Keeping aboriginal families together is the focus of a unique housing project that was unveiled in Regina this morning. The 3.8 million dollar structure will provide affordable housing for 14 families, while at the same time providing life skills and new direction for families falling apart.
Silver Sage holdings, an aboriginal housing company will own the two storey condo style unit. It has partnered with Foxvalley counselling which will provide support services for the families who are dealing with everything from addiction to violence to poverty.
Silver Sage chair, Edmund Bellegarde, says aboriginal families in urban settings are faced with unique challenges that require unique solutions.
“Absolutely, this country has many, many years of public policy that hasn’t worked for First Nations people, “ he said. “It’s going to take generations to overcome the harm that has been done and has created some of the family dysfunctions and social challenges we are facing.”
Mark Fox the executive director of Foxvalley counselling says keeping children out of foster care is the primary goal. He says his company works intensely with the families, who help set up their own program of recovery and healing.
“We work with them hands on, we don’t tell them what to do, we make them part of that plan, “he said. “We advise them, we guide them, we walk with them, but they are the ones that the make the plan on what kind of programs they will be taking.”
Construction is already underway for the 14 unit complex in west Regina. It should be complete and ready for its first tenants by the end of the year. Families stay in the program for up to a year before transitioning to other low income housing provide by Silver Sage holdings.