By Sarah Molder, a practicum student

Saturday, March 17, 2018 marked the 15^th consecutive year of the UVIC Rowers Work Party at The Cridge Centre for the Family. Each year, in collaboration with the Cridge Brain Injury Services program, the University of Victoria Men’s Rowing Team volunteers their manpower to complete landscaping tasks. For the first 12 years, rowers devoted their efforts to landscaping the grounds of MacDonald House, a residential facility for survivors of brain injury. In recent years, the volunteers and team have tackled larger scale projects on the main property of The Cridge Centre for the Family.

This year, with almost 40 energetic rowers in attendance, in collaboration with the Brain Injury Services team and under the direction of Mr. Organic of Friendly Organics (aka Dave Friend), three major garden/landscaping projects were completed in record time.

Project #1. Kale King Garden Reconfiguration

With help from our Brain Injury Survivors, the rowers successfully transformed the garden into a visually appealing and fully functional food growing area, complete with ample growing space and a practical teaching area.

In April each year, the garden is transformed into a learning space for children of the daycare centre. Throughout the spring and summer months, staff and survivors facilitate weekly food growing workshops that educate, encourage, and empower children to learn and connect with organic food growing principles.

In addition to providing valuable learning to children, the garden provides interim employment opportunities for survivors of brain injury who are, as part of their lifelong rehabilitation, taking preparatory steps to achieving employment skills that will benefit them in community-based work settings (punctuality, time management, responsibility, etc.).

Project #2. Daycare Pumpkin Patch

In this part of the project, rowers and our team dug a 12 by 20-foot rainbow-shaped pumpkin patch in front of The Cridge Centre for the Family property. As workers shoveled and hauled dirt out of the patch area, they piled the soil into a neighbouring 3-foot bank that mimicked the pumpkin patch’s rainbow-shape. The idea was to utilize soil dug from the patch to simultaneously build a food-growing area to maximize space for growing and education. Talk about efficient use of resources!

Come October, The Cridge will host a highly anticipated Pumpkin Festival where children can pick and carve their very own pumpkins.

Project #3. Front Lawn Beautification

In the last phase of our work, the team and rowers did a complete restoration of the bush area on the front lawn. Workers trimmed overgrown branches and removed debris and roots obstructing the walkway to spruce up the remaining area.

In closing, we wish to extend a huge thank you to the young men (and one woman) from the UVIC Men’s Rowing Team! Your consistent efforts and enthusiasm for community involvement are highly valued by everyone here at The Cridge Centre for the Family. We look forward to working with you again!

We are especially grateful to David Friend aka Mr. Friendly Organics for on-going support!

 

A Cridge Dovetail Story

by Candace Stretch, Manager of Supportive Housing & Family Services

Recently one of our tenants needed some childcare for her 10 year old daughter, Mina, while she attended an appointment. All of the Dovetail support workers were busy in appointments with their clients at that time, and I had a few hours free, so I volunteered to hang out with Mina. I asked Mina what she wanted to do, and she said she wanted to go on a walk. So I asked Mina to show me the places in The Cridge neighbourhood where she spent her time.

The journey we took over the next hour was truly special: seeing The Cridge property and surrounding neighbourhood from her perspective gave me a whole new view of this community. There were secret meeting places, tucked-away playgrounds, neighbourhood pets that she visits each day… she even tried to convince to me to take the “short cut” and jump a fence (I couldn’t quite agree to that!). It was clear that Mina was excited and proud to be my neighbourhood tour guide.

As I reflect on this experience, a few things really stick out to me. I realize how important it is for the children we serve to feel connected to their neighbourhood. These are kids who have experienced trauma and transition. All of them have moved into this place under very stressful circumstances. It strikes me that getting to know and feel comfortable in this neighbourhood plays a significant role in their healing and future development.

Reflecting on this experience also makes me realize what a joy it is to see this little corner of the world through the eyes of a child. Mina gave me the gift of experiencing this place in a new and fresh way. All of it reaffirms for me that we live, work and play in a very special place!

 

For more information about our Supportive Housing, click here.

Note: to maintain confidentiality, some details and names in this story were altered

by Marlene Goley, Manager of Cridge Transition House for Women and Outreach Services

For Beata, our Cridge Transition House Outreach Worker, the “no wrong door” approach can translate into, “Let’s just do it, okay?”

Beata has been working with a woman for many months who had so many set-backs, she was ready to just give up. Her ex-husband was not allowing their child to spend time with her; he was not paying any support; his mother was harassing her with false reports to the Ministry of Child and Family Development; and her Legal Aid lawyer seemed more interested in representing her ex’s interests than in hers. She requested a change of lawyers through Legal Aid but was denied with no clear reason given. Small wonder that she was ready to just give up.

Enter Beata who talked to this woman about how the Justice Access Centre could help her prepare for court and she could represent herself. The woman had little confidence that this would have a good outcome. Finally, Beata said, “Let’s just do it, okay?” It really wasn’t a question.

Beata took her to the Justice Access Centre and helped her figure out what she had to do. The woman carefully followed the instructions she was given and with Beata’s support, went to the scheduled court date. Although she was up against her husband’s lawyer, she presented her case so well that the judge ordered that her ex must facilitate 50-50 access with their child, that he pay her child support, and that he attend counselling. This success helped her reclaim her confidence and determination. Now she is the first one to say, “Let’s just do it, okay?”

Kevin sustained an acquired brain injury from a fall in 2009.  As a result, he experiences physical stiffness and cognitive challenges. Kevin does have good insight into his limitations and he works hard to pace himself accordingly.

Kevin will not allow his brain injury to hold him back. He does have struggles, but everyday he makes a commitment to live well and to get out and be a part of his community. In fact, if you are one of the lucky people to pass Kevin walking down the street or sitting beside him on a bus, you will likely be the recipient of his warm smile and often a “Good morning, friend.”

Kevin’s warm personality is engaging and he generally enjoys being with people. He has a great sense of humor, an infectious laugh, and likes to be an encourager to others.

After Kevin’s injury, he was faced with many day-to-day challenges. He worked through speech difficulties, fatigue issues, learning coping strategies to avoid verbal outbursts and how to deal with outside stimuli, like excessive noise. Like many other individuals, Kevin also struggled with substance use; however, he has worked on his recovery and this is now behind him.

Kevin lives his life to the fullest by using strategies daily. For example, he uses a pocket calendar, smart phone for texting and recording information, doctors’ appointments and his to-do list. Kevin does not shy away from work by any means. In fact, one of the struggles Kevin still faces today is putting the needs of others first. He needs to remind himself daily that his care plan needs to come first so he can be of service to others.

Kevin has a variety of interests including gardening, cooking, poetry writing, doing research, and building things. His connection with The Cridge came through volunteering at Macdonald House. He then went on to participate in our community kitchen and became involved with the Kale King program. Kevin’s interest in gardening and cooking was advantageous to this program as he quickly became a lead team member in gardening, cookie-making and selling products at the night market. Kevin now serves in the Daycare Breakfast Program and has made a great connection with the staff and children.

Kevin also proudly completed his diploma in Community, Family and Child Studies through Camosun College in 2014 – the same year he joined Kale Kings. In 2015, Kevin moved in to Mary Cridge Manor to further develop social interests and employment goals. Kevin is an avid volunteer too. He continues to work on yard maintenance at Macdonald House and cooks and delivers vegetarian meals weekly through the Food Not Bombs program.

By Alison Chamberlain

Misha comes into the Seniors’ Centre weekly to be a computer mentor to our seniors. He assists staff in providing technological assistance to the seniors in the building. Whether it is the senior’s own laptop, computer, iPad, smart phone, printer or other piece of technology, he is booked by half hour sessions to assist in the use, exploration or troubleshooting of these items.

By being very knowledgeable about both the item and how to walk a senior through the steps, Misha helps each senior to engage with it more easily and enjoyably. By helping them, he is allowing The Cridge Village Seniors Centre to support senior access and exposure to technology and our digital world. By taking the time to write down steps for the senior, he breaks the barrier of confusion or frustration with a device and allows them to build confidence.  Misha bridges a technology gap between generations while he gets the chance to engage meaningfully with his skill set as he decides his career path in college.

We are so grateful for Misha!