A place of warmth: Shelter for Indigenous women and children opens in Stephenville

A new shelter for Indigenous women and children in Stephenville will start providing services in November. 

Its name, Ne'ata'q Place, comes from the Mi'kmaq word that means "the sun is coming out." 

Director Michelle Skinner told CBC News the vision for the shelter is to provide a place of warmth, love, care and compassion through a lens of Indigenous healing. 

"It's really important for Indigenous people to connect to their Indigenous culture, and the culture tells us a lot about health and healing and primarily to look at the four areas of healing," said Skinner. "So [that's] your spiritual well-being, your mental well-being, your physical well-being and your emotional well-being."

Ne'ata'q Place will act as transitional housing, and residents can stay for up to six months. There are six units with eight beds — some of which are bunk beds. 

Unlike other transitional houses in Newfoundland and Labrador, Ne'ata'q Place and its operations has $3.6 million in federal funding.  

Apartment-style units, with kitchens and bathrooms, are designed for residents to feel independent and to come and go as they please until they feel they can live on their own, says Skinner. Guests are able to visit at any time.

The transition house staffs five workers and offers wraparound services including on-site mental health counsellors. Skinner says it can be a place of refuge from violent situations. 

Women in immediate danger still go to Willow House in Corner Brook.

"I'm really excited," said Skinner. "All of us are on a journey and we're just really excited to be able to share this with people who really need it the most."

This shelter is years in the making, and elder Odelle Pike has been part of the process every step of the way.

She's sure every room will be filled in the near future. 

"That's what our women need," said Pike. "We have the highest rate of domestic violence anywhere in Newfoundland, in this region. So for us to be able to have this house here, it's really important."

Pike says spirituality and Indigenous healing is essential to the house's operations, and she's excited to finally see something like this in place.