The experience of community especially happens in neighbourhoods. Shalem offers two ways of supporting the development of deeper, meaningful relationships and safer, more connected neighbourhoods.
Neighbourhood–Based WrapAround
WrapAround is meant for people who may be the most vulnerable or at-risk in your neighbourhood. They may face simultaneous, overwhelming challenges that lead to hopelessness and despair, such as mental illness combined with generational poverty combined with special family member needs, medical needs, and so forth. WrapAround is a proven, effective way of neighbourhoods wrapping community supports around people based on their hopes, dreams and strengths, and putting them in charge of reaching their goals. Professional services are delivered according to how the WrapAround participant and their community of supports want. WrapAround is “cradle to grave”; it supports infants and their parents as well as seniors and their caregivers. WrapAround is a way that a community can step up and truly say: we are caring effectively for our most vulnerable members.
Shalem is a national leader in developing and supporting community volunteer-based neighbourhood WrapAround. Our WrapAround Hamilton initiative is an example of just that. Shalem offers certified WrapAround training and coaching through our leadership with Wrap Canada and the WrapAround Association of Ontario. For more information about how your neighbourhood can get started, contact Elske De Visch Eybergen, Shalem’s Director of WrapAround Services.
Restorative Practice
Sometimes a serious or long-standing conflict or series of conflicts can make life in a neighbourhood almost toxic, even dangerous. Restorative practice makes it possible to bring together—in a safe way—everyone who has been affected by a conflict, in order to have a real conversation focused on what has been happening, who has been impacted and how, what the most difficult thing is, and how we can repair the harm and move forward. In Restorative Practice everyone has a voice. Restorative Practice is one of the core services that Shalem offers—we facilitate difficult, forward-looking conversations in a safe way, and we offer training and support so that a neighbourhood develops the capacity to do it themselves. Contact Anne Martin, Shalem’s Director of Restorative Practice Services, to find out how we can help.
