Brentwood Recovery Home receives nearly $100,000 in provincial grant
A nearly $100,000 grant for the Brentwood Recovery Home.
Brentwood has received a $99,000 Resilient Communities Fund Grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) to grow their Peer Support Training Program.
This program empowers individuals with lived experience of recovery, or who are considered 'alumni' of the program, to help support others on their own recovery journey.
Through this initiative, which launched in July 2024, Brentwood has been able to train three full groups, surpassing the goal of 60 participants.
The content of this course aligns with both provincial and federal peer support guidelines to provide these individuals with the knowledge and skills to offer safe and effective peer-to-peer assistance in Windsor and Essex County.
Sonja Grbevski, executive director of Brentwood Recovery Home, said Brentwood has a really strong alumni base who want to help.
'Being able to provide additional training because we know lots has changed in the trajectory of addictions, or addictions and mental health, and equipping our alumni and peers has been absolutely critical to bring them to that next level of support,' she said.
She said if they weren't provided this grant, they wouldn't have been able to do this program.
'That really speaks to the fact of how important this grant was for us, we were able to do three full cohorts, actually we've surpassed the goal of 60 participants, and being able to spread the knowledge across our alumni group, our peer support initiatives.'
Grbevski said those in recovery want that personal connection.
'We've heard it over and over is, 'Can I please have someone who's gone through this journey to help me walk beside me and guide me along with the formal structure of programs'.'
This funding was for a one-year term.
Approximately 70 individuals are currently on program, however there are a number of individuals who attend daily programming but do not stay on site.
Brentwood Recovery Home is dedicated to providing lifelong, compassionate, and evidence-informed addictions treatment. Through this peer support initiative, alumni remain engaged with the community and reinforce positive recovery outcomes.
- Written by Meagan Delaurier/AM800 News
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Brentwood Recovery Home receives nearly $100,000 in provincial grant
A nearly $100,000 grant for the Brentwood Recovery Home. Brentwood has received a $99,000 Resilient Communities Fund Grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) to grow their Peer Support Training Program. This program empowers individuals with lived experience of recovery, or who are considered 'alumni' of the program, to help support others on their own recovery journey. Through this initiative, which launched in July 2024, Brentwood has been able to train three full groups, surpassing the goal of 60 participants. The content of this course aligns with both provincial and federal peer support guidelines to provide these individuals with the knowledge and skills to offer safe and effective peer-to-peer assistance in Windsor and Essex County. Sonja Grbevski, executive director of Brentwood Recovery Home, said Brentwood has a really strong alumni base who want to help. 'Being able to provide additional training because we know lots has changed in the trajectory of addictions, or addictions and mental health, and equipping our alumni and peers has been absolutely critical to bring them to that next level of support,' she said. She said if they weren't provided this grant, they wouldn't have been able to do this program. 'That really speaks to the fact of how important this grant was for us, we were able to do three full cohorts, actually we've surpassed the goal of 60 participants, and being able to spread the knowledge across our alumni group, our peer support initiatives.' Grbevski said those in recovery want that personal connection. 'We've heard it over and over is, 'Can I please have someone who's gone through this journey to help me walk beside me and guide me along with the formal structure of programs'.' This funding was for a one-year term. Approximately 70 individuals are currently on program, however there are a number of individuals who attend daily programming but do not stay on site. Brentwood Recovery Home is dedicated to providing lifelong, compassionate, and evidence-informed addictions treatment. Through this peer support initiative, alumni remain engaged with the community and reinforce positive recovery outcomes. - Written by Meagan Delaurier/AM800 News
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Because wildfire related evacuations of Indigenous communities are likely to continue due to climate change, Binon suggests there are ways to improve how they're handled. They include: Allocating resources to ensure specific needs of Indigenous evacuees are met, such as having interpreters available for elders at reception centres. Forming and following Indigenous-based disaster plans, such as the Dene First Nation's 2023 offer to help the Northwest Territories government identify vulnerable people and communicate evacuation plans with them. Continuing Indigenous Services Canada's 2024 partnership with First Nation communities to prepare for and respond to natural disasters. WATCH | An inside look at Indigenous cultural burns: What Canada can learn from how B.C. First Nations prevent wildfire disasters 1 year ago Duration 11:34 First Nations in B.C. are in a race to protect themselves from wildfires, bringing back a tradition that had been banned for decades. CBC's Brady Strachan was invited to the front line of a prescribed or cultural burn to learn more about how it's done and why experts say other communities across Canada need to follow their example. Binon also says governments are increasingly turning to the Indigenous practice of cultural burns — controlled, slow fires — to reduce wildfire risk and enhance biodiversity. She says such "informed and inclusive policies" support recovery and reduce the risk of internal displacement. Liske now lives in Dettah, N.W.T., with her family. Her mother-in-law, Lafferty, is in Victoria but recently visited Yellowknife. "Whenever there's a blue sky, I'm thankful," said Lafferty. "We're not breathing in smoke." Both say when they see smoky skies, it brings a sense of dread related to the 2023 fires, but also this wildfire season. Liske's spouse, who is also Lafferty's son, is currently fighting wildfires in Saskatchewan.
