children who have experienced violence in their lives and
require long-term support. The Centre provides long-term
accommodation, day care, counselling, individual advocacy for
women, and support for women coming out of institutions. Through
workshops and meetings organized within the Centre, women have the
opportunity to develop their personal and social skills and to meet
their spiritual needs.
NEECHI FOODS CO-OP LTD.
325 Dufferin Avenue Tel.: (204) 586-5597
Winnipeg, Manitoba Fax: (204) 772-1084
R2W 2Y1
Neechi Foods Co-op Ltd. is a worker co-operative which operates a
small supermarket in Winnipeg's north-end. The store operates
under the name Neechi Foods Community Store. "Neechi" means
"friend" in Ojibwai and Cree.
All four full-time employees and four of the five part-time
employees are Aboriginal. The official goals of the co-op are
directly related to inner-city concerns: better selection of food,
better prices, community health, native pride, neighbourhood
employment, money staying in the community, sharing and co-operation, local control, and new community projects.
As part of its commitment to community development, Neechi Foods
Co-op has generated further employment in the neighbourhood by
marketing moccasins and other home-made crafts made by Aboriginal
women. Most of the payments are made through a store credit
system, which is also used to pay for flyer distribution and
various odd jobs. Another notable achievement by Neechi is the
positive influence the store has on the health of neighbourhood
children. This is most visibly reflected in a now popular, "kids
only" basket of fresh fruit, sold at cost, at the front counter.
NORTH END COMMUNITY MINISTRY
470 Stella Avenue Tel.: (204) 586-8137
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R2W 2V1
The North End Community Ministry, a United Church ministry, is
concerned with community development and social justice in the
North End area. The goals of its program are to support andempower low-income families and individuals. The North End
Community Ministry offers services such as a popular theatre group,
a healing circle, low-cost laundry facilities, a clothing drop-in
centre, programs for children and a weekly food sharing circle.
NORTH END WOMEN'S RESOURCE CENTRE
394 Selkirk Ave. Tel.: (204) 589-7347
Winnipeg, Manitoba Fax: (204) 586-9476
R2W 2M2
The motto of this Centre: "Women helping women"
At the North End Women's Resource Centre, women work together to
achieve the following goals:
* To understand and respond to the problems of poverty, isolation
and dependency.
* To assist women in gaining control over their lives.
* To strengthen women, their families and the community.
* To offer support, information and education opportunities.
Services offered at the Women's Centre include a drop-in where
women are welcome to come in for coffee, talk to the staff, just
watch television or use the community telephone. The Centre also
has a clothing club where clothing is sold at $1 per large bag.
Unsuitable items donated to the Women's Centre are re-cycled into
other usable items such as mats, quilts etc. The Women's Centre
runs a sewing club where women can learn to make blankets and
various other items.
Furthermore, the Women's Centre offers a parenting program. A
community outreach is also available, where families can obtain
assistance and advocacy in areas of housing, social assistance,
child welfare, and family violence. The Women's Centre also
provides a "Fine option program" where women can work off fines.
NORTHERN WOMEN'S RESOURCE SERVICE
210 - 35 Main Tel.: (204) 687-3346
Flin Flon, Manitoba Fax: (204) 687-3322
R8A 1J7
The goal of the Northern Women's Resource Service ( NWRS) is to
improve the social, economic and political status of women and
their children, to give women in northern Manitoba a chance to
build ties among themselves, and to combat violence against women
in the North.
With the help of a satellite office in Le Pas, at the OPASKUIAKWOMEN RESOURCES SERVICES (OWRS), NWRS strives to meet the needs of
women, particularly native women, who often live in isolated
communities. NWRS activities cover three areas:
* support services (information, referral, counselling, advocacy,
reference centre, self-help women's groups);
* education and training (training programs, workshops and
conferences);
* research and consultation with other community groups.
NWRS publishes a newsletter entitled The Women's Voice. The vast
territory served by this organization (the whole of northern
Manitoba) is the source both of its distinctiveness and its
challenge, in that NWRS must ensure that the needs of all women are
taken into account, despite the distances that separate them. NWRS
has shown that it is possible to meet this challenge by organizing,
in May 1993, a gathering of northern women. Its proceedings have
been published in a report entitled Expanding Horizons.
NOR'WEST CO-OP HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES CENTRE INC.
103- 61 Tyndall Avenue Tel.: (204) 633-5955
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R2X 2T4
The Nor'West Co-op provides primary health care, including
reproductive health and birth control counselling, fitness
assessments and parenting programs for low-income families. The
cost of the membership is $1 per family for life. The Nor'West Co-op has a toy recycling program, a lifestyle program and a domestic
violence program. The co-op also places emphasis on good nutrition
and has developed some original programs around this theme, such as
a bingo where prizes are items of nutritious foods. The Nor'West
Co-op also offers counselling to women who have experienced
domestic abuse and operates a children's day care centre.
ORIGINAL WOMEN'S NETWORK (OWN), RESOURCE CENTRE FOR ABORIGINAL
WOMEN
3rd Floor, 181 Higgins Avenue Tel.: (204) 942-2711
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3B 3G1
The founding members of Original Women's Network, five Aboriginal
women, were concerned by the lack of information and communication
by and for Aboriginal women. In 1985, the founding members
sponsored a study entitled, "Becoming Visible". The study surveyed
400 Aboriginal women throughout Manitoba. Communication workshops
and meetings were held with individuals and groups that were
involved in recommendations to develop a provincial Aboriginal
Women's Resource Centre.
The goals of OWN are to recognize achievements, provide
communication and support services, facilitate and develop skills,
and promote the visibility of Aboriginal women and theircontributions to Canadian society.
The Original Women's Network is working with low-income Aboriginal
women on empowerment practices. It raises awareness and advocates
on issues concerning Aboriginal women and works to promote
individual and organizational development. The Original Women's
Network therefore offers one training program; Ikwewak Anokiiwaad
(Women working), a 46-week business education program. OWN also
provides skill development workshops, promotes networking with
other groups and is actively involved in the issue of violence
against women.
Furthermore, OWN offers resources such as a literature library, a
video library, legal referral services and an Aboriginal Women's
Resource Directory. OWN publishes the "Aboriginal women's resource
directory" and a video cassette "Spirit of the Journey".
PLURI-ELLES (MANITOBA) INC.
674, rue Goulet Street Tel.: (204) 233-1735
Saint-Boniface, Manitoba Fax: (204) 233-0277
R2H 2W4
Pluri-elles est un organisme qui dessert les femmes francophones du
Manitoba; ce service vise à promouvoir leur éducation en français,
à informer le public sur leur contribution et leurs préoccupations
et à participer au développement de programmes et services pour la
communauté francophone. Pluri-elles dirige un centre des femmes
qui sert de lieu d'écoute, de rencontres et de documentation.
L'organisme gère aussi un centre d'alphabétisation et un programme
de formation à l'emploi.
Pluri-elles is an organization serving Francophone women in
Manitoba. Its mandate is to promote their education in French,
inform the public of French-speaking women's contributions and
concerns, and participate in the development of programs and
services for the Francophone community. Pluri-elles operates a
Women's Centre that serves as a meeting place for women's groups,
as well as a documentation centre. The organization also runs a
Literacy Centre and an employment training program.
PREGNANCY DISTRESS SERVICE INC.
571 Furby Street Tel.: (204) 772-9091
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3B 2V9
The Pregnancy Distress Service Inc. was founded in 1973 as a
support system for the pregnant woman in distress. This Centre,
which focuses on low-income families, has three main programs:
-It offers 24-hour counselling, pregnancy testing, professional
counselling for problems related to pregnancy and sexuality, as
well as referrals to community resources. Emergency housing and
food are also available.
-Furthermore, the Pregnancy Distress Service Inc. provides other
services through the Young Parents Community Centre (204-775-9934)
which offers prenatal and parenting classes, life skills programs,
cooking classes, support and self-help groups for parents of
infants, toddlers and preschoolers. The Young Parents Community
Centre also offers child day care for parents who need a break,
have medical or legal appointments, are job or house hunting, have
a family crisis or are attending a workshop.
-Another service provided by the Pregnancy Distress Service Inc. is
the Spence Street Thrift Shop (204-775-2854), which provides
clothing, furniture and household goods at low cost to the
community. The store is staffed and operated by low-income
individuals.
SAMARITAN HOUSE MINISTRIES
110-6th Street Tel.: (204) 726-0758
Brandon, Manitoba
R7A 3N2
Samaritan House provides second stage housing for families who have
left abusive home environments. Individual and group counselling
is also offered. It also offers a literacy as well as an English
as a Second Language Program. Samaritan House has a food bank,
provides clothes and household accessories such as sheets and
towels. At Samaritan House, families work together to prepare food
hampers. In December, a Christmas store is opened where children
can buy gifts for $0.05.
ST. MATTHEWS-MARYLAND COMMUNITY MINISTRY
St. Matthews-Maryland Christian Centre Tel.: (204) 774-3957
641 St. Matthews Avenue
R3G 0G6
St. Matthews-Maryland Community Ministry runs a resource centre for
families and individuals in the community. It also operates the
West Central Food Buyers Club, which sells food at wholesale prices
and offers a community garden in season that gives people of the
neighbourhood the opportunity to grow their own food. St. Matthews
sponsors a community-based language program for immigrants who are
unable to access mainstream English as Second Language Programs.
St. Matthews runs a community kitchen where people can cook and
bring home meals for the price of $1 for each family member.
URBAN CIRCLE TRAINING PROGRAM
367 Selkirk Avenue Tel.: (204) 589-4433
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R2W 2M3
The Urban Circle Training Program opened its door in 1990. The
first two programs of the Urban Circle were delivered in 1990 and
1991 with funding provided by the Winnipeg Core Area Training and
Employment Program. Urban Circle Training Program is geared toward
low-income Aboriginal women wishing to enter the business, retail
and banking sector.
The program is divided in three different stages: an intensive life
skills program (personal and professional), an academic and
vocational program and a work placement chosen by the women
attending the program. In this 19-week training program, culture
traditions are incorporated. Urban Circle considers their program
to be 85 percent successful at helping Aboriginal women find a job.
VILLA ROSA
784 Wolseley Avenue Tel.: (204) 786-5741
Winnipeg, Manitoba Fax: (204) 786-1077
R3G 1C6
Operated by the Sisters of the Misericord, Villa Rosa provides a
prenatal and post-natal residential program for young pregnant
women. Numerous programs and services are provided: a health
clinic, prenatal classes, a secondary school program, development
and life skills workshops, etc. Many young Aboriginal women find
support at Villa Rosa, since its programs have been developed to
reflect the cultural roots of the First Nations.
WEST BROADWAY COMMUNITY MINISTRY
Crossways in Common Tel.: (204) 774-2773
102-222 Furby St.
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3C 2A7
The West Broadway Community Ministry offers informal counselling,
referral and advocacy for low-income families and individuals in
the neighbourhood regarding finances, housing and employment. It
is also involved in community development and local issues. West
Broadway offers a drop-in centre, credit circles, outreach, a food
supplement program, cooking and craft programs and recreational
programs.
