HIGHBANKS SOCIETY
Highbanks Society is a non-profit organization that provides individual family accommodation and integrated support services for pregnant and parenting female youth (16-24 years of age) and their children. We address the need for safe and affordable housing for some of Calgary’s teen-mothers. We know that education is the key to increasing the economic, civic, and social success of our little families; therefore, all our clients/residents must be enrolled in education to qualify for our program. In turn, we provide comprehensive programming to build on life skills and parenting as our youth journey towards their career goals.
- Parenting Skills Programs:Â teaching early childhood development tools and strategies that bring mothers together for peer mentorship.
- Trauma Therapy:Â utilizing registered psychologists to help young women deal with systematic abuse and toxic stress.
- Life Skills: using a theory of support called Highbanks Eagle Woman’s Wheel, which is based on the traditional Indigenous Medicine Wheel. We help our young mothers identify and work towards goals in finance, education, mental health, cooking and nutrition, and healthy relationships.
Highbanks offers financial aid for our clients to attend recreation activities and financial incentives to save towards education for themselves and/or their children. Families can stay in our program for as long as they are enrolled in school, and pregnant or parenting. Upon completion, families can continue to receive support as alumnae.
Our results:
Of our many alumnae, 98% have kept custody of their child; 28% are currently enrolled in post-secondary education; 40% have graduated from post-secondary education and are now working as entrepreneurs, industry workers, nurses, social workers, and managers; 25% own their own home and 62% pay market rent.
Highbanks is committed to helping young mothers and children realize their potential so they can become educated, confident, self-sufficient parents raising healthy, happy children.