CUPS Client Story: Ingrid
Meet Ingrid
In 2016, Ingrid’s life at home took a terrible turn.
Overnight, she found herself and her children at the Calgary Women’s Emergency Shelter, scared and feeling very alone. Though the experience was traumatic and emotions were high, it was a turning point in Ingrid’s life. Within the safety of the shelter, she promised herself it was time for change and realized if she wanted to provide a future for herself and her kids, it was up to her. For Ingrid, this meant going back to school and starting a good career that would provide for her family.
At the shelter, Ingrid was connected with a counsellor who referred her to CUPS for additional support to help achieve her career goals.
Setting a solid foundation
Ingrid met with CUPS staff who listened to her story and helped her find the right community programs, activities and skill-building opportunities. As a first step, they helped Ingrid find and apply for a student bursary so she would have funds to use toward her education. With that in place, Ingrid enrolled — and later completed with honours! — in a legal assistant program that quickly led to good employment.
Finally, things were looking up. Somuchso, that Ingrid continued to come back to CUPS for months after her initial visit to remain connected to the organization. Eager to learn and grow, she wanted to remain in the loop of new programs that she could participate in that would help build a foundation of resilience.
Over the next few years, CUPS staff encouraged Ingrid to participate in a couple of notable programs. The first was hosted by Mount Royal University and taught families horticulture, cooking and nutrition.
“The program taught my family the importance of planting fruits and vegetables, how to prepare them and the role they play in the diet,” Ingrid reflects. “There was a lot of great information, but best of all, we had a lot of fun together.”
She was also connected with a program at the University of Calgary that taught participants the importance of attachment and bonding between mother and child. A secure attachment bond ensures that a child will feel secure, understood and calm enough to experience optimal development of their nervous system: the foundation for resilience for life.
Nothing is impossible
With her career in line and her family moving forward, Ingrid’s confidence is better than ever and she feels a sense of pride that she can support her family.
“Not only is CUPS integral to Calgary, but it was a key to getting my family back on track. They supported me in so many ways, and dealing with professional, well-equipped social workers who have my back, not just the child’s back, was key.”
Outside of her family’s newfound gardening and cooking hobbies, today, Ingrid is using her legal assistant program credits toward a Bachelor of Professional Arts, Governance and Management degree that she will earn over the next two years from Athabasca University.