Blog provided by Marymound.

Having a baby is a life changing experience for all new parents. If you are a teen parent you may not feel prepared for all the new responsibilities and challenges that come with being a parent. This is where Marymound’s Young Parents Program (YPP) can help.

YPP provides support, guidance, and advocacy to parents aged 16-21, who are receiving services from Child and Family Services.

Our Family Enhancement Facilitators offer education and assistance with parenting and independent living. Working within the home, they will help youth develop the necessary life skills and day-to-day tasks involved with parenting, while ensuring the care and safety of both parent and child.

We also assist with reunification plans in accordance with Child and Family Services treatment plans. Our Facilitators will help the youth with transportation to and from visits, parenting classes, court/legal appointments, and other case specific requirements.

All youth in the program have access to Marymound’s extended group programming which includes: cooking, recreation, cultural, and educational presentations. These weekly programs also provide the opportunity to connect with other young parents.

Testimonial

In speaking with a past Young Parents Program participant, she indicated the YPP helped prepare her for independence and supported her while reaching many of her personal goals, one of which being parenting her daughter. She described her relationship with her Family Enhancement Facilitator as monumental in her success, saying her Facilitator was there for her “through thick and thin; she was my ride or die!” This participant remained in the YPP for several years before ageing out of CFS care at the age of 21. She states that she was ready “to stand on [her] own two feet and face the real world” because of her involvement in the YPP. Now, a year later, she continues to parent her daughter, with some support from the father and extended family. She works part time as an Indigenous Youth Mentor in Marymound’s Indigenous Cultural Department and hopes to obtain fulltime employment this summer. Her daughter attends private daycare and is a happy,healthy and busy toddler!

Find out more about the Young Parents Program by visiting www.marymound.com or phoning 204-944-7404.