Why We Exist

Youth

Ashley’s Story: Ashley ran away from home at 14, did a bit of couch surfing, spent time in foster care and was homeless for a few weeks. At 17, she enrolled in Aspen’s Youth Transitions to adulthood program because, “Aspen believed in my goal of living on my own and being independent.” Now almost 22, Ashley is a resident manager at an apartment building, a full-time university student and works part-time for aspen as a group care relief counsellor.

Family

Lise’s Story: for eight years, Lise and her young grandson were caught in a transient lifestyle, forced to live in shoddy, unsafe rentals. By 2014, their unit was condemned and they were homeless for 86 days, relying on their tent and a family homeless shelter, while awaiting a subsidized unit.

Through Aspen, they have reached their goal of stabilized housing in a community where they can receive the strong supports needed for a child with complex medical and mental health needs, and Lise’s medical disability. The program provides the support and advocacy needed to break down the barriers faced by kinship families. They can know look forward to their next journey.

Community

Over six years ago, Calgary’s Crossroads Community Church committed to addressing the vulnerabilities within its community. With aspen’s guidance, it identified food insecurity and isolation as areas of need and launched a monthly community dinner. The evening provides a family-style dinner for anyone who needs it, as well as a chance to engage with neighbours, Aspen Community connection staff and other resources. “ We knew it was the right and good thing to do,” says John Estabrooks, Lead Pastor of the Crossroads Community Church.

At Aspen our vision for the community, youth and families that we deal with is one of hope, connection and sustainability.  We believe that everyone, connected to the right supports, can learn, adapt and develop skills to build sustainable lives.

Our work is focused on three strategic areas: Youth, families and community. Each is essential pillar in building sustainable lives and healthy communities. Children and youth are the most vulnerable to social problems, but they are also the key to solving them. With the right supports, our children can break the cycles that put their parents and families at risk in the first place.

Strong families are the key to ensuring infants, children, youth and adults have ongoing support to build and maintain productive lives. Through respectful collaboration, families learn to understand the root causes of their challenges and drive their own journey to health relationships and behaviours. No one can thrive in isolation. For a change to be sustainable, people need a community to go to for help, to provide connections and to offer opportunities to give back in ways that are meaningful, satisfying and add purpose to life.

What We Do

Youth – At Aspen we work with many partners to provide programs for infants, children and youth to thrive and build well-being and resilience by providing caring, home-like environments.

Our In-home Family Support- ensures that all children of all ages are safe and well nurtured in their homes. This program supports family reunification, improves family functioning and enhances family support networks.

Youth Transition to Adulthood- This program empowers youth who have grown up in the care of child and family Services and helps them build on the skills needed to live independently and successfully in the community.

Youth Engaging Supports (YES) – Serves youth who are transitioning to independence and don’t have strong supports systems. Providing them with volunteer mentors who can provide social and emotional assistance to enhance community support.

·       Banff trail Community Transition Home

·       Eating Disorder Community Support Home

·       Foster Care

·       In-home family Support Program

·       Rundle Community Transition Home

·       Wendy’s Wonderful Kids

·       Youth Addictions Support Home

·       Youth Matters

·       Youth Re-engagement

·       Youth Transitions to Adulthood

Families – Aspens family programs deal with a wide range of challenges, such as housing, food insecurity and access to income and resources while addressing vulnerabilities and enhancing well-being.

Parent Link Centres- These centers provide support to parents in their role as their children’s first and most influential teachers. Centre staff collaborate with other professionals to deliver high quality programs in parent education, early childhood development and family support as well as information and referrals to community resources and developmental screening.

Sustainable Families – Aspen works with families who are experiencing homelessness, or at risk of losing their home. We work closely with community resources to help families find and keep stable housing, assess their assets and work towards increasing their capacity to build self-sufficient futures.

·       Hand in Hand Parent Link Centres

·       Home Stay Prevention

·       In-home family Support

·       Sustainable Families

·       Youth Re-Engagement

Communities- Aspen believes that only through community can people get the lasting support they need to build on their skills, develop social networks and access resources to move through challenges and reach their potential.

Community Connections- provides networking opportunities to resources , outreach and programs in neighbourhoods to address immediate needs and financial stability.

1000 Voices – is a human services centre located in Calgary’s northeast is a hub of activity supporting the needs od a vibrant community. Houses more than 100 programs including employment training, settlement services and newcomers and programs for seniors and youth.

·       Calgary Learning Village Collaborative

·       Community Connections

·       Heart of the Northeast Community Resource Centre

·       Heart of South Calgary Family Resource Centre

·       1000 VoicesYouth – At Aspen we work with many partners to provide programs for infants, children and youth to thrive and build well-being and resilience by providing caring, home-like environments.

Our In-home Family Support- ensures that all children of all ages are safe and well nurtured in their homes. This program supports family reunification, improves family functioning and enhances family support networks.

Youth Transition to Adulthood- This program empowers youth who have grown up in the care of child and family Services and helps them build on the skills needed to live independently and successfully in the community.

Youth Engaging Supports (YES) – Serves youth who are transitioning to independence and don’t have strong supports systems. Providing them with volunteer mentors who can provide social and emotional assistance to enhance community support.

·       Banff trail Community Transition Home

·       Eating Disorder Community Support Home

·       Foster Care

·       In-home family Support Program

·       Rundle Community Transition Home

·       Wendy’s Wonderful Kids

·       Youth Addictions Support Home

·       Youth Matters

·       Youth Re-engagement

·       Youth Transitions to Adulthood

Families – Aspens family programs deal with a wide range of challenges, such as housing, food insecurity and access to income and resources while addressing vulnerabilities and enhancing well-being.

Parent Link Centres- These centers provide support to parents in their role as their children’s first and most influential teachers. Centre staff collaborate with other professionals to deliver high quality programs in parent education, early childhood development and family support as well as information and referrals to community resources and developmental screening.

Sustainable Families – Aspen works with families who are experiencing homelessness, or at risk of losing their home. We work closely with community resources to help families find and keep stable housing, assess their assets and work towards increasing their capacity to build self-sufficient futures.

·       Hand in Hand Parent Link Centres

·       Home Stay Prevention

·       In-home family Support

·       Sustainable Families

·       Youth Re-Engagement

Communities- Aspen believes that only through community can people get the lasting support they need to build on their skills, develop social networks and access resources to move through challenges and reach their potential.

Community Connections- provides networking opportunities to resources , outreach and programs in neighbourhoods to address immediate needs and financial stability.

1000 Voices – is a human services centre located in Calgary’s northeast is a hub of activity supporting the needs od a vibrant community. Houses more than 100 programs including employment training, settlement services and newcomers and programs for seniors and youth.

·       Calgary Learning Village Collaborative

·       Community Connections

·       Heart of the Northeast Community Resource Centre

·       Heart of South Calgary Family Resource Centre

·       1000 VoicesASPEN OVERVIEW: 2015-2016

Our people and partners contribute to the city’s poverty reduction initiative, help Calgarians leave or avoid homelessness, promote social inclusion and contribute to well-being. Together, we have made significant, measurable strides to support families and individuals and overcome layers of vulnerabilities. Here are examples of the impact our partnership has had in 2015-16:

FAMILIES: can be stable and enjoy enhanced well-being; homeless or near-homeless families can gain appropriate, safe housing, and sustainable livelihoods; and children can actively participate in the family and are ready to learn.

• Parent Link Centres: Program support for families with children under six reports, on average for our three centres:  96% increased friendships and connections through parent link centres; and 94% improved access to play-based activities and resources
• Preventing homelessness: Helping families at imminent risk of homelessness or who are experiencing homelessness, we can report the following:  155 families participated in home stay prevention (compared to 135 families in 2014-15); and 98% avoided eviction and maintained their housing (compared to 97% in 2014-15)

COMMUNITY: Diverse populations, including immigrants and Aboriginals, can be included and belong; and residents can meaningfully participate and engage in their communities.

• 1,297 residents were meaningfully engaged at Crossroads; 683 residents were meaningfully engaged in Deer Run, Deer Ridge and Queensland; and 788 residents were meaningfully engaged in the heart of the northeast (HOTNE).

YOUTH: Youth​​ can overcome a variety of issues they may face: homelessness, addiction, eating disorders, finding a job, staying in school, mental, physical or social health concerns, reuniting with family, finding adoptive homes or learning to make the leap to adulthood.

• 100% of support homes youth who attended eating disorder or additions programs reported feeling safe and well supported; 93% of Youth Matters participants demonstrated increased skills/competencies toward a more sustainable livelihood; and 80% of eligible youth transition to adulthood participants graduated from high school.

How We Do It

First, we deal with the immediate crisis. We find a place to live for people who are experiencing homelessness, food for those who are hungry, a job, a school or health-care support. Next, we help uncover why someone is in this situation in the first place and work with them to overcome their challenges for good.

Programs and one-on-one personalized support are designed to meet the needs of each client or program participants.

Currently, we offer:

Families

In Home Family Support – When conflicts and problems exist at home, the safety and well-being of children can be at risk. The In-home Family Support program works to prevent, reduce or eliminate factors that may place a child or family in jeopardy. Families are referred by Calgary and Area Child and Family Services; most families referred to this program are also dealing with poverty.

Sustainable Families – Staff work with families who are either experiencing homelessness or are at imminent risk of homelessness. These families have complex needs, are facing multiple barriers to success and/or are living in poverty. Staff work with shelters and other community resources to help families find and keep stable housing, assess their personal, social, physical, financial and human assets and work towards increasing their capacity to build self-sufficient futures.

Hand in Hand Parent Link Centres – With two Parent Link Centres operating in Northeast Calgary and one in the Town of Strathmore, PLC staff support parents in their roles as their children’s first and most influential teachers. Aspen partners to collaboratively deliver high-quality programs in parent education, early childhood development, and family support, and to connect families to community resources.

Home Stay Prevention Program – We support families at imminent risk of homelessness to stabilize and maintain housing. Families receive immediate and short-term interventions to support them in their current housing situations, preventing homelessness and/or loss of stable housing. Staff work with the family to empower them to establish a sustainable future, focusing on the family’s personal, social, financial, physical and human assets.

Youth

Foster Care – Aspen supports foster p​arents who provide safe, warm and health homes and positive family environments for children unable to live at home. Aspen screens and trains prospective foster parents, works to find the best match between child and family, and provides ongoing training and support.

Community Group Care Homes – ​Young people may not be able to remain at home or find him/herself on the street. Aspen’s group homes provide caring, home-like environments that facilitate healthy development of youth through school attendance, access to resources, and participation in sports and leisure activities. Staff also help young people begin the process of working toward independence, promoting like skills development.

Youth Addiction Community Support Homes – ​Collaborating with AHS Youth Addiction Services, Aspen recruits, screens and trains host families to provide safe, secure living environments for adolescents with addictions while they attend a 12-week AHS Youth Addiction program. The host provides a temporary home, meals, support, transportation, supervision, recreational opportunities, life-skills training and encouragement in making healthy lifestyle changes.

Eating Disorder Community Support Homes – ​Collaborating with AHS Eating Disorder Services, Aspen recruits, screens and trains host families to provide safe, secure living environments for adolescents with eating disorders while they attend an 8-12-week eating disorder day treatment program. The host provides a temporary home, meals, support, transportation, supervision, recreational opportunities, life-skills training and encouragement in making healthy lifestyle changes.

Youth Transitions to Adulthood – Aspen staff work to empower young people who come from difficult home settings or who have been living in foster or group care, to become as self-sufficient as possible by the time they graduate from the program. Staff help participants set goals to: obtain appropriate accommodation, enhance their own life skills, continue their education and/or find employment, attain financial empowerment, and connect with positive supports in the community.

Wendy’s Wonderful Kids – The David Thomas Foundation for Adoption Canada’s proactive, child-centered program is dedicated to increasing the adoptions of hard-to-place children, many of whom are in Canada’s foster care system waiting for permanent homes. Aspen is the only program grantee in Alberta.

Youth Matters – ​Youth and young adults are empowered to make good decisions around family/peer relationships, employment, finances, school and housing. Aspen creates opportunities for youth connections with one another, adults, resources and their communities. The program’s Headspace bus brings music, art, sports and educational materials/equipment to natural gathering places (parks, community centres, etc.), where staff offer programming to engage youth.

Community

Community Connections – This grassroots community development uses programs, activities and resources (financial literacy, tax clinics, food programs, clothing exchanges, community events, etc.) to engage people to contribute to positive lasting change and build capacity within communities. The program builds on strengths and connects people to resources, contributing to the sustainable future of the community.

Family Resource Centres – Heart of the Northeast and Heart of the South – Calgary families are offered programming that is timely, holistic and tailored to meet the needs of community families. Programs include: parent education, family support, and child development. Families also bring forward ideas and requests for needs-specific services.

1000 Voices – Managed and operated by Aspen at the Genesis Centre of Community Wellness, a Northeast Calgary community hub, the 10,000-square-foot human services centre houses cultural activities, settlement services for newcomers, and programs and services offered by more than 40 service providers who work collaboratively to meet community needs.

What You Can Do

Be part of the transformation:

Foster parents and support homes: Young Calgarians who are unable to live in their family homes need your support. Youth who attend specialized addiction and eating disorder programs also need a caring place to stay. If you can provide a safe, secure, nurturing home environment, connect with us. Become an Aspen community support home or foster parent home by emailing aspenfamily@aspenfamily.org We provide training and ongoing support.

Give: Whether supporting Winter Breather or our youth, family or community programming, donating to Aspen makes a sustainable difference in the lives of Calgarians in need.

• Donations to the Winter Breather program help Aspen provide at-risk families who are currently connected to an Aspen program  with basic need support such as heat, electricity, groceries, telephone and transportation assistance so that the stress of coping over the holidays is a little less. The cost of electicity may range from $100 to $200, so any donation between $50 and $300 will help Calgarians in need.