Giving Indigenous single moms a new start
A new program aimed at pulling Indigenous single mothers out of poverty by providing education and job training has been announced in Hamilton.
It is expected to give the women safe affordable housing and child care so that they can focus on trying to upgrade their education and find employment that pays “a family-sustaining wage.”
The Hamilton Indigenous Mothers Gateway is being called a “wraparound support program” for homeless or close-tohomeless single moms.
“Indigenous single mother families have the highest rate of poverty in Canada, ... twice the amount of non-Indigenous single moms,” said Holly Stoodley, the program’s implementation coordinator.
Stoodley, with the Hamilton Regional Indian Centre (HRIC), introduced the four-year program on Tuesday.
As well as addressing homelessness, it will foster the women to help them find the resilience and strength they need, she said.
The program also aims to address long-term reliance on social assistance, instead building lasting economic self-sufficiency, Stoodley said.
The Ontario Trillium Foundation has provided the $75,000 in seed money to start the program in the fall.
“This year, we are looking to start with five families,” said Stoodley.
Each year, five more families will be added.
The program is part of the Urban Indigenous Homeward Bound initiative by the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres.
It’s based on the Homeward Bound model from the WoodGreen Foundation in Toronto, which saw 80 per cent of participating women get sustainable employment.
It is also similar to the Homeward Bound housing first program run out of De dwa da dehs nye>s Aboriginal Health Centre, only in that it helps participants find stable housing.
“Ours is more of an education and employment program with wraparound supports, including housing and education,” Stoodley said.
HRIC executive director Audrey Davis said, “Our goal is to close the gap and improve health of single mothers, and improve their education and access to jobs.”