The Elizabeth Fry Society of Saint John NB Inc.
PO Box 23012
Saint JohnNB
E2J 4M1
Phone/Fax: (506) 635-8851
Mission Statement:
The Elizabeth Fry Society of Saint John is to address underlying systemic or individual issues for women who are marginalized, at risk, or in the criminal justice system. This objective is viewed in the context of the need to create a supportive community, and to ensure that the women we serve are given the opportunity to participate fully in their communities. To this end our primary work is to advocate for the provision of programs and services, and to develop such programs and services where they do not exist; to advocate for change and reform in the criminal justice system and to ensure that individual rights of women are protected.
Programs & Services
Nova Institution for Women
Mother/Child Read Aloud Program:This program is conducted on six weekends per year by four volunteers. An average of thirty women read to seventy-five children and two hundred and twenty-five books plus tapes and walkmans are sent across Canadaand USA. A bilingual volunteer is available upon request to provide services in French. Books are available for aboriginal children and children of color. This Program receives some financial assistance from Correctional Services Canada through Nova Institution, yet we must constantly seek additional funding in order to sustain and continue our Program. Once per year, the Society provides each woman at Nova Institution with a book of her choice, and remaining books are donated to the library at Nova.
Monthly Visits:Volunteers spend two days at Nova once a month to conduct individual interviews with women to assist them in re-integrating into the community and support them in dealing with issues affecting their confinement.
Christmas & Summer Socials:Members attend these events to show our support for the women.
Atlantic Advocacy Committee [AAC]:A volunteer from our Society plays an active role on this committee, which meets for a day and a half, monthly at Nova.
Direct Services
Federally Sentenced Women living in the Saint John Community & at the Half-Way House: The women have access to one-on-one mentoring, outreach, transportation assistance, and referrals to other community services and programs. The women can also pick up hygiene items at the Office, should they need some.
Court Support: Volunteers are available on a daily basis to provide information and ongoing support to women who come before the courts. Women, who are appearing before the court for the first time, will often contact our office so that they can be better prepared for their appearance. We also maintain an ongoing relationship with these women and their families. We have compiled a volunteer court work training manual that has been used for training and educational purposes.
Anti-Shoplifting Program for Youth: During the past eight years, a volunteer has conducted this program in two school districts in our immediate vicinity reaching many students at schools. The program helps children see the negative effects of shoplifting via a video and workbook, written and designed by E. Fry Saint John. The Elizabeth Fry Society of Saint John NB Inc. owns the copyright to the video and booklet.
Cross Roads to Success: This teen intervention program is designed to facilitate insight and transition of past coping strategies with youth. This project will assist them in dealing with stress, peer pressure, feelings of depression, etc. and will provide an opportunity for our youth to practice and prepare responses to various situations so that they will make better decisions in the future. The young women were referred by youth probation. The Program was very successful. E. Fry has developed a relationship with the participants that will last long after the closing of the Program. Currently, this is the only gender specific, female lead program in Saint John and surrounding area.
Scholarship Program:The Elizabeth Fry Society of Saint John NB Inc. has been granted $25 000 over a period of five years to grant clients financial assistance should they be enrolling in an educational institution in the fall. $5000 will be awarded annually, and it is open to any woman who has utilized an Elizabeth Fry service. Two $2,500.00 scholarships were awarded. One scholarship was awarded to a single mom to attend university to work towards an education degree and the other to a young woman to attend a Dental Hygienist Program.
Advocacy: Our volunteers write letters on a woman’s behalf to judges, lawyers, social workers, parole officers, rehabilitation centers, Ombudsman, College of Physicians and Surgeons, etc. We will call family members if requested. We also do speaking engagements and media interviews to inform the public, and we write to the Premier and the Legislative Assembly to provide rehabilitative services to criminalized and marginalized women. We meet on a regular basis with a representative from the Office of the New Brunswick Ombudsman and provide him with updates on the current situation.
Family Contacts: This is an important part of our work as on any given day, there are 25 000 children in Canada who have a mother in the criminal justice system. These hidden victims and their care-givers need our support. We are in contact with many of the families and are able to provide information about resources that can be accessed and give them much needed moral support as they experience a loved one undergoing this tragic event.
Phone Line: Women can contact a volunteer via cell phone daily, from 6 am to 9 pm; they can also leave a message at our office or use our toll-free number.
Memorial for Ashley Smith: InOctober we held our third annual candle light vigil as a memorial to Ashley Smith and other women who have died in custody. It was well attended and we will be holding another one again this October.
Student Placements
The Elizabeth Fry Society of Saint John NB Inc. was granted two summer students through the Student Employment and Experience Development Program [SEED; Government of New Brunswick]. We had one summer student for 10 weeks and one for 8 weeks both attended Provincial Court, the Provincial Jail, and assisted with office tasks and research. We look forward to having one of the students back with E. Fry this year.
Fundraising
A great deal of time and effort is required to complete proposals for funding and other activities involving expenses. An appeal letter was sent in November.
Saint John Regional Correctional Centre
Volunteers from The Elizabeth Fry Society of Saint John have an ongoing presence at the Saint John Regional Correctional Centre three times weekly. Activities within the Saint John Regional Correctional Centre are as follows:
One on One: Weekly, individual mentoring by two E. Fry volunteers for two hours. The follow-up may involve telephoning lawyers, family members, social workers, as well as making inquiries regarding addiction treatment, social assistance, court appearances, etc.
Mother/Child Read Aloud Program: Weekly sessions are conducted by volunteers allowing for women to read books on tape for their children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, etc. The books, tapes, cassette players are then sent to the guardians. A bilingual volunteer is available upon request to provide services in French. Books are available for aboriginal children and children of color. Karin Wells from CBC Sunday Edition produced a documentary titled “Mom Send Me Books” which aired on March 20, 2011.
Pet Therapy:It is with great sadness that Taffy, our faithful volunteer sheltie, crossed the rainbow bridge on May 3, 2011. He was a rescue dog and brought much pleasure to the women at the Saint John Regional Correctional Centre who fed him carrots and brushed and petted him. He could sense their pain. His successor, Teddy, is now in training.
Information Session: Weekly program with volunteers provided an opportunity for the women to air systemic issues which are taken to the correctional administration for attention. Many opportunities for discussion occur at this time. Some of these sessions are used to give further information on subjects that concern the women.
Monthly Meetings with Management: Two volunteers meet with the Deputy Superintendent once per month to discuss ongoing issues the women are having. Due to changes in Provincial Public Safety Policies a lot of restructuring has occurred which has caused tension and stress among women prisoners.
Bingo: Monthly program with two volunteers. This is a relaxing social event which is enjoyed by the women who also appreciate receiving small prize of personal hygiene items.
Crafts: A monthly craft night is held.
Christmas Project: In December each year, volunteers purchase gifts for the children of incarcerated women. The mom’s wrap the parcels which are then mailed throughout the province. A Christmas party is held with refreshments, entertainment and a gift for each woman.
Workshops
We hold ongoing training sessions for new volunteers and to update our present volunteers. This happens frequently as we have had numerous contacts from the public who wish to volunteer with our Society.
The Elizabeth Fry Society of Saint John NB Inc.presentedthe women prisoners at the Saint John Regional Correction Centre with Human Rights in Action – A Handbook for Women in Provincial Jails in New Brunswick. The acting Ombudsman, a representative of the office of Ombudsman and the Chairperson of the New Brunswick Human Rights Commission along with representatives of EFry Cape Breton, EFry Mainland, NS and jail staff attended.
The women are pleased to have this tool and have already found information that they question and EFry has written to the Superintendent for more clarification.
CSC Forum: A very successful Forum titled “Women Offenders Staying out What Works? Strengthening capacity to support women offenders” was held on Feb 4, 2011. The purpose for the forum was to engage the local community by drawing participants from South Eastern New Brunswick to provide them with the tools necessary to assist female offenders as they reintegrate. This provided a setting in which all came together to dialogue openly about community involvement with corrections, to strengthen understanding and build community capacity for successful reintegration. The highlight of the Forum was five women telling their personal stories.
New Brunswick Human Rights Commission:2010 New Brunswick Human Rights Award was presented to The Elizabeth Fry Society of Saint John NB Inc. in recognition of outstanding effort, achievement or leadership in the promotion of human rights and equality in New Brunswick. This award was presented Sept 14, 2010.
Front Row – Lt. Gov. Hon. Graydon Nicholas; Chairperson NBHRC Randy Dickinson; Efry Saint John - Marian Perkins; Berna Critchlow; Denise Durette; Marianna Stack