BARRHEAD-Nearly three years after they opened, the Barrhead Pregnancy Care Centre (BPCC) is looking to take the next step in their evolution, the opening for a home for young expectant mothers.
That is what BPC executive director Kim Webster told the Barrhead Leader, in a recent interview. We contacted Webster after we heard a rumour that the home was already in operation.
That is not the case, at least not yet, but the BPCC steering committee (or the "Dream Team" as Webster puts it) is hopeful it will become a reality within a year.
BPCC is a not-for-profit agency that provides counselling and other services to mothers and fathers dealing with an unexpected pregnancy.
The centre is a branch of the Christian-based Edmonton Pregnancy Care Centre (EPCC), which has been in operation for 35 years.
On Jan. 28, the EPCC approved a proposal from the BCC to go ahead with the project.
The maternity home would give expectant mothers a safe place to stay during their pregnancy whether they choose to parent their child or give it up for adoption and beyond.
"We are not only looking to be a warm bed," Webster said. "The residents who come and stay with us have an opportunity to change their lives. A place where they can get back on their feet so they can eventually go back out into the community and be healthy, self-sustained individuals."
To help their clients to do that, she said the home would be looking for the expectant mothers to make a real commitment.
"This is not something that they can expect to do for a week or two and leave," Webster said.
The program, which is still being worked on, will be tailored to the needs of the individual.
"It is still early in the process, but a lot of it will include things we learned during our needs assessment," she said, noting as part of the assessment talked with more than 40 agencies and organizations in the regions.
Webster said the assessment was a comprehensive process that took almost a year to complete.
"We also connected with several other maternity homes, not only in Alberta but across North America, so that we can learn from their expertise and experience," she said.
Now that the EPCC board have approved their plan, one of their next steps is to find a potential property in the immediate Barrhead area.
The BPCC is currently looking for a suitable property, one large enough to house six to eight expectant or young mothers along with their children for an extended period of time (up to three years).
To accomplish this, the BPCC will be launching a new fundraising campaign.
She added that starting a fundraising campaign during a pandemic might be difficult, but the community has always been supportive.
Operating during the pandemic
Currently, the BPCC is in the final phase of renovations that when complete will increase the amount of useable space.
Although the centre has tried to serve its clients remotely as much as possible during the pandemic, via the telephone or online, there are times when only in-person contact will do.
"Our space was a little constrictive," she said, using the example of a young couple who were expecting that already had a child. "If a client who has little ones with her, we often get a volunteer babysitter and sometimes she has a partner who is taking the male mentorship program. In the old space that would have been impossible and still be able to follow [COVID-19 public health] guidelines."
The BPCC is also looking to add to the members of their steering committee. Currently, the committee has seven members, but Webster said they would like to expand that.
"People with special skill sets, an accountant, lawyer, or someone that just has a passion for this ... it can only make us stronger and better able to serve our clients," she said.
For more information about the BPCC, go to their website or Facebook page or call 780-282-0161.
