Apartments, education program for indigenous moms proposed at former St. Bernadette site

District of Sault Ste. Marie Social Services Administration Board agreed Thursday night to provide $730,000 toward the cost of creating 15 furnished housing units to help urban Indigenous mothers achieve economic self-sufficiency.

Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services (OAHS) is developing seven Indigenous Homeward Bound programs in partnership with Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres and other public and private entities.

The proposed Sault location was not disclosed at Thursday night's meeting, but a written OAHS proposal indicates they want to acquire the vacated St. Bernadette Elementary School at 462 McNabb St.

"The existing building will be renovated to include 15 housing units, common space for programming and support services and child-care facilities," the document states.

"Engineering work will begin immediately after and construction will be complete in time for a 2018 occupancy.

Earlier this month, OAHS's board approved a capital expenditure of $1.7 million to acquire and renovate the Sault site.

The culturally supported job-readiness is based on Toronto's WoodGreen Homebound program, which was described at Thursday's meeting as a "proven and successful program that is now being implemented in other Ontario communities." 

Indigenous mothers selected for the program will receive the following:

• Indigenous cultural supports
• a furnished subsidized housing unit
• goal-oriented case management
• fully subsidized day care
• after-school care for children and youth
• life skills training
• academic upgrading
• trauma counseling

"Participants will also earn tuition-paid post-secondary diplomas and degrees, complete internships through an innovation industry council and begin careers within fields of study targeted to the local labour market," the proposal states.

Homeward Bound describes its program as having "rigorous" demands, particularly the commitment to return to school.

Participants are chosen based on their motivation to make changes in their lives through post-secondary education and employment.

"We're looking to replicate the program here," Jeff Barban, DSSMSSAB director of housing services told SooToday.

"We have a template already. It's not like we're working from scratch. It's already been developed through WoodGreen," Barban said.

"The program is attached to a council of businesses so that when they finish the degree there's actually work in the community for the individuals."

The housing units would be a mixture of two- and three-bedrooms, Barban said.