Wood's Homes Blog

Wood’s Homes Kinship Support Program consists of two Kinship Support Workers (that’s us!) and our Program Manager, Camella Magulike. We are part of an interconnected group of services offered by Wood’s Homes’ Family Support Network to improve outcomes for children and families. The program began in 2015 and has grown a lot since then, from supporting 16 children placed in 13 kinship homes to supporting 66 children placed in 44 kinship homes in our 2018-2019 reporting period.

At Wood’s Homes, We Never Say No, We Never Give Up, We Never Turn Anyone Away.

This motto is a large part of why we implement trauma-informed care into our everyday practice. Traumatic events are experienced by everyone and are part of being human. When children in particular are involved in such events, this can act as a host for other social and neuropsychiatric problems (Perry, 2006). The Wood’s Homes Supported Visitation and Transportation Program works primarily in collaboration with two programs at Wood’s Homes: The Family Support Network (FSN) and the Foster Care Network (FCN) in providing services to parents and children involved with the Alberta Children’s Services Forest Lawn site. We help to manage risk and safety while supporting access between biological families when the children have been removed from the home due to child protection concerns.

Since 2005, Wood’s Homes Lethbridge has hosted a Gala Dinner in the spring of each year. The event is theme-based (Cinderella, Peter Pan, Pinocchio) with amazing decorations and decor, coupled with great food and live entertainment. It’s an event people look forward to every year. The guest speakers are typically previous clients of Wood’s Homes and are always a highlight, as they share their stories and how Wood’s Homes supported them along the way.  The generosity of the business community, countless volunteer hours, amazing committee members and leadership from Wood’s Homes, make this the Gala of the Year!

Kinga and I have had the esteemed opportunity in attending and supporting a variety of local fundraising efforts over the past decade or so. We have found that during that time, while we have been living, working and raising a family in our community, Wood’s Homes has become an increasingly special place that we have come to call our own. After we became aware of all of the services that Wood’s provides, it truly hit home with us – raising three children of our own, we always knew that we hoped they didn’t need the services of Wood’s Homes, but rested in the comfort of knowing Wood’s is there.

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.

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... 

Calgary Pride will be hosting its 28th annual Pride Parade this weekend, the final celebration following a week full of Pride-related activities and events (including the rainbow flag raising at City Hall). Calgary will also be hosting the Dyke and Trans March on Sept. 1, where those who identify as lesbian, gender neutral and transgender march to celebrate, empower and educate society at large.

Ever wonder what the true definition of a great partnership is? At Wood’s Homes, we think we know the answer – a mix of commitment, support, hard work and great chemistry. These are the ingredients we share with our friends at Vermilion Energy, whose staff demonstrated their passion for our work once again at a recent Day of Caring!

Last week, Wood’s Homes held its first-ever Spring Feast and Friendship Dance, and we couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day! 

Leading up to the event, organizers came together to smoke a pipe with Indigenous Elders and ask for prayers for our community. They were dedicated to making sure the celebration properly incorporated Indigenous culture, inviting Treffrey Deerfoot, a Siksika storyteller, to support us in the raising of our Blackfoot Teepee, teach us and guide us as we learned about his culture...

When Jess came into government care, she was only 8 years old. The day she arrived, she was introduced to the first of many social workers who would play an important role in her life.