A connection to culture helps create resilience. While everyone has their own reasons for needing to develop resilience, the COVID-19 pandemic has thrust us all into similar territory. It could be argued that clinical caseworker Julie Francella’s cultural work with agency youth is more important than ever. Julie ( pictured above with her art hanging at Schaller) …
When gatherings over 10 people became impossible, we knew we couldn’t hold our annual 3-mile race – at least not in the way we have been for over 50 years now. But the spirit of our agency – putting participants first - shone through as we came together to find a way to adapt the event to ensure our youth could still experience it. Jewison House training Started over 50…
While many of us are tucked safely in our own homes, staff at Ranch Ehrlo’s Family Treatment Program (FTP) and Intensive Family Preservation Services (IFPS) continue to serve those in need. For some of the families in the programs, this means Skype or Facetime check-ins, or therapists coming by and talking over the phone from outside a window. These are the families who are at lower…
When things in her house started to seem “a little sad” during the COVID-19 lockdown, 9-year-old Taylor decided to take matters into her own hands and cheer up her family with a surprise party. She summed up her event very simply. “Well, I got donuts for my family and put balloons up that had kind messages in them.” Ordering and paying for donuts for her entire family,…
Waiting can be hard. When youth first arrive at Ranch Ehrlo and begin the treatment process, progress can be slow. Goals can seem so unattainable, and home can seem so far away. With the current state of society, all of us are being forced into a stage of waiting; waiting to see loved ones again, waiting to frequent our favourite shops, gyms, or hairdresser. Although it is…
At Ranch Ehrlo, our first priority will always be safety – employee, participant, client, and stakeholder. To that end, in response to the current COVID-19 situation, we have adopted an in-depth pandemic policy and plan to guide us in this unprecedented time. The plan is a combined effort of our senior leaders, with input from various levels of the agency. We have also taken…
As social distancing measures have been put in place, our youth and staff have continually found creative ways to maintain their physical distance without sacrificing emotional connections. The most recent initiative, started by Dalla-Vincenza House, is a pay-it-forward box that has been making its rounds throughout our homes in the southern programs. Youth care leader Victoria Chupa came up…
Thanks to a distillery located in Brownlee, SK, Ranch Ehrlo has been provided with hand sanitizer to help keep our programs safe. With sanitizer hard to find in stores, many distilleries in the province have been changing their process in order to make hand sanitizer for essential frontline workers, which our employees fall into the category of. However, many were only providing the product to…
Children all over the country are out of school for the foreseeable future, meaning a lot more time at home! This includes Ranch Ehrlo’s Treatment Foster Care (TFC) program, a specialized, accredited foster care program for children with complex needs who respond best in a family setting. TFC parents Brittanie and Sam Park, who have two biological children and are fostering one through the…
With many businesses being shut down, there is an influx of individuals looking for work. With our agency still fully operational, many of our employees have received inquiries from former co-workers, friends, family, and acquaintances regarding whether or not The Ranch is currently hiring. We are! If you or someone you know is interested in working at our agency, please apply online here.…
These are challenging times, so we wanted to share an uplifting story. Hilsden House recently received an upgrade. A sensory room was created for the boys at Hilsden, who range in age from eight to 12. Many of them have delays in gross and fine motor skills, and several have been diagnosed with Attention Deficient Hyperactive Disorder. The room is designed to provide another tool to tackle…
Every four years, Ranch Ehrlo undergoes the rigorous process of being re-accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA). As we’ve said before - at Ranch Ehrlo, we strongly believe that adhering to best practices, as well as continually evaluating all that we do, helps us enhance our services for the young people, adults, and families who depend on us. For that reason (and many more) we…
Our 5th annual powwow will take place on August 27th on the Pilot Butte campus. It is a place to join in celebration through dancing, singing, visiting, renewing old friendships, and making new ones while honour the culture of our Indigenous clientele, staff, and community partners. Once again, our powwow will be competitive style – cash prizes will be given out to the top dancers in each…
An abandoned ice fishing shack has a new lease on life thanks to Jewison House youth. Direct care workers Brandon Radmacher and Ryan Clouthier spearheaded the renovation project. The two have a mutual love for the outdoors and ice fishing and planned some of Jewison’s winter activities around those interests. When they found the shack tucked away at the back of the Pilot Butte campus, a…
Last September, Susan Craig officially retired from her role as housemother at Dalla-Vincenza. But when she left, she knew she`d be back. "You leave the unit to retire and never come back again? No. It doesn’t work like that," she said. Susan knew she wanted to remain a part of the youth`s lives, but equally stressed the importance of not upsetting their routine, of staying out…
