Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

A two-generation preschool program is ongoing at Calgary Urban Project Society (CUPS) One World. Families living with less than half the low-income cut-off, and mental illness, addiction, or social isolation within the family are eligible to attend. The aim of this mixed methods study was to conduct a longitudinal follow-up of families after their children reached age 10 years, to develop an understanding of the mechanism of change. Phase I (quantitative) informed participant selection for Phase II (qualitative). In Phase II, constructivist grounded theory was used to explore experiences of 14 biological mothers as they moved through CUPS One World. The core category, Stepping Stones to Resiliency, included four categories: Perceptions of Family; Moving Forward; Achieving Goals; and Completely Different. Perceptions of Family included categories of CUPS Like Family (for recent immigrant families), and CUPS in Place of Family (for other Canadian-born and Aboriginal families). Recent immigrant mothers had experienced positive, trusting relationships with extended family, while other Canadian-born and Aboriginal mothers had experienced dysfunctional, chaotic relationships (due to abuse and neglect, addiction, and ongoing effects of colonization including residential schools). Moving Forward was linked with Perceptions of Family: recent immigrant families could step lightly onto this stone, as it encompassed adjusting to life in Canada; other Canadian-born and Aboriginal families required extra struggle in order to move on to the next stone, following years of overwhelming life circumstances. Achieving Goals required self-worth to set and work toward them; Completely Different included leaving CUPS One World with newfound Strength, Independence, Freedom, Competency, and Connection. Stepping Stones to Resiliency was not a linear process, it involved occasionally stepping backwards, sometimes slipping and falling, and most importantly, continued resolve to get back on.