Executive Summary

Executive Summary Highbanks serves an underserved portion of the youth population, women who are 16-24yrs, & pregnant or parenting. This niche portion of the youth population seek our program as they flee situations of domestic violence, poverty, or homelessness often with intersectionality with the gang violence, the justice system, & sexual exploitation. Not many youth serving organizations encompass the wholistic approach we do and are rooted in trauma informed integrated care approaches that help build on the mental well-being of our youth and children. Critical to supporting youth to deepen resiliency, is access to safe housing, meaningful employment or educational opportunities, life-skills development, counselling, culturally appropriate supports, & community development supports.

Uniquely we provide all these interrupting the intergenerational cycle of trauma, with a comprehensive program that stabilizes youth and their children and helps them work towards completing their education. Through integrated care principles we adapt to the unique needs of each of our mother-led families, ensuring that the services we provide are meeting that families identified goals including developmental goals of the children through supports, programming, & community connection. Although some of these families enjoy independence from social serving systems, evidence indicates that a disproportionate number of these families struggle with mental health inhibiting achieving economic or social recovery which has only been exacerbated during the pandemic.

We have seen an increased need for our youth and children to have rapid access to trauma therapy supports. The number of complexities amongst these mothers has increased, with many more seeking supports of our services, often with a strong desire to change the path of their life & improve the path for their children. We achieve success by addressing & setting goals to improve upon children & youths physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being allowing for them & their children to show success in education.

How were Highbanks Program Goals formed?

These represent the organizational hopes and dreams for all HBs participants when they leave the program, hopefully as alumni – for them to live a life of ‘wellness’ and selfsufficiency.

• Formed out of medicine wheel + PACES + consultation with staff, Elders, program participants

• Rooted in traditional indigenous concepts of wellness and healing along with science (brain science and PACEs)

Indigenous Understanding of Wellbeing

Balance at the Core

Indigenous understandings of wellbeing are holistic and relational. While the specific teachings of the Medicine Wheel vary from Nation to Nation, its core principle is balance — the interconnected balance of the emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual aspects of life.

Wellbeing is not viewed as a single state, but as an ongoing practice of caring for all parts of oneself, in relationship with community, land, and spirit.

The Medicine Wheel

The Medicine Wheel is a teaching tool used by many Indigenous Nations to represent balance, connection, and the cyclical nature of life. While interpretations differ, the wheel commonly reflects four interrelated aspects of wellbeing:

At the centre of the wheel is balance — recognizing that strength in one area supports the others, and that imbalance in one area affects the whole.

The Four Directions Can Represent

Depending on Nation and teachings, the four directions of the Medicine Wheel may also represent:

• The four directions (East, South, West, North)

• Stages of life

• Seasons

• People and community relationships

These teachings emphasize that life is cyclical, interconnected, and continuously changing.