The Meaningful Connections program at St.Amant is entering its second year and is growing in size and scope. Initially conceived as a response to the loneliness that those who receive services at St.Amant often experience, and funded partially through a Réseau Compassion Network grant, this program is helping more and more folks find their place in community.
Bre Brown, Coordinator of Community Connections at St.Amant, is thrilled at the evolution of the program. “The idea was that every person we support should have at least two friends, or two unpaid relationships,” they explain. “We know that was the goal, but in the first year, we shifted our focus to discovering what gifts, interests and talents people have and then finding them a place in community where they can meet people and have relationships form more naturally.”
Brown emphasizes that for some people supported by St.Amant, even the first conversation to begin exploring interests held some surprises. “We wanted to have an understanding of what friendships and relationships meant to each person,” Brown shares. “It became obvious that there were some people who haven’t even had enough experiences to know what they like and want. They needed some help exploring possibilities.”
This underlines the importance of shifting the culture of support at St.Amant and how staff can facilitate meaningful friendships. “We all know that it’s important to have connections in our lives, but how do we, as staff, actually help foster that?” wonders Brown. “We’re starting by helping people to build skills. How can we help you to be a good friend? How do we introduce you to a new person in a strength-based way that shines a positive light on you? We’re learning together.”
The Meaningful Connections team has been hard at work over the past year. Their goal was to interview every person supported in the Community Residential Program and the Community Services Program, a task they’ve almost completed. “This helps us to understand what people truly want and need, but it’s also a process that will allow us to measure how much social capital someone has,” Brown continues. “What kind of access to the good things in life do they have? Friendship, support, safety and meaningful work, these are the things that matter.”
One of the indicators that isn’t being measured, but that Brown and her team have noticed: the growth in confidence of those who are branching out into their communities. “They’re trying new things, they’re getting out there and they didn’t even know there were so many possibilities,” they share. “We have someone who decided to put together a Terry Fox Run team, and now he’s gaining the ability to introduce himself to new people and create friendships.”
Brown also shares that some of the biggest impacts are hard to measure. “We are all just so pleased to see people share their gifts and values in the community, to see that they’re really participating,” they conclude. “They are getting to know their neighbours, getting the mail, they’re growing flowers and making meals for potlucks. All the things that make us who we are, you know? People need people more than we need anything else, and people know best what they need and want. We’re here to listen and support, and great things can happen.”
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