Since 1896, The Salvation Army’s Grace Haven in Hamilton, Ont., has been a home and support system for pregnant and parenting youth. Through the provision of holistic programs and services intentionally designed to meet the unique needs of young parents, Grace Haven fosters learning, growth and resilience in an environment that loves and accepts all.

“Grace Haven is a community where the love of Jesus is expressed through the compassionate care of young parents and their children,” says Major June Newbury, executive director. “We meet their human needs in a myriad of ways—in mind, body and spirit.”

Originally a residence for pregnant and parenting mothers, Grace Haven is now an energetic hub that offers programs that focus on healthy pregnancies, child development, parenting and life skills, spiritual development, case management, mental health and addictions counselling, and education. Grace Haven partners with the Hamilton Wentworth School District, providing three board-certified teachers, three classrooms and free childcare so young parents can obtain their high school diploma on-site.

Over the past 126 years, the ministry has evolved to meet the changing needs of young parents, adapting programs in ways that continue to enhance the lives of those they serve while developing more effective methods of reaching modern youth. To do this, Grace Haven submitted a proposal for an innovation grant from territorial headquarters that would allow them to launch a new experiential learning resource: RealCare Baby’s advanced infant simulators. The innovation grant committee approved the funding and Grace Haven mobilized for action.

Renew, Revitalize, Redesign

In collaboration with other agencies and community partners, Grace Haven participated in an intensive young parent review in 2017. The purpose of the review was to evaluate the current need by going to the source—not just to ask young parents what they need, but to listen and understand.

“As society changes, so do the needs of young parents,” says Stephanie Amos, program manager at Grace Haven. “It was time to break away from the traditional approach that only focused on the mother and child. We recognize that young parents include dads and partners in parenting roles. Their needs are just as important because their involvement and personal development adds to the well-being of the child.”

The review showed that young parents wanted practical support while living independently. These findings launched Grace Haven on a trajectory to renew, revitalize and redesign their programs.

“This innovation grant was timely. It was God’s hand at work,” says Amos. “We were already onthis journey of transformation, searching for better ways to engage. We know young people  communicate with the world and learn through technology. In order to reach them, we have to be relevant, engaging and innovative. This grant gives us the means to do just that.”

The new initiative is an experiential learning project that offers young parents the opportunity to practise their parenting skills using an infant simulator and mobile app. Though similar curriculum has been adopted in high school parenting classes, this technology has never been used in Salvation Army ministry to prepare expecting parents for the arrival of a newborn or to teach existing parents how to care for their baby.

The advanced infant simulators are designed to replicate a true-to-life experience of caring for a baby, while tracking and reporting data through wireless technology. This not only provides practical training, such as learning to hold, feed and change a baby, but it also teaches young parents the emotional skills of parenting, such as patience, attentiveness, attachment and stress management. The skills they learn through the experiential learning project will increase their parenting capacity and decrease the level of supports required long-term.

“We have three infant simulators so far,” says Amos. “This is a roots-to-wings program. We’re helping parents learn how to lay down roots and find their wings. That’s important, especially for young parents who are navigating an adult world.” The goal of this hyper-realistic simulation is to allow parents to learn these skills in a safe, low-risk environment where they have access to the help and mentorship of childcare professionals. “We’ll coach them along and cheer them on from the sidelines,” says Amos.

A Place of Grace

As part of their ministry, Grace Haven’s programs and services help equip young parents with tools to increase long-term health and well-being for themselves and their child. The new infant simulators are just one of these valuable tools.

“We know that early intervention is key,” says Amos. Evidence shows that early introduction of relevant, strength-based supports paired with meaningful connections can create a strong foundation for lasting health and success of both the parent and the child. “We have been entrusted with this ministry to meet children and youth in their early years. We have a prime opportunity to lay this foundation early on in their lives.”

“I hope that young parents will find a place with The Salvation Army where hope is realized amid hardships, and where courage is strengthened as they face life’s challenges,” says Major Newbury. “Grace Haven can provide a sense of belonging for these young parents, so they can embrace all that God intends them to be.”

To learn more about the territory’s innovation grant program and the ministries it supports, click here.