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Discovering Food

For over a decade, The Printing House Limited (TPH) has produced seasonal greeting cards in support of registered Canadian charities. The entire production process for these cards is donated, including artwork, stock and printing. As such, TPH® is unique in giving 100% of the selling price to the chosen charities.  The net proceeds of the TPH Charitable Greeting Card Campaign are donated to different charities across Canada and this year HomeBridge was chosen as one of the recipients. 

When the campaign wrapped up for 2009 TPH made a $15,000 donation to HomeBridge’s Discovering Food Program.

This program will teach youth basic life skills such as food handling, cooking and budgeting, as well as the opportunity to prepare and try different cultural and regional foods. Discovering Food also supports the creation of urban gardens at some of the facilities and special celebratory dinners that can sometimes be the youth’s first experience in a restaurant that will allow them to order from a menu, which is not only fun but increases their confidence in social settings.

Therapeutic programming like this has been proven to have a very positive impact on youth-in-care and it could not be offered without the generous support of donors like The Printing House. 

Exploring Possibilities

HomeBridge Youth Society is excited to announce another project to help ensure the students of their school program, Bridges for Learning, have a world of opportunity to look forward to.
Bridges for Learning (BFL) is a 12-seat school program operated through the combined support of HomeBridge, the Nova Scotia Departments of Education and Community Services and private funders.  The program works with youth between the ages of 12 and 18 who are in the care of the Minister of Community Services and as a result of their life circumstances are struggling to find success in a community school. 

The unique learning environment of BFL sees a teacher working with the students on their academics while a youth care specialist helps them learn to manage their behaviors.  Each student is registered in a community school and gets credit for the work completed.  The focus of the program is to eventually transition each student back into the mainstream school system armed with skills to achieve success.

This year, Nova Scotia Community College is offering all BFL students an opportunity to take part in a “Mini College” during the month of May to give them a taste of what career opportunities their future could hold.  Representatives from NSCC will do sessions in BFL to begin the process with the students and discover their individual interests and aptitude for different professions and trades.  The Mini College will then be designed to cater to each student’s individual needs and offer them a glimpse into a number of professions and trades they may wish to pursue.

The hope of this initiative is to give the at-risk youth served at BFL an opportunity to see the potential their future holds and inspire them to stay in school and work towards successful independent living

pictured below from left to right Don Glover from the Department of Education, the Honorable Marilyn More, Minsiter of Education, Deborah Hasley, Homebridge Board Chair, NSCC President Joan McArthur-Blair and Alex Bruce from the Department of Education

Cross Cultural Exchange

HomeBridge said good-bye to some very special exchange students in February.
The organization has beeb hosting two students from Durham University in England and one from Metropolitan University College in Copenhagen sub September. The focus of this exchange was to give Dalhousie School of Social Work, University of Victoria, British Columbia and the European University social work students cross cultural exchanges as students from each program do their practicum placements in another part of the world.
HomeBridge has long been an organization that supports education and regularly hosts students from universities, community colleges, and training institutions during their work terms.  This is the first time however, that the organization has ever been part of a foreign exchange.
In an effort to provide a broad experience for these students their placement were set up to move them through four parts of the organization. The students were matched up with advisors who have social work education and spent their time doing shifts at Cogswell House, Sullivan House, the Reigh Allen Center (including our school, Bridges for Learning) and shadowing an evening supervisor who covers all six HomeBridge Facilities.  HomeBridge employees and residents learned as much from the European Students as they did from their placement with us.

Pictured below from left to right Brigette Jensen, Lucy Miller and Rachel Heath at the Nova Scotia Youth Achievement Awards.

Expressions Program of the Arts – After extensive research on therapeutic programs for at-risk youth, HomeBridge decided that an arts program would greatly enhance their existing programming and efforts to affect change.  Research also shows that young people who have interests in extra curricular activities are more apt to stay in school, which has always been a goal of the organization. With this in mind and the generous support of donors, the organization established the Expressions Program of the Arts in 2004. 

It is a multi-component art program, which is designed to enhance the life skills and resilience in youth at-risk living in residential group care.  Since its inception over 600 at-risk youth have been able to experience music, art, drama, dance, digital photography and circus classes through the program and found an outlet for their emotions they may otherwise have never experienced. 

The program takes place in all HomeBridge facilities and our school program, known as Bridges for Learning.  The current session includes art, music and circus skills.  Art classes are facilitated by art educator, Rita Van Tassel, music therapist, Anna Plaskett facilitates the music sessions and former Cirque Du Soliel performer, Mike Hirschbach hosts Circus Circle.

The youth showcase their new found talents every year at HomeBridge’s Annual General Meeting through performances and an art show. 

Bridges for Learning – HomeBridge Youth Society’s 30-year history in residential care has always included an effort to support the youth served to be successful in community schools.  In 2005 that effort resulted in the organization’s most advanced initiative with the opening of a 12-seat school program known as Bridges for Learning.

Keeping youth in school had always been a priority in our youth care, however a survey conducted by the organization in 2004 really catapulted this issue to the forefront.  The main purpose of the survey was to obtain first voice information to modify existing programs within HomeBridge to better meet clients needs.  The results revealed that 82% of the participants felt they were not prepared for independent living when they left residential care and 66% did not continue their education after leaving. 

The organization fundraised for this initiative and opened Bridges for Learning in 2005 with the support of our generous donors.  It is the only accredited program of its kind in the province and proved to be so successful that it is now funded through a partnership with the Department of Community Service and the Department of Education.  The Department of Education funds the salary of a teacher and the Department of Community Services funds the salary of a youth care worker to manage the youth’s behaviors while in the classroom.  This team approach to education is key when working with at-risk youth.

Tobacco Free Environment – In Spring 2008, HomeBridge employees attended a diverse two-day training session about substances the youth we serve may be using and effective ways to intervene.  This seminar was not only eye opening for the employees, but also the beginning of change for the organization as a whole.

A survey was conducted amongst the youth in the organization and the results revealed that 90% of the young people had tried tobacco and 55% used it on the regular basis.  The training session also informed staff that tobacco has been identified as “the gateway drug”.

A number of employees felt that with this knowledge, there needed to be a change in the organization because we are role models to the youth we serve.  Under the guidance of Sharon McIntosh, Tobacco Reduction Strategy Coordinator for Capital Health, the employees created what is now the HomeBridge Tobacco Free Policy.  HomeBridge is the first youth serving organization in the province to make this transition.

Supportive programs and opportunities were offered to employees who needed help making the change and as of April 21, 2009 tobacco products of any kind are no longer permitted to be used on any of the HomeBridge properties.

 CYC-Net Supporters – Through voluntary payroll deductions HomeBridge employees have been identified as the largest contributor in the world to the international web based Youth Care resource utility. 

CYC-Net is a comprehensive website that includes journals, daily discussion groups, practical hints, a job bureau and conference schedules for youth care professionals.

Environmental Committee – In the Fall of 2008 HomeBridge employees spearheaded yet another initiative within the organization that is helping us work towards a better tomorrow.

Through the creation of an environmental committee, we have been able to move the organization towards green practices and a more sustainable future.  Some of the changes that have already been implemented are the use of energy efficient light bulbs and reusable grocery bags in the long-term facilities, as well as composting and recycling practices.  Styrofoam cups have been phased out in the cafeteria and all employees were given HomeBridge travel mugs to use.  An efficiency audit was completed on Hawthorne House and a recycling program was set up in all facilities with all funds being donated to CYC-Net.

The organization has also designated all facilities as Idle Free Zones and has conducted community clean-ups in a number of the communities surrounding their facilities.

Case Manager / Outreach Worker, Addictions – Youth served by HomeBridge will now have access to even more supportive services as the result of a newly forged partnership. 

The Nova Scotia Department of Health Promotion and Protection has secured Federal funds to provide outreach to youth and training for employees through the services of a “Case Manager / Outreach Worker” who will work from the IWK CHOICES program.  HomeBridge and Phoenix Youth Program will share this position. 

This partnership was built through the engagement of the employees in the substance use training offered in 2007 and their decisions to further invest and create a tobacco free organizational culture.  The position will be in place in the Fall of 2009.