Sober-Living at Alpha House’s Providence House

with Insights from Recovery Coach, Melodie

The road to recovery is a difficult journey—one that’s best traveled with community and supports at your side. Earlier this year, we transitioned one of our harm reduction buildings to our first ever sober-living supportive housing program – Providence House . Sober living aims to provide healthy environments conducive to sustained recovery by giving individuals the supports they need to find independence, reconnect with community, and improve their quality of life. We tracked down our supremely busy Recovery Coach, Melodie, to hear a little bit about her job supporting clients at Providence, the types of programming offered, and the day-to-day activities in the building.

A recovery coach is a mentor and motivator that supports individuals toward recovery by helping them navigate unique situations and challenges on their way to maintaining sobriety. Melodie describes her job as being a sort of a

“cheerleader for the clients – that might mean helping them with a specific task or having my door open and being available to talk when they need.”

Ultimately, it’s about supporting someone’s journey with encouragement and positive reinforcement.

A 9 AM group meeting with Melodie and all the residents in the building kicks off each new day at Providence, where together clients do their daily affirmations, discuss AA and other recovery programs, and share about the things they’re looking forward to, how they’re planning to connect with others, and what motivates them. An important reminder about recovery is that different approaches resonate with different people; it’s important to encourage interest in the approach that speaks to each individual person. After the morning meeting, clients go about their day, and Melodie keeps her office doors open for clients who are looking to chat, whether that’s to vent about a frustrating situation or to start working on a new goal they’ve set for themselves.

Which supports an individual needs looks different for everyone—one client might be looking to find volunteer opportunities or employment, while another could be looking to reconnect with their family now that they are sober. Everyone has their own goals and ambitions, and it’s critical to their success for us to surround our folks with encouragement and support for each milestone. Often times the barrier can be not knowing where to start or who to reach out to which is why we’re so grateful to have Melodie as a resource and support.

Recently, one of our clients has been looking to get visitation rights to see her child after 5 years apart— Melodie has been working with the client and the child’s caseworker to go through the steps of making those visitation rights happen, which includes advocating for the client and presenting the changes and improvements they have made while at Providence House. This is just one of many unique situations a Recovery Coach can help with.

When a new resident joins Providence House, they have an introductory meeting with the recovery coach so she can hear their story, learn more about them, and identify what areas they need support with. The beginning stages of sobriety can come with its own set of challenges: overwhelming emotions, physical withdrawal symptoms, or difficulty sleeping, eating, or concentrating. Another unique challenge that clients can face is the feeling of abandoning friends they’ve made while struggling with their addiction and who may still be on the street or actively using substances. Separating from those meaningful connections takes time to process and come to terms with. Understanding how difficult sobriety can be, relapse is also a real concern— one of the most helpful aspects of Alpha House’s sober-living program is how we are able to navigate someone’s relapse through the support of our Detox program. Clients who relapse in the program aren’t kicked out, rather they have the opportunity attend Alpha House’s Detox to withdrawal in a medically supported environment. Once they’ve completed the detox process, they can re-engage with the recovery coach and building managers to understand what happened and what they might need to change to find success in their recovery.

Melodie describes the vibe at Providence House as

“very welcoming— each individual is unique in their own ways, but everyone gets along, is engaged in programming, and does their best to welcome new residents.”

The breadth of programming available in the building gives individuals plenty of opportunity to engage with others, and with their own goals and plans. Sober-living and sobriety-based programming involves lots of meetings and group activities including 12-step AA programming. On Tuesdays, one of Alpha House’s Indigenous Peer Support workers stops by for weekly Wellbriety meetings, which is similar to a 12-step program, but with a focus on the teachings of the Medicine wheel. Wellbriety meetings are frequently followed by beadwork, where clients can express their creativity and receive the therapeutic benefits of working on a craft. The weekly sweat lodges that we do in our Detox program are also open to residents at Providence House, which some clients find integral to their recovery journey. There are also lots of spontaneous events that happen at the building put together by staff or other agencies like community cleanups, unique art therapy projects, BBQs, human bingo, gardening, painting bird houses, lawn games like beanbag tosses, and DIY banana split dessert making just to name a few!

Group programming can bring its own challenges though. Many of the individuals at Providence are transitioning from living on the street so attending group activities can come with a lot of anxiety, increased feelings of insecurity, and trauma responses. For example, an individual who transitioned from homelessness may not have access to the clothing they need to attend meetings and group activities in a way that makes them feel dignified. Lots of similar examples come up where the obstacle to engagement is not immediately apparent, but can cause significant challenges if left unaddressed.

After spending many years on the street, things like managing finances or doing laundry are skills that have been forgotten or have never been learned, and can act as barriers to independence. Tackling these challenges are among the first steps to supporting clients toward being able to live on their own. Melodie has taken steps to fill these gaps by facilitating budgeting classes, starting the process of helping clients get their driver’s licenses (we are on the book stage right now!), and working one-on-one with clients to develop their skillsets with day-to-day tasks like cooking, cleaning or laundry. During one-on-one sessions, Melodie has also been working with some of our clients on finding employment or volunteer opportunities. Providence currently has one client working full-time, two working part-time, and another handful who are volunteering in the community.

Clients also get to vote on programming activities, making sure they have a voice in the topics and activities planned.

 

What are the biggest differences we’ve seen from clients on their recovery journey to now?

Of course, differences are going to vary from person to person, but some overarching things we’ve seen are that clients are more hopeful about the future and their lives, and they talk of more— setting goals and finding things they want to achieve. We also see lots of clients confronting their pasts, coming to terms with lost jobs and housing, and making amends through attending court cases and reaching out to lost connections and family members. On top of that, there are improvements to both their mental and physical well-being, which are more general improvements that come with sobriety.

There’s been lots of positive feedback from staff and clients alike about Providence House and the Recovery Coach program here, and we’ve already seen lots of successes!  We are really excited to have added a sober-living facility to our continuum of services and look forward to sharing more about our clients and staff and the community they’re creating soon.

Landlords Share Their Perspective on Working with Alpha House in the Community Housing Program

By Paul Tokode

 The Community Housing program at Alpha House supports clients to live in their own homes in various communities in Calgary and sign their own leases. Alpha House will subsidize client rents and deposits when needed – ensuring consistent, timely rental payments to their landlord. Alpha House also commits to conducting maintenance to ensure the property’s condition remains as it was upon move-in, provides ongoing communication to resolve any issues quickly and thoroughly, as well administer supportive services including intensive case management to ensure long-term, successful tenancies. The Community Housing program is a long-standing program to help our clients live independently. Landlords are also supported by a transition team who are available to help with any concerns, liaising between landlords to keep them informed on case managers who work with clients to manage any issues that may arise.

 In support of our ‘Give Hope Through Housing Campaign’, we recently sat down with several  of our current landlords participating in our Community Housing program to hear their thoughts and experiences.

 

How would you describe your experience?

Landlord of 5 years: We had an excellent experience with Alpha House. Their teams are very passionate, goal driven and dedicated to their assigned tasks. They are very reliable and easy to communicate with.”

Moazzam, Landlord of 4 years: “Working with Alpha House and their team has absolutely been wonderful. Their team members are professional and diligent.” – Moazzam, Landlord of four years

 Laurence, Landlord of 7 years: “My experience has been overwhelmingly positive. The staff is dedicated and passionate, ensuring both tenants and landlords have a positive experience. They set a high standard for supportive housing organizations through prompt communication and proactive problem-solving.”

 

How has Alpha House supported you as a landlord throughout a tenant’s residency?

 Zandalee, Landlord of 1 year: “Alpha House has been supportive of us as landlords by helping communicate to the tenants for any necessary communications such as repairs or building maintenance. It is also amazing as a landlord to know that Alpha House is responsible for finding a well-suited tenant for the unit, building and landlords, so this takes some of the weight off of landlords, especially since they continue to pay rent in between tenants.”

 Moazzam, Landlord of 4 years: “Alpha House has provided outstanding support and commitment. Their commitment to paying on time, maintaining cleanliness in the rental spaces, and ensuring the well-being of all clients whole caring for other tenants exemplifies professionalism and dedication.”

Laurence, Landlord of 7 years: “Alpha House has been incredibly supportive throughout my tenants’ residencies. They have provided ongoing communication, regular check-ins, and assistance with any issues that may arise.”

 

What do you find the most rewarding about working with Alpha House and its clients as a landlord?

Wesam, Landlord of 12 years: “The most rewarding thing about working with Alpha House is the good communication & the quick response of the team in solving the problems which may happen.”

Zandalee, Landlord of 1 year: “It really has been a unique experience knowing you are playing a small part in helping better someone’s life.For us in particular, we saw the joy it can bring to someone who has faced racial prejudice from other landlords by simply saying yes and providing a warm space for them to live. We’ve received more gratitude than we deserve simply for participating in the program.”

Landlord of 5 years: “I love to see that a person’s life can start to change through offering them a place they can call their home. Giving them a second chance to start a new life and help them dream dreams again.”

 

What would you say to other landlords who may consider renting to Alpha House clients?

Moazzam, Landlord of 4 years: “Alpha House is an organization that provides safe and caring environments for individuals. As landlords providing such environments not only benefits tenants but also contributes to a positive community atmosphere.”

Landlord of 5 years: “In this chaotic world we are living in right now, let us be kind to those who need our hand to start a new life. We shouldn’t be judgemental, instead we should be willing to offer ourselves to help ease up another person’s burden. Let’s spread love.”

Laurence, Landlord of 7 years: “To other landlords considering renting to Alpha House clients, I would say don’t hesitate. Working with Alpha House not only provides an opportunity to contribute to the community but also offers a reliable support system and resources to ensure a positive renting experience.”

 

The affordable housing crisis in Calgary impacts everyone, including our clients. With inventory so low and the cost of living on the rise, we need to come together as a community to find solutions so that everyone has a home. We are very grateful for our landlord partnerships that enable us to help our clients find housing where they can feel safe, supported and welcomed in their community.

We are currently looking for 30 suites to help us reach our goal of housing 150 clients this year. We welcome all landlords to learn more about Alpha House’s landlord partnership program please visit Alpha House’s Give Hope Through Housing Campaign and download the landlord partnership package: Landlord-Partnerships.pdf (alphahousecalgary.com). You can also email info@alphahousecalgary.com to get started.

Happy International Self-Care Day! In its honour, we’re talking about Psychological First Aid (PFA), the importance of self-care in the social service sector, and some strategies for taking care of ourselves as well as others.

First things first— what is self-care? Self-care refers to the activities and practices that we can regularly engage with to reduce stress and enhance both our short-term and long-term well-being. [1] The overarching theme around self-care among social service professionals is that “we cannot look after others if we cannot look after ourselves.” Working on the frontline can be both stressful and unpredictable, resulting in pent up stress and unaddressed emotions that can ultimately lead to major challenges later on, if left unchecked. Additionally, care providers are much more likely to experience vicarious trauma, which is a form of trauma resulting from exposure to the traumatic stories and experiences of others; vicarious trauma can significantly impact the mental health of care providers if they don’t have healthy coping mechanisms to avoid the pitfalls of burnout.

Given the high stress environment that Alpha House staff work in, the agency is always looking for ways to ensure that staff have tools and supports at their disposal to take care of themselves and others. Offering Psychological First Aid (PFA) training is one of the new ways the agency employs to promote well-being among staff. PFA is a 12-hour course that aims to equip learners with a personal understanding of the effects of stress, loss, trauma and grief on others, with an emphasis on self-care and personal protection. [2] A study conducted in Alberta looked at the effectiveness of PFA training in the social service sector showcasing that before the workshop less than half of the participants (45.9%) reported having strategies to maintain their wellness and self-care during a disaster; the post training survey revealed that after the workshops, 98.64% of participants now felt aware of the strategies needed to practice self-care and maintain their wellness. [3]

What does the course look like in practice? Overall, the course is very interactive— lots of topics are completed through group work; the continuous engagement and built-in activities allows for difficult topics to be covered in a positive environment where people can engage, observe, listen, or interact as they feel able. Our first few PFA trainings at Alpha House were taught through the Canadian Red Cross but we found it so valuable that several of our staff have since completed their Train the Trainer courses to get certified themselves. Providing the training in-house allows us to be more specific about the examples and strategies discussed in the course, and how they pertain to the population that we work with.

Building trust and rapport with clients is at the heart of frontline work in the social service sector, and part of this is knowing how to identify the emotional state of a client and approaching in a non-judgmental, empathetic manner. When we spend our time and energy meeting the social and psychological needs of others, it can become hard to find room to do the same for ourselves. PFA addresses this specifically and looks to teach individuals how to manage their own stress and emotional state as well as how to support co-workers in coping with the effects of various types of stress.

Recognizing when our co-workers are experiencing stress is a particularly critical element when the work is complex and reliant on teamwork. PFA isn’t about adding a co-worker’s stress to your already full emotional bandwidth, it’s about being able to rely on and support one-another to lighten the load for everybody.

Psychological First Aid touches on this with the 4L’s cycle— Look, Listen, Link, Live. This section explains the process of watching for signs of stress/trauma, the importance of active listening, providing links to people that may be required for support, and how to live with stress as a part of life. PFA discusses the 4L’s cycle in the context of analyzing oneself, then moves on to discuss how the same tools can be used to gauge the emotions of others, and provide support. A brief overview of the 4L’s cycle in the context of caring for others: [4]

Look for common indicators of stress

• Signs of stress
• Signs of distress
• Nonverbal signs of communication
• Are their basic needs covered?
• Signs of violence
• Individuals who require special attention
• Resiliency

Listen in a calm and open manner

• Be open to hearing their experiences
• Listen to their experiences in a non-judgmental manner
• Be aware of your tone and inflections
• Consider the person’s age, gender, cultural background, etc.

Link to support systems by empowering them to connect

• Resources to meet basic needs
• Loved ones
• Social, cultural, and religious support networks

Live with coping strategies and care for yourself so you can care for others

Throughout the course, participants have the opportunity to openly discuss the coping strategies they’ve found effective for managing stress including meditation, hobbies, and connecting with family and nature— to name a few popular options. PFA also discusses more formal approaches to resilience such as mental health counselling for individuals who would benefit from a more guided approach with a mental health professional. One of the topics in the course is ‘Creating a Self-Care Plan,’ which allows for reflective time where participants consider what self-care means to them, what practices they find works best for their situation, and when they feel self-care is most necessary for them.

It’s important to remember that practicing self-care isn’t a one-time thing, but something we have to engage with on an ongoing basis. Self-care can be impacted by external factors such as time or cost, making it hard to find a time where it makes sense to take care of oneself. PFA addresses this by asking participants to re-learn how self-care can be a part of daily living, and how they can incorporate it into their daily routines. Self-care practices are unique to each individual, and what works for one person, won’t necessarily work for another. However, a few starting ideas to incorporate self-care into your daily schedule could be starting a journal, morning meditations, or even watching a TV show without interruptions. Finding what works best for you and your schedule can take time; identifying strategies/activities with the right level of engagement and time commitment is a challenging ask in our fast-paced world.

The Simmons Faculty of Social Work offers some great general advice on how you can better maintain your well-being in the workplace: [5]

• Take a break. It’s important to take some time away from the workplace and recharge, even if it’s a five-minute break to take a walk outside
• Set short-term goals. Breaking down obligations into small, attainable chunks is a great way to turn a large daunting task into smaller actionable steps
• Say no. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, resist the urge to take on new commitments that will add extra stress to your plate.
• Create a support system. PFA does a great job of breaking down the various types of support systems into smaller categories: Personal Factors, Self, Relationships, Community, and Culture and Society. This is a great place to start if you’re looking to identify support systems within your reach
• Connect with your emotions. When we feel anxiety or depression, our bodies are trying to tell us something. Try your best to listen and identify what you need; seek help from a mental health professional if you’re feeling stuck
• Practice mindfulness. Easier said than done! Try your best to find a moment for yourself, do some breathing exercises, engage in an activity like yoga, or anything else you find helps you with mindfulness

If you’re interested in learning more about the course, check out the Canadian Red Cross website for more details.

[1] https://socialwork.buffalo.edu/resources/self-care-starter-kit/introduction-to-self-care.html#:~:text=Self%2Dcare%20is%20an%20essential,term%20health%20and%20well%2Dbeing.

[2] https://www.redcross.ca/training-and-certification/course-descriptions/psychological-first-aid/psychological-first-aid

[3] https://doi.org/10.1921/jpts.v17i1.1269

[4] https://www.redcross.ca/crc/documents/19-0420PS-PFA_Pocket_Guide_2020_EN_FA.pdf

[5] https://online.simmons.edu/blog/self-care-for-social-service-professionals/

Alpha House Launches ‘Give Hope Through Housing’ Campaign to Call on Calgary Landlords to Support Through Housing Shortage

By Michelle Brown

As Director of Alpha House’s Community Housing program, I have seen firsthand the dramatic impact of finding a home on our clients. There is hope, peace, and relief not only for our clients, but also for their families and loved ones who worry about them.

Every day, we see in the news headlines how the affordable housing crisis impacts Calgarians from all walks of life. Our clients need the community’s help more than ever, which is why we are asking the Calgary community to support our most vulnerable citizens through our ‘Give Hope Through Housing Campaign’. The campaign will raise awareness about the opportunities for landlords and property managers to partner with Alpha House and invites the Calgary community to make financial donations to help ensure we can subsidize client rent and basic needs once they are in housing.

For many years, landlords have been key stakeholders in ensuring our Community Housing program continues to grow and support our clients and I would encourage anyone who is a landlord to consider partnering with us.

A current landlord we have partnered with for five years shared recently, “We had an excellent experience with Alpha House. Their teams are very passionate, goal driven and dedicated to their assigned tasks. They are very reliable and easy to communicate with.”

Thanks to our current landlords who are committed to providing secure housing to those in need, Alpha House has been able to help our clients make healthier choices and find new hope for their future.

Our clients in the Community Housing program live in their own homes in communities throughout Calgary and sign their own leases. We are looking for a full range of suites, from one-bedroom apartments and legal basement suites to rowhouses and townhouses, for our clients in all areas of the city.

Our team works to help clients sustain their housing with case workers visiting them routinely – providing our clients with the support and life skills they need to be good neighbours and community members.

Our goal with the ‘Give Hope Through Housing’ campaign is to secure 20 – 30 additional units in Calgary to help us achieve our goal of housing 150 clients this year and raise $100,000 to support client rent subsidies and their basic needs. We believe in and hope the Calgary community will join us in helping our community’s most vulnerable people.

A landlord we have partnered with for five years shared with our team recently, “I love to see that a person’s life can start to change through offering them a place they can call their home. Giving them a second chance to start a new life and help them dream dreams again.”

In addition to knowing you are making a real difference in someone’s life, there are also practical benefits to partnering with Alpha House. Our clients sign their own leases in the Community Housing program and we subsidize lease payments to ensure consistent rent, as well as provide a home maintenance commitment to maintain the property’s condition.

Moazzam has been a landlord partner of Alpha House over the past four years and shared with us, “Alpha House has provided outstanding support and commitment. Their commitment to paying on time, maintaining cleanliness in the rental spaces, and ensuring the well-being of all clients while caring for other tenants exemplifies professionalism and dedication.”

It is a profound experience to be a part of changing someone’s life and I would encourage any landlord who is in a position to do so – to reach out here to learn more about our programs.

Chris is a long-term client of Alpha House and shared with us, “Being homeless is a very difficult way to live – to be able to get back into housing is very tough but when it happens, it gives you hope and joy and a future.”

We are asking all Calgarians to be a part of our campaign – whether you are a landlord, property manager, or a Calgarian able to donate, we hope you will join us as we work together to ensure everyone has a place to call home in our city.

Spring Cleaning Time

By Amy Sutherland 

It’s finally spring, and as the weather warms up, we just know all of you are itching to clean out your homes and garages, and donate the things that you can’t use! Enter Alpha House! We put this blog post together to provide some tips for spring cleaners who are ready to purge some of their items but want to avoid the landfill.

Alpha House receives many different forms of donations throughout the year. These are in-kind items like clothing, hygiene products or food, or monetary donations through cash, credit card, cheques, or securities. As people are spring cleaning their homes, we have some new ideas to reduce unnecessary clutter in your home while supporting vulnerable individuals in our city. Let’s delve into some unique and interesting ways to give while refreshing our homes; “Out with the old,” as they say, “In with the… giving!”

Reusable bags are all the rage now (for good reason). For most of us, it’s become a habit to bring two or three bags to the store when grabbing groceries. But I bet every one of us knows the feeling of getting to the store, hands empty, shoulders slumping when we realize we forgot the reusable bags at home… again. And now we’re shelling out a dollar for yet another reusable bag, and who’s telling how many we have accumulated over the years. We aren’t proponents of throwing them away- that defeats the environmentally conscious purpose. But Alpha House is happy to take the abundance of reusable bags off of your hands as part of our partnership with the City of Calgary’s Bag it Forward Initiative. Our main building is a designated drop off location for reusable bags. Natalia Gonzalez, a City of Calgary Waste Diversion Specialist who reached out to Alpha House for this initiative back in 2023 tells us “the Bag it Forward initiative is a way to minimize the effects of the Single Use items Bylaw while supporting vulnerable Calgarians.”

Providing a reusable bag to Alpha House ensures our clients can access bags to keep their belongings in a more structured way. Often the items that they do have are stolen or lost, and a reusable bag can also be easier than trying to carry it by hand or using a ripped plastic bag to keep hold of them. During your spring cleaning, if you find that you have an abundance of reusable grocery bags- bring them to Alpha House!

 

The dreaded hall closet clean-up. You’re looking at those shoes from last season, slightly worn, maybe out of season, potentially too small or too big and wondering if they’ll fit right again soon… Shoes you might wear versus shoes someone out on the street definitely needs – consider passing them on to Alpha House. Unhoused folks have shoes that are exposed to the elements and endure continuous movement and do not last as long as our day-to-day shoes might also because they tend to be the only pair of shoes that an individual has and are worn through at a quicker rate. A proper pair of shoes for our clients provides dignity, confidence, and protection from the environment.

Alpha House is always on the lookout for gently worn shoes, especially pairs that could fit our male clients with larger feet. You can donate gently used pairs of shoes anytime (drop off at our Shelter – instructions below!). Examples of good shoes to donate would be running shoes, streetwear shoes such as Vans or Converse, or boots.

 

Junk cars – let’s talk about them! Do you have a car that has been on your property or in your driveway for a while that you just aren’t sure what to do with? Or maybe you’re ready for a newer vehicle- but don’t want to go through the hassle of trying to sell your current one? Enter our partner organizations, Homeless Cars, operating in Western Canada for just over a year now.

Homeless cars is a Canada wide organization that helps individuals get rid of their unwanted cars for a returned tax credit. These cars are then taken apart for scrap parts and the money that is made goes to organizations working to support those experiencing homelessness! This is an unconventional way of providing donations, but if you have a car that is no longer beneficial to you, homeless cars may be for you! Spring cleaning at its….oddest? No, it’s finest!

When Homeless Cars’ original executive director attempted to donate her late father’s vehicle, and realized that there was no way to donate the vehicle to a Canadian cause that she believed in, she created their organization. Current Director of Operations and Communications, Gillian Speziali told us, they “truly believe in keeping the money received in the communities that they are received in.” If you donate a car in Calgary- the money that is received from the donated vehicle stays within Calgary. You can even request for the proceeds from the vehicle go directly one of you charity of choice that they support- like Alpha House.

The vehicle does not have to be drivable, it just has to have most of its important parts like the engine. Homeless Cars guarantees a minimum $700 tax receipt for vehicles donated with some being more depending on the value of the vehicle. Homeless Cars accepts any cars that you are interested in donating, including higher value vehicles.

The process is easy! A tow truck can come out for the vehicle within the day of request, and you will have your tax return back to you by the end of the following month.

 

We know, we know- you just can’t wait to head out there and start your spring cleaning now right? Well you’re not alone at least – Alpha House is getting into the spirit too! Throughout June, our seven Place Based Supportive Housing buildings are hosting community cleanups with an aim of picking up debris and garbage throughout the neighbourhood (see our social media for details coming soon).

Now we have provided three unconventional and interesting ways to help vulnerable folks in need, and hopefully given you the boost you needed to tackle your spring cleaning.

If you’ re willing to donate any of the items noted above such as your gently worn shoes or your reusable bags, drop off should be done at Alpha House’s main building: 203 15th Avenue SE; we can accept donations anytime. If you’re donating an old car, visit https:// www.homelesscars.ca/ . Join us in creating a community for everyone.

 

Alpha House has had Indigenous Peer Support Workers (IPSW) on staff for many years and we finally had a chance to sit down with one such worker, Augustine Hunter (or Auggie) to learn more about what her day looks like and the unique cultural activities she’s able to support in our Detox Program. Settled in our Wellness room, a culturally safe space for ceremony and gatherings, blessed by Elder Alvin Manitopyes in late 2022, Auggie, just back from a walk with clients, speaks enthusiastically about every aspect of the program.

 

Why are Indigenous Cultural Supports so important to you and the clients in the program?

“Usually, people want to learn the Indigenous route because it’s peaceful. Indigenous culture isn’t religious, but spiritual instead. When you’re working with a population facing addiction and homelessness, many of them feel disconnected from Mother Earth and The Creator as a result of their time on the streets. The role of an IPSW is to have those supports here for clients looking to detox; they need support and something to look forward to when they’re first coming into the program.”

We ask about the different activities she supports. The answer is a huge variety. Sharing circles to express feelings and experiences in a safe, non-judgmental space – both traditional sharing circles and shorter gathering circles—  Wellbriety, a AA program with an Indigenous focus, sweat lodge ceremonies – a central part of reconnection with land and body for many – medicine walks, arts and crafts, and one-on-one peer connection.

 

Sharing Circles

Throughout the day, clients participate in traditional sharing circles, and shorter sharing circles, like thought/quote of the day. Shorter sharing circles, like thought of the day, offer a low stakes opportunity for clients to open up in a supportive group environment; this is especially helpful for easing clients who have a lot of walls up into sharing with a group, and could result in other breakthroughs down the line.

“Often they’ve [clients] gone through something traumatic and sharing circles allow them to read quotes from celebrities or writers or doctors – these are quotes that may apply to their life and we talk about those – it can be very helpful for clients”

 

Wellbriety

Wellbriety has been a big part of our cultural programming at Alpha House for many years, and is something we facilitate in-house. The Wellbriety Movement is a 12-Step AA/NA program that has been merged with the teachings of the Medicine wheel. This movement helps individuals heal from substance use, and also addresses and looks to heal the systemic intergenerational trauma that Indigenous peoples have faced historically. That’s not to say that Wellbriety is only for indigenous clients— individuals from all ethnic and cultural backgrounds are welcome and can benefit from the spiritual teachings rooted in indigenous culture. The start of each cycle is marked by welcoming returning clients, and is ended by recognizing participants who have completed the Wellbriety program.

“Me and my partner got our certifications to facilitate Wellbriety recently. I feel like we were meant to do this and I’m excited to share the spiritual side of the AA book. The foundations that Wellbriety is built on have been around almost 200 years– I’m excited to show them [clients] about the key routes to why we have pain – it isn’t just bout being angry or hurt – it’s more than that.”

 

Sweat Lodge Ceremony

Every week, our clients have the opportunity to attend a sweat lodge ceremony. Participants are driven out onto the land where they will enter a lodge made of wood and tarps/blankets to begin the ceremony. During the ceremony, the entrance to the lodge is closed and steam is created by pouring water onto heated rocks; this is to encourage the sweating out of negative energies in the body. There are brief reprieves where the entrance is open to let some steam out and to allow cold air to enter to prevent any health hazards. Sweat lodge ceremonies are intimate communal ceremonies that come with many benefits for clients including pain relief, relaxation and stress relief, and fostering a strong sense of community with the other participants.

“The connection between the individual to Mother Earth is central to Indigenous teachings Mother Earth gives us food, medicine, and our strength; even (and especially) during ceremony, she is present— the rocks (grandfathers), the water, and the branches that we use for ceremony all come from Mother Earth.”

 

Medicine Walks

One of the more frequent, and favourite, activities of the clients, are the medicine walks, where clients are taken out into nature to hear stories and learn about land-based medicine teachings. This can look like taking a group walk along the elbow river, or taking a group trip to Nose Hill Park, which gives clients the opportunity to hear different stories and learn about other medicines.

“The clients really love this – they always give thanks that they’re able to learn this stuff – always say they’re really happy to learn things they feel disconnected from.”

And it’s true that there are lots of interesting stories and facts to take in about all these long-standing locations in our city— the name of the elbow rives originating from the bend of an elbow, or how certain trees were used as camouflage by wolves while they hunted their prey, or how tree bark and buds from particular trees (like cottonwood or willows) can be used as a sort of alternative to Aspirin, due to the salicin found inside the bark/buds working to relieve similar symptoms like headaches, muscle soreness, and inflammation. These teachings alongside the physical exercise during the walks cumulate into a therapeutic experience for everyone involved.

While on the topic of medicine walks, Auggie recalled one of her favourite moments working at Alpha House:

During a medicine walk, I noticed that one client was struggling to make it up a hill. I approached him to see how he’s doing, and while looking up at the hot sun, he told me that he doesn’t think he can finish the medicine walk.

I chatted with him for a while as everyone took a rest, and reassured him that he could do the walk, but if he really wanted to turn back, then we could. He was still feeling a little unsure, so I offered up some advice: “…you’re looking to the distance, seeing how long the journey is, but you need to focus on the present moment and take it step by step. We will take breaks to sit down, learn, and engage with the teachings and stories of the knowledge keeper so, don’t worry, we’re not doing the whole walk in one go.”

By the end of the walk, he was at the front of the group, engaged in the stories and teaching of the knowledge keeper. I was so happy to see that he was able to finish the walk and asked him what had changed from the start of the medicine walk, where he could barely make it up a hill, to the end, where he was at the front of the group. He said that he took my advice and tried to pay attention to the stories and teachings as they walked and, before he knew it, he was engrossed in what the knowledge keeper was saying and forgot about his discomfort.

 

Arts and Crafts

Auggie shares that arts and crafts are one of her favourite activities to do with the clients, which she also believes to be an important step in recovery. Arts and crafts act as an opportunity for clients to engage with something they can succeed at, and that sense of pride and accomplishment they feel when finishing a craft can be an important part of improving their self-image.

“When you’re coming into recovery, you need to keep yourself busy. You get to talk and share stories and you can keep them [clients] engaged.”

Auggie tries to make the arts and crafts portion of the day a peaceful moment; she’ll sometimes lightly play some Indigenous music in the background while clients share stories, and work on their crafts.

Alpha House is always looking for more arts and crafts donations because it’s such a popular activity in our Detox program.

 

One-on-One Peer Connection

In between all the group activities, Auggie makes time to have one-on-one sessions with the clients to debrief what’s on their mind that day, traumatic experiences, and everything in between.

“Let them vent and sit with them, listen and then suddenly you’ll see an emotional person come out when you give them that room to feel. A lot of people are angry or disrespectful at first but that’s their way of defending themselves, once you peel back the layers, they’re kind humans.”

 

Projects

Alongside the regularly scheduled programming, staff are able to provide opportunities for Detox clients to get involved in fun projects that come up throughout the year. Recently, we had the pleasure of bringing in Trevor Prairie Chicken and Naomi Eyahpaise from Kiit Fine Arts to work with our clients to paint the tipi we’ve been using for our sweat lodge ceremonies. Other such opportunities include creative projects like painting community garden boxes, cultural reconnection camps, and even Superbowl parties and attending Calgary Flames home games.

 

What does Auggie like most about working at Alpha House? We wondered too:

“Helping the clients is my favourite part of doing this work. Even before Alpha House, I was doing outreach and helping people with addiction in the community. I felt like that was my purpose that the Creator gave me a couple of years ago, and I went with it…”

 

What does she see clients struggle with once they’ve finished the detox program?

“A lot of clients are scared to leave detox once they’re sober and finished the program. It’s hard to discover what sober fun is, especially when you don’t know any sober people. They [clients] need to stay connected to the community, we can’t do it alone.

We see some people that have slipped up and need to come back to detox, but we don’t judge that. It’s important to remember that recovery might not happen on the first, second, or even the twentieth try, but we keep trying for when that day does come around.

We can plant the seeds, but we need to keep watering them in order for them to grow.”

 

Her favourite part about the clients themselves?

“When they win, you win. That sits with me. I try to be what I didn’t have when I was on the street— someone to sit with and listen when they’re hurting. I needed help and I didn’t know how to ask for it, so now I try to be who I needed and that’s gotten me far in building relationships with the clients.

Some of the clients that we help here have reunited with their kids, some go back to work or school, and others are still in recovery. It makes us all happy to see them doing well out there.”

 

Let’s talk about camping! May long weekend is here, and we’ve got some thoughts to share as everyone gets ready to enjoy a weekend of family, fun, camping, BBQs, or other traditional long weekend activities.

Encampments and the challenges they pose for communities, the public, law enforcement, and governments has been an ongoing topic of discussion in Alberta these past many months and Alpha House is jumping into the conversation once again to talk PERSPECTIVE.

“Camping” is often thought of as a fun, mostly short-term activity that couples, families, and individuals partake in when they want a break from work or responsibilities and desire a reconnection with nature, fresh air, or simplicity (or maybe just an open area where their kids can run wild). But there is a lot of food for thought in the way we talk gleefully about an upcoming camping trip—about the pleasures it will bring—while simultaneously speaking ill of those for whom rough sleeping is a constant (often necessary) reality.

The pleasures and joys of camping—solitude, an inexpensive getaway, open country and fresh air, living by the land—are stated easily in casual conversation and accepted unquestioningly by most. Yet, the most frequently asked question when we talk about people who rough sleep or camp continuously rather than access shelters, is why on earth would someone choose to sleep outside?

The conversation is often – ‘there must be something wrong with shelters if someone is choosing to sleep outside instead.’ Speaking as an agency who meets people where they’re at without judgement, we know things are more complex than that. Shelters are an emergency response to (ideally) short-term crisis. They were neither created for nor expected to be for long-term comfort. Some people choose to stay outdoors because they feel more comfortable doing so because of trauma, anxiety, mental health, or simply personal preference in a choice that’s the lesser of two undesirable options.

Choosing to sleep outside, at least, if nothing else may be, is a relatable aspect of those who are about to head off to a campsite this summer and those individuals or couples who just setup a tarp and tent in the field near your house.

Camping can provide freedom and solitude and, when you have access to the tools and supplies you need, be relatively relaxing. Except, of course, when it feels like the only option on a seemingly endless road of being homeless; when staying warm with a fire is risky, when you haven’t showered in a few days, when you haven’t eaten anything hot in a week, when you’ve outstayed your welcome in the area and you have to pack up all your belongings and lug them off to find yet another temporary spot.

The reality is that what is challenging about camping – the preparation, the packing, the setup, the maintenance, the waste, the lack of access to things easily accessed in a home – is made more so by the circumstances of a person’s homelessness.

And what is rewarding about camping – the fresh air, the peace, the getaway, the freedom, is often made irrelevant by the circumstances of a person’s homelessness.

Encampments are not a solution to homelessness; they are a reality for those for whom going to a shelter is a challenging or upsetting prospect. We wish to see anyone who rough sleeps supported into housing that suits their needs and we wish to see camping become nothing but the hobby it’s about to be this summer for so many of you.

As we enjoy this May long weekend, our wish is for people to remember that rarely is anything as straightforward as it may seem. There is always room for perspective.

Happy Earth Day! First started in 1970, April 22 marks the 54^th annual earth day! In today’s short blog post, we wanted to talk about the challenges of being environmentally conscious while being unhoused, and to share a bit about how Alpha House works to reduce our environmental footprint.

In the conversation about encampments, we hear a lot from some community members about how unhoused encampments leave behind debris. The most common refrain we hear is that they create a lot of waste and, not only is this an ‘eyesore,’ ‘gross,’ and ‘a major problem,’ it is also an environmental issue. We aren’t here to make excuses for litter or inappropriate waste but we do want to shed some light on a hypocrisy that exists when we talk about waste left behind from people experiencing homelessness. We make garbage and waste too; theirs is just more visible than ours – and the reason it’s more visible isn’t their fault at all.

Each individual household is responsible for a significant amount of waste; the difference for households, however, is that most households in North America have access to convenient ways to dispose of their waste that typically require minimal effort on the part of the individual. Unhoused individuals main way of disposing of waste is public garbage bins – not always conveniently located, not a solution to human waste, and not easily utilized without also having ongoing access to garbage bags. It might sound fairly inconsequential at first, but imagine if EVERY TIME you needed to dispose of a single piece of garbage— instead of disposing of it in a garbage bag in a bin in the next room, you had to walk an unknown distance to the nearest garbage bin. Or, imagine that EACH TIME the garbage bag in your kitchen was full, you didn’t just have to take it out back to a black or green bin that you never thought about again because Residential waste services picked it up every 1-2 weeks, you had to hump it to that far away garbage bin. Imagine if instead of purchasing a 100 pack of garbage bags at the store to last you a few weeks/months, you had to keep reusing the same soiled bag over and over.

The reality of homelessness is often far more complex than we like to think about. A common response to talking about these complications is for people to offer solutions: “It’s really easy to do ‘X’ and then the problem wouldn’t happen,” “If they just did ‘Y’ then they wouldn’t have to think about that issue,” or “It’s not hard to insert something that may not be hard but is not something top of mind when you’re homeless.”

With the frequency in which every one of us disposes of waste on a daily basis, we can see the barrier that exists for unhoused individuals to responsibly dispose of their waste regularly, and how it can quickly become unmanageable when compounded with other challenges like addictions, tri-morbidities, and/or mental health. The reality is that ecological responsibility is not a burden that can always be shared equally. It doesn’t mean we excuse poor environmental actions, it means we do the best we can until we have the means to do better, and then we do better.

How is Alpha House working on reducing our impact on the environment?

• Planning a community cleanup? Our Needle Response Team would love to be a part of it! Reach out to info@alphahousecalgary.com for more information
• Speaking of community cleanups, we’ve hosted a number of community cleanups over the past couple of years to reduce waste in the communities that we serve and have several more on the docket this spring/summer
• We partner with SkipTheDepot to dispose of all of our bottle recycling
• We partner with SkipTheDepot to help us recycle textiles that we can’t use, like damaged clothing we can’t distribute to our clients
• We partner with the City of Calgary as a designated drop-off location for reusable shopping bags, which we distribute to clients to help them carry their belongings

Visit the official page for Earth Day 2024 to learn more about the environmental crisis our planet is facing and to find Earth Day focused events near you.

The City of Calgary’s Housing Strategy: ‘Home is Here’ outlines 98 action items to ensure Calgarians have an affordable place to call home. One of the main tactics for addressing both the shortage of houses available to those who need them and the need for different types of housing options in the city is to increase the supply of housing.

Scarcity of housing means a lack of housing affordability – pushing groups with more income to capture the part of the market previously accessed by lower income groups, whose options are further reduced to co-habitation with friends and family or living in spaces that are unsafe or unhealthy. Scarcity of housing, for the same reasons, forces individuals into units that don’t adequately meet their mental, physical, or psychological needs. For many, including Alpha House’s clients, this doesn’t just mean being housed in a smaller unit (1-bedroom vs 2-bedroom for example), it could mean:

• an inability to be housed in a certain community where they have connections
• an inability to be housed with caseworker supports due to a lack of supportive housing options
• an inability to be housed where mobility challenges are supported
• an inability to be housed in a neighbourhood with a familiar culture

…and many other needs that may not be met due to a lack of diversity and choice around our housing options.

Therefore, on top of the affordability barrier, a second challenge that currently impacts Calgarians is an inadequate spectrum of housing options. Different types of housing options could include single-detached, rowhouse, townhouse, apartment, and semi-detached. Historic data shows single-detached housing as making up 58.3% of housing type in the city, which generally favours certain socio-economic groups. To increase the number of 1-bedroom or 2-bedroom apartments available for clients in our Community Housing program, for example, would mean supporting an increase in developments like rowhouses, townhouses, and apartments complexes. An increase in the availability of these units will lower the prices of these same units due to an increase in supply; the idea being that these price decreases will make renting/owning a rowhouse, for example, more accessible for someone who is living in smaller or shared accommodations and wants to move into a bigger space. As these individuals move into bigger spaces, the availability of 1-bedroom apartments increases thereby making them more affordable for those with lower incomes.

One of the main reasons for the constrained supply of housing and housing diversity is that the current land use districts (zones) in approximately 60% of Calgary’s residential areas do not allow for a choice of housing beyond single-detached or semi-detached homes. Allowing for diversity in housing structures within each community better suits the wide array of individual and family needs within the city, and a mixture of rental and ownership properties at market and non-market (subsidized) rates offers people at all income levels access to safe and stable housing options.

Alpha House sees firsthand the need for diversity in types of housing to meet the unique needs of the clients we serve and, as a result, we whole-heartedly support the City of Calgary proposal to “rezone all residential parcels that currently only allow for 1 or 2 units, it will be easier for property owners to add additional housing varieties across the city, without having to go through the additional steps of a Land Use change Amendment application.” This application process can take upwards of 6-months to process, maybe longer if there are other issues to be resolved with.

Rezoning will not solve all our housing-related problems, but it is a significant step forward in supporting affordability for Calgarians through increased housing supply and increased diversity in housing supply.

The City of Calgary Council’s recently passed strategy has five main points:

• Increase the supply of housing
• Support affordable housing providers
• Enable the City’s housing subsidiaries to improve service delivery
• Ensure diverse housing choice
• Address the affordable housing needs of Indigenous people.

This strategy was adopted on September 16, 2023 with implementation plans stretched out over 2024-2030. The current public hearing about the specific rezoning amendment is April 22, 2024. If you are someone who has asked themselves how you can support reducing homelessness in the City of Calgary, we urge you to write to your councillor and tell them you support re-zoning efforts.

The City of Calgary has an excellent frequently asked questions page for those concerned about what re-zoning could look like in their neighbourhood. https://www.calgary.ca/planning/projects/rezoning-for-housing/faq.html

April 7^th is World Health Day, dated on the anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1948 and celebrated annually! Each year the WHO uses World Health Day to draw attention to a specific health topic of concern to people all over the world. The theme for 2024 is ‘My health, my right’, chosen to champion the right of people across the world having access to quality health services, education, and information, as well as safe drinking water, clean air, good nutrition, quality housing, decent working and environmental conditions, and freedom from discrimination.[1]

In Canada, the difference in the number of people who need blood donations or know someone who needs them is much greater than the number of people who actually donate. Canadian Blood Services (CBS) reports that 52% of people have indicated that they have, or their family member has, needed blood or blood products at some point in their life. In contrast, CBS says their data indicates that about 1 in 2 people are eligible to donate blood and plasma, but most have not donated.[2]

As a social service agency, Alpha House knows acutely the impact of a lack of access to healthcare, a lack of adequate supports for physical (and mental) health, and the long-term detriments when health is not treated as a right. There are, of course, many conversations about healthcare in Alberta these days. Something Alpha House did recently to take more ownership in supporting health measures was setting up a blood donation team as an agency! We owe special thanks for the idea to one of our staff members who had a personal connection to advocating for this setup.

Alpha House is now what is called a “Partner for Life” with CBS and we tested out our first blood drive last month. Together, a group of staff members got on the (aptly named) ‘Lifebus’ and headed off to our appointments.

When we arrived at Canadian Blood Services, we went upstairs to check in.

• If it’s your first time donating, then you’ll need your ID and to fill out a quick questionnaire that’ll get you set up with a profile
• You’ll also get a blood donor card in the mail a few weeks after your first donation
• After all the paperwork is done, you’ll be in the waiting area for a couple of minutes with the opportunity to enjoy some free snacks and beverages before your donation

The blood donation itself can take up to 15 minutes, after which you can help yourself to more snacks and drinks to help restore your blood volume levels faster! The process for our staff was easy, quick, and meaningful AND (no surprises!) the Canadian Blood Services staff were very kind, patient, and made sure everyone was comfortable before, during, and after the donation.

The best thing about Alpha House becoming a ‘Partner for Life’ is we have another cool way for community members to join our work and build community with us!  Anyone can join us and become a “Champion for Life.”

Together we can unite to raise awareness, donate blood or plasma, or support the stem cell or organ donation registries. As part of Alpha House’s Team, you can help have a direct impact on patients in Canada and the families who love them. If you join our team and become a “Champion for Life,” your donations contribute to Alpha House’s overall count!

We will be continuing to organize team events for donating blood for our staff because it’s important to our staff, but also because of how closely it aligns with our agency’s values and the population that we serve; many of our clients see their health deteriorate because of being on the street, lacking access to basic hygiene and adequate food supply, and facing other hardships. We will also continue spreading the word through our social media channels and encourage you to join our team.

Alpha House is a strong advocate for this year’s World Health Day theme: ‘My health, my right’ – recognizing healthcare is a RIGHT; a blood donation is one tiny part of healthcare that can make an enormous difference for a client of ours or anyone who finds themselves in such a situation of need and we believe in being a part of individuals having access to blood donations (and other healthcare) when they’re needed most.

If you want to join Alpha House’s blood donation team as a Champion for Life, check out the instructions here or via the graphic on top of the page!

1. Log in or create an account on blood.ca or the GiveBlood App
2. Click on the “Partners” tab
3. Click “Join an existing team”
4. Search “Alpha House” or our team number “CALG0117318”
5. Select “Yes” and then click “Join”
6. Welcome to the team! Click “Book” to get started and make an appointment

Remember to get a good night’s sleep and drink plenty of water before your donation!

[1]https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-health-day; https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-health-day/2024

[2] https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/canadian-blood-services-needs-thousands-more-canadians-to-roll-up-their-sleeves-1.6879312