Life at Waseskun

At Waseskun, the healing journey is structured to enable each Resident to progress at his own pace through different stages, called Paths. Each Path is unique, and takes into account all aspects of the Resident's life through a holistic therapeutic approach, tailored to his or her needs and progress.

Upon arrival, the Resident enters the first stage: “Lighting the Fire”. This period marks the beginning of their personal journey.

The new Resident first stays in seclusion in his room for 48 hours, with no contact with the community.

This time of calm and refocusing allows them to settle in, reflect on their past and their healing intentions, while being supported by his Peer Support. During this period, the Resident begins to write Chapter 1 of his life story, an exercise that leads him to identify the important elements of his journey and the goals he wishes to achieve.

Once this chapter has been completed and submitted to his case manager, he can gradually become more integrated into community life, until he is ready to move on to the next stage.

He can then progress on his Path by accessing the “Waiting at the Edge” stage, followed by the “Path 1: Gathering the Knowledge” and “Path 2: Applying the Knowledge” phases, according to his pace and needs. Each stage is designed to deepen your healing, reinforce what you've learned and help you make the most of it.

Community Responsibilities

As part of living at Waseskun, Residents are expected to perform daily tasks in the service of the Community and towards the upkeep of the Center, such as preparing food, washing up, and general maintenance of the property.

Residential Districts

The Center has two residential buildings, the Wolf's Den and the Bear's Den, with private individual rooms.
Each resident shares a bathroom and a common area with one or two other residents in neighboring rooms.
Each room has a lock and key, and a window.

Facilities

The Center has an exercise room. There are two satellite TVs in the main building, and Residents can have a TV in their room, as well as satellite hooked up in their room.

Residents have access to phones, and video games are permitted, as opposed to any device requiring the Internet or WiFi system.

Food

Every weekday, a cook, accompanied by a resident, prepares lunch and dinner for the entire community. Breakfast is offered on a self-service basis. On weekends, the residents themselves take charge of meal preparation, following the meal plan provided.

This dynamic approach comes into its own when the fruit and vegetables harvested from our vegetable garden find their way into the dishes prepared in the kitchen.

Cultural Outings & Social Activities

Special activities are also organized for special occasions (Halloween, Christmas, Easter, etc).

Residents can take a break from regular programming with games, sports activities and friendly competitions.

Canteen

The Waseskun Residents run a canteen with the help of the staff. A variety of meals, snacks and hygiene products are available. Profits from the canteen are channeled into the Waseskun Community Fund, which is used to defray the costs of cultural and traditional outings.

School

A school is available for residents who wish to attend.

A First Nation Adult Education Teacher is available 2 days a week.

He teaches all the main high school subjects, including math, English, French, history, science, computers and native languages.

Volunteer Work

Volunteer activities are offered according to season and availability. We work with local community groups such as the Comptoir Vestimentaire in St-Alphonse-Rodriguez, the Centre Équestre KOIKONIA in Rawdon, and others, who welcome our Residents and help them develop their social skills and self-esteem, and better prepare them for reintegration.

Outings

As Residents progress along their healing path, they become eligible for outings, whether for shopping, the Internet café, family visits or other organized outings, to prepare them for successful social reintegration and acquire the tools to facilitate this transition.

Outings are organized for cultural and traditional activities.

Visits

A Resident may receive visitors from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm on weekdays, and from 8:30 am to 8:30 pm on weekends and holidays. Visitors must be approved in advance.

Some Residents (Articles 81 who have obtained a Private Family Visiting program) may welcome visitors for a weekend, who then stay on site.

Peer Support

Residents who have reached a certain stage in their healing journey may be invited to act as peer support for new Residents arriving at Waseskun. They serve as role models and help guide newcomers as they adjust to daily life at the Lodge.

This role strengthens the bonds within the community and serves as a reminder that healing also comes through mutual support and the sharing of lived experiences.