Wood's Homes Blog

As a Master’s student in the clinical social work stream looking for – yet another – practicum, I had become disenchanted with the practice of experiential learning. In previous years, I had engaged in practicums that left me feeling lackluster, frustrated and exhausted with the system. During this search for the perfect opportunity to develop and expand my clinical ‘pallet’, I feel it is also worth mentioning that I was pregnant!

Convinced that I could do it all – the Masters of Social Work program, my clinical hours and raising a baby – I set out on a mission to make this practicum count. Knowing that my daughter would be a mere 12-weeks-old when I began the journey, it became even more important that these hours counted. So, the search began… and it was short.

Over the past 10 years, all three levels of government, the private sector, non-profit and health institutions have partnered together in the 10 Year Plan To End Homelessness. As part of this plan, members of Calgary’s youth homeless-serving sector and community met in 2017 to launch the 2018 Refresh of the Calgary Plan to Prevent and End Youth Homelessness.

Well, it’s almost the end of January and we all know what that means – many of our New Year’s Resolutions have already lost their way. In fact, a recent study has shown that the majority of such resolutions don’t make it past Jan. 12. If you were one of the 80% of individuals who set unrealistic expectations that you weren’t able to meet, you were not alone.

Although these posts use examples from the upcoming Christian holiday of Christmas, the same ideas can be applied to any holiday you celebrate.  All holidays have certain things in common - celebration, tradition, food and family.  Feel free to substitute and adapt whatever meets your family’s needs!

Although these posts use examples from the upcoming Christian holiday of Christmas, the same ideas can be applied to any holiday you celebrate.  All holidays have certain things in common - celebration, tradition, food and family.  Feel free to substitute and adapt whatever meets your family’s needs!

Recently, after spending several days at a National Child Welfare Conference, I can’t stop thinking about the ways in which harms were done (and continue to be done) to Indigenous children and families. These were carried out all in the name of child protection and devastatingly, I heard how these harms have been linked to ongoing violence against Indigenous women and girls... 

Tis the season for sweet treats, Santa, colorful lights, carols, and joy. Tis also the season for burnout, fatigue, sickness, and overstimulation. As special of a time as it is, there is a lot going on during the holidays that can bring major stress to your life. Fortunately, there are ways to avoid getting stressed out so that you can embrace the joys of the season. Combat the holiday hustle and bustle by establishing these four key routines to keep your season stress-free.

The latest statistics show that approximately 1.2 million children in Canada have some kind of mental health condition. From depression to anxiety, the Canadian Mental Health Association says that “genetic, biological, personality and environmental factors” can all lead to the development of a mental illness.

I was recently asked by some friends, “Why do you do what you do?”

I always find this question a difficult one to answer, especially when I’m asked by someone who isn’t from my field. I always joke that ‘I could write a book’ about the things I’ve seen, but my answer is always about how I’m passionate about helping children.

As of October 17, 2018, cannabis for recreational consumption will be legal in Canada.

And, whether you like it or not, your teen (and their friends) will probably try it.

While the minimum age for buying, using, possessing and growing recreational cannabis in Alberta is 18 (the same minimum age for the sale of alcohol and tobacco), it’s very likely that your teen will be exposed to the drug before that age.