To celebrate Direct Support Professionals Week, the Alliance of Direct Support Professionals of Manitoba (ADSPM) asked all membered organizations to nominate DSPs they felt go above and beyond to make a difference for people in their community. Rhoda Allen from Supported Independent Living received the DSP of Distinction Award.

“Over the past nine years, Rhoda has consistently demonstrated remarkable patience, empathy, positivity, adaptability, advocacy, a strong work ethic, and exceptional relationship-building skills with the individuals she supports.”

Congratulations Rhoda!

For Monica Cleodoro, being part of New Directions isn’t just about receiving support, it’s about stepping into new opportunities and discovering what she’s truly capable of.
As a participant in both the Adult Home Share and S.A.I.D. (Social & Interactive Development) programs, Monica has recently taken on an exciting new role at the New Directions head office. Every Tuesday, she joins the recruitment team as an assistant, working side-by-side with recruitment associate Judy Anothny. Her responsibilities include sorting through applications, to candidate emails, checking qualifications, and helping assess who might be the right fit to
join the New Directions team. “She’s such a fast learner,” Judy says. “I show her something once, and she just gets it. Honestly, sometimes she’s even faster than me!” she adds with a laugh.
Read more of Monica’s story in our 2024/25 annual report.

On June 18th, New Directions CEO Dr. Jennifer Frain was honoured with an Honorary Diploma in Disability and Community Support from RRC Polytech. It was the first time an Honorary Diploma has been awarded in this area. Jennifer is devoted to protecting, progressing, and promoting the dignity and success of vulnerable adults and children in Manitoba. Her unwavering dedication, tireless effort and passionate leadership have positively impacted thousands of lives.

Honorary diplomas are awarded to individuals who demonstrate high standards of excellence in their personal and professional achievements, and whose involvement in the community is widely recognized.

Congratulations Jennifer!

In 1989, the first Shift Staffed Home was opened in Southwest Winnipeg. This home was made available for those with intellectual disabilities and mental health challenges, allowing integration into the community.

Shift Staffed Homes is a support model that provides staffing 24/7. The goal of Shift Staffed Homes is to create a home atmosphere and encourage people to be as independent as possible. Day-to-day living at Shift Staffed Homes consists of many activities such as pet visits, music therapy and more. The homes are designed to provide a safe and nurturing environment where people can thrive and live their best lives.

This home has seen many years of life and warmth, however it is ready to be sold and possibly torn down. A new home has opened in its place, beginning the next chapter in the Shift Staffed Homes story. Currently there are 23 Shift Staffed Homes within the New Directions program in Winnipeg, and the service area is constantly growing and expanding to provide the best care for the adults we support.

As the end of 2021 was approaching, the team at New Directions was busy planning a long-awaited return to the office. It had been a two-year period of pandemic restrictions. Staff and the individuals we support were eager to return. And then the unthinkable happened: a fire!

Planning suddenly came to a halt on the morning of January 3, 2022. A fire broke out on the first floor of the building. It incinerated most of the ground level. The smoke damaged the entire building, and we couldn’t access it for many months. Combined with COVID, it severely impacted the people we support.

The area most impacted by the fire was the Indigenous cultural program, Opikihiwawin. It means “coming home” in Anishininew. For over 40 years Opikihiwawin has offered thousands of Indigenous adoptees, children and youth in foster care a path to reconnect with their culture and biological families.

The fire destroyed priceless, one-of-a-kind Indigenous items such as regalia, drums and star blankets. “The children and youth were particularly sad to lose the drums,” said Darlene Daniels, Director of Culture, Education and Training Services. Drums are considered living entities by Indigenous peoples.

The people we support are anxious to get back to normal programming—especially the Kookums/grandmothers! Once back, they’ll be busy in the restored kitchen making delicious meals like stews and bannock.

Just this past February we resumed some Opikihiwawin programming in our newly renovated space. We expect it will be fully operational by late spring. In the meantime, we are awaiting shipments of filmmaking equipment, sewing machines, fabrics, etc.

For more stories like this, read our latest edition of the Northstar here.

Dear friends of New Directions, 

It is with great pleasure that I write you all to inform of an exciting update in our organization. 

As we get closer to celebrating the 40^th anniversary of our Transition, Education & Resources for Females (TERF) program, it has been renamed to “Honouring Our Journey”. This name was suggested by an individual we support and perfectly captures our intent: to journey alongside others as they work to exit the sex trade. This journey is epic at times with lots of ups and downs, with hardships, struggles and yet it is also a journey of hope and resiliency. We are honoured to support the youth and adults as they make their journeys, and know that to be most helpful, we are the followers. It’s their journey, and we work to become their trusted supporters to help them along their way to a better life; a life of hope and promise. 

Since starting in 1984, the program has worked with hundreds, if not thousands, of children, youth, adults and transgender individuals who have been exploited and/or trafficked through the sex trade.

From helping individuals find stable living situations and gain high school credits, to leading healthier lives and becoming more confident, Honouring Our Journey uses a holistic healing model that balances spiritual, mental, physical, emotional and cultural needs of the individuals we support. 

I’m grateful for all the hard work the staff team does everyday, especially their dedication throughout the the COVID-19 pandemic and disruption and dislocation as a result of the devastating fire in the building that houses this program.

Thank you to all the members of our community for your support of TERF over the years and we look forward to continuing to work with you in our renamed program, Honouring Our Journey.

And on we go!

Dr. Jennifer Frain, C.Psych. 

CEO 

Learn more about Honouring Our Journey at https://newdirections.mb.ca/honouring-our-journey 

In partnership with New Directions, a group of Law Students from the University of Manitoba created a document that aims to improve access to healthcare for marginalized persons. Lewis Lee, Stefan Leicht, and Lauren Martin are law students at Robson Hall who worked together to create a document detailing the current state of access and rights regarding healthcare in Manitoba.

They were all given a list of pro bono projects and the Access to Healthcare project stood out for all of them. “Access to healthcare is something I’ve always been interested in because it’s so important, and it was great to realize being a law student and helping others could go hand in hand,” said Stefan. “Most of my family is in health care, so it’s always been an important area to me,” Lewis says. Lauren Martin was part of the University’s pandemic response team and has a passion for making a difference in the community. “I noticed some of the inequities in healthcare prior to starting law school during the pandemic, so this project was my top choice.”

During their research, the students noted the lack of awareness in resources offered by Manitoba Health, discovering many statutes and rules that they did not know existed, a good indication that many others were unaware of them as well. “People need to know that they have rights and that there are Acts and Regulations that exist to protect them,” Lauren explains.

Marginalized groups have difficulty accessing information regarding healthcare and documents that explain their rights and access. The concepts in these documents themselves aren’t difficult to understand, but the language being used can be hard to comprehend. The document the law students created is intended to be an easy to follow resource for everyone, detailing the resources and rights of Manitobans regarding health care. “Plain language is key to the concept of accessibility,” said Stefan. To make this document accessible, it needs to be readable by everyone, not just law practitioners and students.

“I feel safer after completing this project knowing that there are regulations and regulatory bodies in place to protect myself and others,” said Lauren. If an individual believes a healthcare provider is discriminating against them based on a protected characteristic, including refusing to accommodate them, they can contact the Manitoba Human Rights Commission (“MHRC”). The more people are aware of what they have access to and their rights, the more likely they can help improve the healthcare system. Everyone deserves access to proper healthcare, and thanks to this project, marginalized individuals have one more resource to help receive the proper information and access they need.

Read our 2022 Annual Report

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Events

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Saturday, June 18:

• APTN Indigenous Day Live
@ The Forks and Live on TV and YouTube | 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. www.indigenousdaylive.ca/winnipeg

• Morden National Indigenous Peoples Day
@ Lake Minnewasta | 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
www.mymorden.ca/community-events/indigenous-peoples-day

Sunday, June 19:

• Indigenous Peoples Day Celebration at The Assiniboine Park
@ Various locations inside the Park | 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. www.assiniboinepark.ca/events/event/56

Tuesday, June 21:

• Wa-Say Healing Centre Presents: Indigenous Day at The Forks
@ The Forks | 1:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
www.fb.com/wasayhealingcentre/photos/a.6

• Indigenous Peoples Day at the North End Women’s Centre
@ 394 Selkirk Avenue | 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
www.fb.com/northendwomenscentre/photos/a.

• MMF – National Indigenous Peoples Day
@ Selkirk Park | 9:00 a.m. to 7 p.m.
www.mmf.mb.ca/winnipeg-region/national-indigenous-days

• National Indigenous Peoples Day @ WAG-Qaumajuq
@ 300 Memorial Blvd | 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
www.wag.ca/event/national-indigenous-peoples-day/

• Indigenous Music Celebrates National Indigenous Peoples Day at The Cube
@ 124 King St | 12:00 p.m.
www.manitobamusic.com/news/read,article/8496/indigenous-music

• Rady Faculty of Health Sciences (U of M) National Indigenous Peoples Day
@ Mashkiki Gitigaan – Medicine Garden | 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
www.eventscalendar.umanitoba.ca/site/healthsciences/event/national-indigenous-peoples

• National Indigenous Peoples Day Brandon
@ Riverbank Discovery Centre | 12:00 p.m.
www.fb.com/NIPDBDN

• WRHA Indigenous Health CEO Grand Rounds
Virtual Event | 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
www.sharedhealthmb.ca/events/wrha-indigenous-health-grand-rounds

Experiences

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• The Whiteshell Petroforms (Currently closed due to flooding in the Whiteshell)
Bannock Point Petroforms, Manitoba 307, MB
www.whiteshellpetroforms.com

• The Brokenhead Wetland Interpretive Trail
1 km south of and 12, 59 Provincial Trunk Hwy 12, Beaconia, MB
www.debwendon.org

• Winnipeg Art Gallery-Qaumajuq
300 Memorial Blvd, Winnipeg, MB
www.wag.ca/about/qaumajuq

• The Living Prairie Museum
2795 Ness Avenue, Winnipeg, MB
www.friendsoflivingprairie.org

• The Canadian Museum for Human Rights
85 Israel Asper Way, Winnipeg, MB
www.humanrights.ca

• “Legends of the Northern Sky” at the Manitoba Museum Planetarium
190 Rupert Avenue, Winnipeg, MB
www.manitobamuseum.ca/visit/planetarium

Movies, Documentaries, and Podcasts

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

• Clan Mothers Healing Village Land-Based Healing Video Series – Journey of Piyesis
Available for free on Vimeo.
Episode 1 | Episode 2 | Episode 3 | Episode 4

• Beans (2021)
Available on Crave and other platforms for rent.
www.filmrise.com/film/beans

• CBC: 12 documentaries on Indigenous life in Canada
Available for free on CBC Gem.
www.cbc.ca/documentaries/12-docs-on-indigenous-life-in-canada-1.5606739

• Gord Downie’s The Secret Path
Available for free on YouTube.
www.secretpath.ca/

• CBC Podcasts: Missing and Murdered | Kuper Island | Unreserved with Rosanna Deerchild
Available for free on CBC Listen.
www.cbc.ca/listen/cbc-podcasts/148-missing-murdered-finding-cleo
www.cbc.ca/listen/cbc-podcasts/1062-kuper-island
www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-105-unreserved

• Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance
Available for free on YouTube and on the National Film Board of Canada’s website.
www.nfb.ca/film/kanehsatake_270_years_of_resistance

Movies, Documentaries, and Podcasts

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

• Five Little Indians, by Michelle Good (2020)
www.michellegood.ca/published-works.htm

• The Strangers, by Katherena Vermette (2021) 
www.katherenavermette.com

• Unreconciled, by Jesse Wente (2021) 
www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/575553

• Life in the City of Dirty Water, by Clayton Thomas-Muller (2021)
www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/634477

• This Place: 150 Years Retold, a collaboration between 20 authors and illustrators (2019)
www.portageandmainpress.com/Books/T/This-Place

Local Indigenous-Owned Businesses

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

• Anishinaabe Girl Designs
Unique jewellery designs with a touch of boujee glam.
www.anishinaabegirl.com

• Boreal Workshop
Handmade fine jewellery and functional art objects.
www.borealworkshop.com

• Brownees Urban Bistro
Offers a catering menu of Canadian family favorites with options that are traditionally Indigenous & Caribbean.
www.browneesurbanbistro.com

• Chantal Daniels
Stationary featuring Cree designs. 
www.chantaldaniels.com

• Dene Cree Designs
Bedding, artwork, traditional beaded jewellery and other excellent gift ideas.
www.denecreedesigns.ca

• Farm Dog
Hot dogs, hand pies, and other foods from farm to table.
www.farm-dog.ca

• Feast Café Bistro
Modern dishes rooted in traditional Indigenous foods.
www.feastcafebistro.com

• Indigo Arrows
Offers various housewares and linens.
www.indigoarrows.ca

• Medicine Garden Society
Handmade wellness products infused with Manitoba Prairie Medicines, harvested sustainably with love.

www.fb.com/medicinegardensociety

• Native Love Notes
Native love notes is a brand that focuses on Indigenous humour, uplifting messages and colourful designs.

www.nativelovenotes.com

• Nishiin Designs
Indigenous Accessories brand based in Sagkeeng First Nation, Manitoba. 
www.nishiin.ca

• Rebel Rebel Armour
Indigenous streetwear brand on a social mission.
www.redrebelarmour.ca

• Red Road Clothing
A family-owned company that designs and creates indigenous-inspired clothing.
www.redroadclothing.com

• Sharecuterie
Artisanal charcuterie delivery and catering service
www.sharecuteriewpg.com

• Teekca’s Boutique
Wide range of handcrafted, artist inspired, or manufactured giftware with Indigenous artwork. Showcases over 300 Indigenous artisans and designers from all over turtle island.
www.teekcasboutique.com

Storybook Distributed to Refugee Families

“We are pleased to contribute to Manitoba’s Ukrainian Refugee Reception Centre, a welcome centre for refugees that has already assisted nearly 350 people that were displaced due to the war in Ukraine,” says CEO Dr. Jennifer Frain.

Physical copies of Big Feelings Come and Go, a storybook created to help caregivers and families talk through trauma and learn self-regulation skills, is being offered to families in both Ukrainian and Russian.

You can learn more about the book and download a digital copy of your own through the link below.

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