New Brunswick Resources

ABORIGINAL DIRECTIONS
33 Hanover Street Tel.: (506) 633-0449
Building A Fax: (506) 633-6881
Saint John, New Brunswick
E2L 3G1

Aboriginal Directions is a non-incorporated organization consisting of Aboriginal people living in the area. The primary goal of this organization is to oversee the delivery of Employment Outreach Services directed toward the successful integration of Aboriginal People into the workforce. The goal of this project is to identify and serve Aboriginal people in need of employment-related services living in the target area. Centred in Saint John, the services will extend to Sussex in the east and Welford in the west.
Services offered by Aboriginal Directions include:
* Assessment of skills and needs in relation to employment, educational and training requirements, career changes, interview skills, résumé writing and effective job-search techniques.

* Career Paths, a comprehensive program focusing on career planning, goal setting and skills development.

* Information on government and community programs and services, as well as local job market requirements.

* Referrals through a network of community and government services on a follow-up basis to meet the identified support needs.

CENTRE DE BÉNÉVOLAT DE LA PÉNINSULE ACADIENNE
111 Blv St-Pierre Ouest Tel.: (506) 727-1860
C.P. 397 Fax: (506) 727-1862
Caraquet, New Brunswick
E0B 1K3

Grâce à des contrats de service avec les gouvernements provincial et fédéral, ce centre gère de nombreux programmes et offre plusieurs services sociaux dans la péninsule acadienne. Ce faisant, en plus de créer des emplois, il sert d'endroit de formation aux personnnes désireuses de retourner sur le marché du travail.

Une des particularités de l'organisme est le lien entre les services des secteurs "privés" et bénévoles et les services sociaux gouvernementaux. L'utilisation du contrat de services, dans un contexte de privatisation, est l'option privilégiée. Comme dans beaucoup de centres communautaires, le développement du Centre de bénévolat est dü en grande partie au dynamisme du coordonnateur.

Through service contracts made with the provincial and federal governments, this Centre operates a number of programs and provides social services in the Acadian Peninsula. In so doing, in addition to creating jobs, the Centre serves as a training location for those wishing to return to the labour market.

One distinguishing feature of the organization is the link between the "private" and volunteer formula, and government services. The use of service contracts, in the context of privatization, is the preferred option. As with many community centres, the Centre's development is due to a great extent to the dynamic nature of the coordinator.

CHIPMAN COMMUNITY CARE INC.
P.O. Box 266 Tel.: (506) 339-6168
Chipman, New Brunswick
E0V 1V0

The mandate of the Chipman Community Care Inc. is to fight poverty and empowerlow-income families and individuals. To this end, this organization operates a Clothing, Furniture and Food Bank, and sponsors low-rental housing. Future projects include the building of a Family Enrichment Centre where low-income mothers can attend workshops on such topics as nutrition, financial management and government services. The children are then supervised in a play centre with stimulating recreation equipment operated by the mothers. The Chipman Community Care provides services such as support groups and cooking classes.

ELM HILL COMMUNITY CENTRE
Elm Hill Road Tel.: (506) 488-2688
R.R.#1, Elm Hill, New Brunswick
E0G 1V0

Elm Hill, a prosperous rural Black community at the time of the Loyalists, is now one of the poorest communities in New Brunswick. Its isolation, a source of strength in the 19th century, has become one of the reasons for its marginalization. Over the past few years, resident families in the area, supported by a group of community workers (nurse, social worker, member of the clergy, community organizer, and a representative from the New Brunswick Housing Services) have been working in close cooperation to help the community regain its cohesion and its pride. This has been accomplished through an unfailing respect for the decisions of the community, which is gradually taking charge through housing and community garden projects, and has renovated its community centre.

Solidarity among workers and the community, mutual trust, and especially the key role played by a community worker have succeeded in creating a dynamic process in this isolated community. From this project has sprung a model of cooperation between workers and the community, based on the resourcefulness of people, rather than on their problems.

FOOD FUN
c/o Church of St. Andrew and St. David Tel.: (506) 634-3092
164 Germain Street
Saint John, New Brunswick
E2L 2G3

Food Fun is a cooking program for families on low budgets where families can learn basic cooking and nutrition, meal planning and budgeting. Recipes chosen are inexpensive, nutritious, and easy to prepare. The program costs $2 per month with child care provided at no extra cost.

THE GREATER MONCTON PARENT RESOURCE CENTRE
154 Queen Street Tel.: (506) 858-1303
Moncton, New Brunswick
E1C 1K8

The Greater Moncton Parent Resource Centre is for parents of children aged 0 to 6 years. The project provides a variety of programs to promote healthy growth and develop the young child. The programs are established based on the outcome of the needs assessment. The target groups are low-income, single and teenage families. The project provides skills training to at-risk parents on such topics as assertiveness, self-esteem, board management. The Greater Moncton Parent Resource Centres are in two locations. The Central Information Resource Centre is located at 154 Queen Street and a centre is located at 150 Katherine Avenue in the Parkton Heights Housing Community

HOUSING ALTERNATIVES INC.
LaTour Terrace, 61 Union Street, Suite 400 Tel.: (506) 632-9393
Box 6246, Station A
Saint John, New Brunswick
E2L 4R7

Housing Alternatives Inc. favours the development of non-profit cooperative housing in Saint John, N.B. With financial assistance from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CHMC) and New Brunswick Housing Services, low-income families can now find cooperative housing in homes that have been renovated in poor neighbourhoods in Saint John. The program is called Rehabitat. There are currently nine cooperatives consisting of between 20 and 57 housing units each. More than 800 housing units have been created this way since 1981.

Housing Alternatives Inc. has also begun promoting cooperative housing projects throughout the province by advocating for changes in discriminatory legislation concerning housing for low-income families. Thus, in addition to its role of direct intervention, Housing Alternatives has taken on an advocacy role.

LAKEWOOD HEADSTART ASSOCIATION INC
P.O. Box 634 Rothesay Avenue Tel.: (506) 696-6164
Saint John, New Brunswick
E2L 4A5

Lakewood Headstart is a non-profit community support centre geared toward low-income families, serving the suburban and rural areas of East Saint John, Saint Martins and Hammond River. Services provided include a clothing bank and an emergency food service. Every year, Lakewood Headstart organizes a "Christmas Sponsor Project" where gifts of new clothing, food and toys from nearly 100 sponsors help to make Christmas a joyful time for a corresponding number of families living in poverty. Lakewood Headstart also provides referrals to other services.

MAPLETON FOOD BANK AND TEACHING KITCHEN
1111 Mountain Road Tel.: (506) 858-8257
Moncton, New Brunswick Fax: (506) 857-3170
E1C 2S9

The Mapleton Food Bank and Teaching Kitchen provides emergency food services for low-income families in the Greater Moncton Area. This organization also provides an educational program centred around a nutrition and life skills program to help participants become self-sufficient. The Teaching Kitchen's goals are to help low-income families to learn how to cook nutritious meals with accessible and low-cost foods. In this program, each participant makes a recipe and shares it with others. This organization would like to open a collective kitchen in the near future.

MONCTON HEADSTART INC.
1111 Mountain Road Tel.: (506) 858-8252
Moncton, New Brunswick Fax: (506) 857-3170
E1C 2S9

Created in 1974, Moncton Headstart Inc. was originally set up to provide children "at risk" with the personal and intellectual tools they require to adapt more effectively to the school system. Subsequently, preventive work with parents was added. Currently, the organization provides six services including a clothing counter, a bursary fund, an educational kitchen and a food counter.

Located in Moncton, N.B., this service provides underprivileged families in the region with a place to meet and to learn certain basic skills that will help them re-enter the mainstream of society.

MOTHERS AND TOTS
c/o Church of St-Andrew and St-David Tel.: (506) 634-3094
164 Germain Street
Saint John, New Brunswick
E2L 2G3

Mothers and Tots is a support group for single and low-income mothers with pre-schoolers. Mothers and Tots allows mothers some time apart from their children and the opportunity for friendship. Mothers are involved, as a group, in choosing from a wide variety of activities. These include parenting information, crafts, cooking, visiting community resources, hearing guest speakers from other agencies, educational and career information, and computer classes.

SUPPORT TO SINGLE MOTHERS INC.
154 Queen Street Tel.: (506) 858-1303
Moncton, New Brunswick
E1C 1K8

Established in 1982, Support to Single Mothers works to improve the quality of life of low-income single parents and their children, by helping them make positive changes in their lives. Support to Single Mothers designs and implements a broad range of adult workshops, and educational training programs, which benefit its target group. Individual sessions are included to provide support, referral, guidance, assessment and skill acquisition.
Support to Single Mothers also operates a drop-in centre, a child care service, a swap shop and a resource centre. Support to Single Mothers further provides referral services, public awareness, alliances, advocacy, and physical and emotional support services that address the needs of single parents.
Support to Single Mothers provides services such as prenatal and new born care classes, parenting classes, literacy training, raising self-esteem, aids awareness, teen independence program and a new beginnings programs.
Support to Single Mothers, Crossroads for Women and the Advisory Council on the Status of Women have undertaken a three-year joint project to determine the needs of women whose lives have been affected by substance abuse. In conjunction with a focus group of women, a treatment model will be developed and implemented for women with addictions.

THE SAINT JOHN LEARNING EXCHANGE
47 Princess Street Tel.: (506) 648-0202
Saint John, New Brunswick Fax: (506) 658-0785
E2L 4R7

The Saint John Learning Exchange provides training and retraining activities within an informal setting and in small groups. It emphasizes learner-centred training strategies through personalized assistance, and provides encouragement and support to all those who join the organization. According to the organization, it operates on three basic principles:
* to give priority to the aspirations and needs of the students;
* to maintain close contact with the community;
* to maintain financial stability through an employment policy that attracts qualified personnel interested in the organization's philosophy based on the needs of the participants.

UPPER DAWSON COMMUNITY CENTRE
743 Assass St. Tel.: (506) 548-2439
Bathurst, New Brunswick Fax: (506) 547-7488
E2A 3J4

This is one of two provincial projects initiated by New Brunswick Housing Services to involve families living in subsidized housing in decisions that affect them. Gradually, over the last three years, the Centre has started todefend the rights of poor families living in the neighbourhood.

Managed by a Board composed entirely of low-income women living in the neighbourhood, the Upper Dawson Community Centre initiates activities that respond to the needs of the people living there, while at the same time participating actively in the provincial and national arenas.

In addition to providing information on the services available in the region, a distinguishing feature of the Centre is that it offers assertiveness training to its participants. A collective kitchen and a literacy group have just been added to the existing services.