Project
Reclaiming Our Voices: A Gathering for Women Affected by Alcohol, Drugs and Pregnancy
Principal Investigator(s): Dr. Kathy Jones, phone: (204) 985-4061, email: kathy@wrcfs.mb.ca
Start/End Date: Yearly event - first annual was November 1998
Location: Russell, MB
Brief Description: The Reclaiming Our Voices Gathering is a three-day healing event, hosted by West Region Child & Family Services a mandated child protection agency serving families in the West Region Tribal Area, Manitoba, Canada. Each year the gathering welcomes 200 women to talk about the issues that stand in the way of their sobriety. Through guest speakers, craft workshops, traditional ceremonies and prayer women are given the opportunity to share their experiences of grief and loss. Almost all of the women who attended this event had children in the care of regional child welfare agencies, and nearly all had traumatic childhood life experiences that have contributed to their addictions and subsequent birth of alcohol affected children. Women are encouraged to build support networks with other women as they continue on their treatment journey after the conference. Preliminary results have shown that woman who attend this event have begun to reduce their drinking and drug use and have become more accepting of support for themselves and their children.
Time Frame: ongoing
Type of Project: demonstration
Population Served: urban and reserve, primarily Aboriginal women
Publications: in progress
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