Click here to listen to the blog (1:52).
A Mustard Seed of Hope is a beautiful new booklet describing culturally grounded approaches within wraparound care for pregnant and parenting women who are dealing with substance use and trauma.
It describes the Indigenous cultural programming that is being offered in some wraparound programs, to honour this work and to inspire others who provide community-based services to take up/expand upon these approaches.
The title comes from one of the mothers who spoke of the caring, non-judgemental wraparound supports that allowed her to see hope in being able to keep her baby and be a good mom. All she needed was that “mustard seed of hope” to keep coming to the program for the supports and services.
The cultural programming of three wraparound programs – Sheway, the Healthy Empowered Resilient (H.E.R) Pregnancy Program and Manito Ikwe Kagiikwe (Mothering project) – are highlighted. Beautiful photos and descriptions of their culturally grounded approaches are offered as inspiration.
The booklet ends with a powerful description of how culturally safe approaches and Indigenous cultural programming make a difference for women. The quotes and images of those who have benefitted from this programming are well worth reading.
The booklet represents a thank you to the women who accessed, and the service providers who provided, wraparound programming in the Co-Creating Evidence project.
Thanks are also due to Marilyn Van Bibber for her commitment to this work and her conception of this booklet.
Funding for this booklet and the Co-Creating Evidence project has been received from the Public Health Agency of Canada, National FASD Strategic Project Fund. The views expressed here do not necessarily represent the views of the Public Health Agency of Canada.
Girls, Women, Alcohol, and Pregnancy 