Waaboowaan (re)integration Project
The Waaboowaan (re)integration Project is a reintegration program for people who have experienced incarceration and are now working to be (re)integrated into the Toronto community.
"Waaboowaan" is the Anishinaabemowin word for "blanket". Blankets are important to our communities. There are Blanket Ceremonies which mark transitions in a person's life. Blankets are comforting. They keep us sheltered. They are portable. They are multi-functional. They are resilient. It is with blankets that we are able to welcome people into our communities.
(re)integration is important because after incarceration, the people who find themselves in Toronto are sometimes from the city with long histories and ties to the community and they just need some help getting settled again. Other folks are from all across Turtle Island and may need to be integrated fully through things like learning to navigate the city and transit, to finding housing, community, a sense of belonging and transgressing language barriers.
The project works through the following means to help achieve (re)integration in the community:
- Pastoral Care
- Community Referrals
- Mentorship
- Ceremony
- Worship
- Harm Reduction
- Sharing Circles
- Advocacy
