Headway staff say it is rewarding work as they help those at-risk

A spokesperson for Headway in Steinbach says the most rewarding part of her job is seeing hope return to her clients. 

Headway launched in Steinbach in January of 2016. Brenda Brown says Headway was a response to a number of agencies in Steinbach that realized there were struggling youth in the city. And, Brown says these agencies were not noticing the impact or the growth that they had hoped to see. 

Brown says Probation Services, the RCMP as well as Hanover School Division had heard of a program called START that was running out of Selkirk, which was essentially creating support teams around parents and their struggling youth, in order to help them succeed. The decision was made to bring this same model to Steinbach and Brown says they recently celebrated the 8th anniversary of the program.

"Essentially what we do is when there is a struggling youth that is referred to our program, we create support teams around them with existing supports as well as adding any additional ones that we would see helpful," explains Brown. 

For example, she says that could include helping a young person with a mental health referral or connecting them with the Addictions Foundation. The team then meets monthly with that youth until he or she is stable. Brown notes the great thing about Headway is that they also then give support and resources to the parents, not just the youth. 

Brown explains that the agencies that Headway mainly works with include the RCMP, Probation Services, Child and Family Services, Hanover School Division, mental health and the Addictions Foundation. However, she notes they also work with other agencies in the area that support youth. 

The program underwent a significant change in 2019. Brown says it was that year when Manitoba Justice contacted them to ask if they could expand their services in order to start working with adults as well. She notes that for nearly five years now they have also been working with justice-involved adults. These are the ones that are tired of their lifestyle and are seeking help. 

"So, we help them by also creating teams around them, giving them support and advocating for them to help them get back on their feet and become contributing members of society," says Brown. 

She notes the adult program is 100 per cent voluntary. However, if there is someone reluctant to join, she is happy to meet with the individual. Brown says normally when a person wants to change their lifestyle but does not have a lot of support, once they learn of Headway and know someone is championing for them, it is not hard to convince them to join the program. 

"One of the encouraging things is that we've seen the service providers in Steinbach working together better," says Brown. "The collaboration is excellent, that way we're not duplicating service, we're working very efficiently and we're also creating a very holistic support team for our clients."

Brown says the best part of her job is when she comes up with a plan for her struggling client and then sees hope return.

"You see even their eyes brightening and it's an incredible thing, I wish everyone could experience it," she says. "Just the thankfulness and the hope coming out of the clients that I've been meeting with."

Today, Brown is working with the adults through the Re-START program. Heidi Harder Falk was hired just over one year ago to take on the Youth Coordinator role. Harder Falk says sometimes when she first starts to meet with a young person, that individual can be a little reluctant, just because they may have been pushed into the program. However, she can then explain to the young person what Headway is all about and that there is a team of people in their corner who can help someone who is struggling. 

According to Harder Falk, within the youth program, they have seen at least a 90 per cent reduction in criminal charges towards a young person after becoming a client. There has been an 83 per cent reduction in risk factors and 83 per cent of young people get connected to new services. Harder Falk says 100 per cent of support teams have a better understanding of their client's at-risk activities. There is also at least a 50 per cent reduction in calls for police services. As well, she notes their clients improve their living situations, have a greater capacity to set goals and are more engaged at school.

Harder Falk says she sees a huge difference in young people who become part of the Headway program. She recalls one client, who early on, would come into the meetings very angry and not want to be there. But, as the meetings kept going and the work continued to move forward, the young person was able to get to a point where he or she would come to the meeting with their own list of things to work on. 

"Just them coming to a place of being able to trust their team in that way and again just knowing that the team is there for them," she says. "Totally changes the mood from being angry or not wanting to be there, to being excited about the meetings and feeling like the process is just really helpful for them and just being able to thrive in that."

Meanwhile, Brown says Headway is a not-for-profit program. Funding comes through the Department of Justice, Department of Families, the City of Steinbach, Rural Municipality of Hanover, Calvary Church, RCMP, and some private donors.

To reach Headway, contact 204-320-8202.