The Circle Project Association Inc.
Disclaimer:
The views expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of Justice Canada.
The Circle Project provides support and programs based on the Aboriginal vision of wholeness, balance and healing. By promoting positive human development, we encourage people to help themselves through education, cultural awareness, family and community.
The Circle Project's purpose is to serve the needs of the community in the City of Regina, Saskatchewan, working primarily with Aboriginal people who are struggling to break cycles of poverty, lack of education, addictions and who are, in many cases, over-represented in the criminal justice system. Our belief is that in order to build and sustain a healthy community, we must assist individuals and families toward positive choices and empowerment. To have the most positive effect on the individuals and community we work with, an integrated service model has been developed. Services include Adult Education/Skills Development, Parenting, Early Childhood Education, KidsFirst, Family Violence, Addictions Counselling, Individual and/or Group Counselling.
These services, which are provided in a central location in Regina, either on site or as a satellite program in the community, have proven successful for many program participants because issues that arise (and have previously interfered with skills and personal development), can be dealt with on an almost immediate basis. The programs are responsive, sensitive, intensive and culturally relevant. They are also reality-based and work cooperatively to assist participants on an individual basis. As a result, many individuals and families have achieved success in identifying and breaking negative cycles that, in some cases, have been present since birth.
The Circle Project conducted a survey of its Adult Basic Education and Training Program (ABE) in June 2009. The snapshot demographic of the program participants in 2008-09 is as follows:
- 100% were of Aboriginal ancestry.
- 64% of the program participants have been a victim of/or have struggled with family violence.
- 41% have struggled with or are still struggling with addiction issues.
- 23% have a Criminal Record.
- 23% have had trouble with the law in the past 5 years.
- 59% of the students have not had a job within the past 5 years.
- 86% of the students who attended the ABE Program were on social assistance.
- 86% of the students have 2 to 4 children (with the majority in their care).
- 68% were single parent families.
- 78% previously lived on First Nations Reservations.
To address the negative impacts that prevent individuals from successfully moving forward, the learner-centered model, developed by Circle Project, has helped many people to help themselves. Appropriate, well-developed services that are culturally-relevant and provide additional support services (e.g. Life Skills; "Respect for All" Traditional Parenting Program; Family Violence and Addictions Counselling) are utilized and integrated into the Adult Basic Education and Training Program. Through our experience, this approach provides learning opportunities to adult learners who have not historically flourished in conventional educational programs. The delivery method produces long-term, sustainable outcomes, which not only have a positive effect, on individuals, but also on their family and community. The purpose of this model is to help individuals transition from one point to the next, maximizing their potential for success by developing realistic goals and taking the appropriate steps in achieving each goal by accessing readily available in-house support services.
According to Circle Project's ABE Program evaluations conducted in 2008-09, real-life outcomes for program participants are as follows:
- 55% of the program participants have accessed additional support services within Circle Project's integrated program model.
- 50% said the additional support services provided has assisted them with their personal/social development.
- 95% of students said the ABE Program has assisted them in becoming more independent.
- 64% want to further their education after they successfully complete the program.
- 32% want to be employed after they successfully complete the program.
- 55% rated themselves as having excellent self-esteem after taking the program.
- 50% rated themselves as having good employability skills after taking the program.
Intervention, as a crime prevention method, can be made with the clear identification of barriers on an individual basis and the ability to respond to the issues that have created the barriers for individuals. Steady progression towards sustainability, and ultimately becoming employed and independent, can be made by engaging and connecting individuals to relevant programming which further assists these individuals to feel "a part" of their community rather than "apart" from their community.
Inquiries about this program should be directed to:
Ann Perry, Executive Director
The Circle Project Association Inc.
1102 - 8th Avenue, 2nd Floor
Regina, Saskatchewan, S4R 1C9
Telephone: 1-306-347-7515
Facsimile: 1-306-347-7519
E-mail: ann.perry@sasktel.net
