Monique Boyko and Jana Mantai, both long-term employees of Ranch Ehrlo Society, work together at one of the agency’s newest programs called WINGS: Working towards Independence and Nourishing Growing Skills. This program is designed specifically for our long-term female clients and helps them develop skills and gain work experience to achieve independence. The program recognizes that the skills and experience development is on a continuum unique to each young woman.

WINGS was created for a group of young women at Ranch Ehrlo in need of personal skills development and vocational skills training in their Community Vocational Education Program ( CVEP) programming.

The participants receive a monthly training allowance for the work they do in the program. Program manager, Victoria Reiman, hopes that this program will evolve into a community-based employment and/or meaningful work placements, suited to each client’s abilities.

Programming in WINGS is community-based and includes volunteering for the meals on wheels program, beadwork, and volunteering.

"We’re looking forward to the potential of the program," said Mantai. "Right now, we’re working on in-house jobs and some of the community-based volunteering until we can better assess each client’s skills."

"I really believe it is important for young people to give back to the community," said Reiman. "So we look for opportunities such as volunteering to make this happen."

Bree, a WINGS participant explained, "My goal is to move in with my boyfriend at some point. This program is teaching me the skills I need to be independent and achieve this goal."

WINGS has been in operation for three months now and its current location is temporary. There are possible plans to relocate by the fall, with the program doubling from six to 12 clients and two to four staff.