The moment Alicia walked into her small apartment, she did something many of us take for granted – she placed her house key on the kitchen counter and smiled. After eight years of incarceration, this simple act represented something profound: independence, stability, and a second chance.
“I cried that first night,” she told me over coffee at a small shop near the Elizabeth Fry Society of Edmonton. “Not sad tears. It was like my body finally understood I was free to build something new.”
Alicia represents one of the success stories emerging from Edmonton’s innovative Housing Works program, which provides stable housing and comprehensive support for women transitioning from incarceration back into our community.
The program, launched in 2019, addresses a critical gap in our city’s social safety net. Women leaving correctional facilities often face seemingly insurmountable barriers – limited housing options, employment discrimination, and the lingering stigma of incarceration.
“When women leave prison without adequate support, we’re essentially setting them up to fail,” explains Toni McAfee, Housing Works program director. “Our approach recognizes that stable housing is just the foundation. We build comprehensive support around it.”
The Elizabeth Fry Society of Edmonton operates the program with funding from multiple community partners. Their model goes beyond simply providing apartments. Participants receive intensive case management, employment coaching, mental health support, and practical life skills training.
What makes Housing Works particularly effective is its trauma-informed approach. The staff understands that many incarcerated women have experienced significant trauma throughout their lives.
“About 80% of women in our correctional system have histories of abuse,” McAfee notes. “We can’t address reentry without acknowledging and healing those wounds.”
Walking through their offices on a bustling Tuesday morning, I witness the program’s day-to-day reality. In one room, a workshop on financial literacy is underway. Down the hall, a counselor meets one-on-one with a participant. The atmosphere balances professionalism with genuine warmth.
The results speak volumes. Since its inception, Housing Works has served 87 women, with 73% maintaining stable housing for at least one year after program completion. More impressively, the recidivism rate among participants is just 12%, compared to the provincial average of 35% for women.
Behind these statistics are stories of remarkable resilience.
Marissa, 42, entered the program after serving a four-year sentence. With Housing Works’ support, she not only secured stable housing but also completed a certification in office administration. Today, she works full-time at a local business and mentors new program participants.
“The difference is they treated me like a person with potential, not just an ex-con,” Marissa explains. “That belief in me helped me believe in myself again.”
The program’s success has caught the attention of correctional services across Alberta. Representatives from Calgary, Red Deer, and Lethbridge have visited to learn from Edmonton’s model.
However, challenges remain. Funding constraints limit the number of women who can participate. Currently, Housing Works can accommodate just 24 women at a time, while the need is much greater.
“We receive about five applications for every available spot,” McAfee acknowledges. “It’s heartbreaking to turn women away when we know this program could change their trajectory.”
Community partnerships have become essential to expanding their impact. Several Edmonton businesses now actively recruit program graduates, providing second-chance employment opportunities. Local volunteers offer everything from cooking classes to professional mentorship.
The program also faces the challenge of Edmonton’s increasingly tight housing market. Finding affordable units for participants requires creativity and community support.
West Edmonton Mall property management recently partnered with Housing Works to provide three subsidized apartments for program participants in a nearby residential complex. This kind of corporate involvement proves vital to scaling the program’s impact.
“These women aren’t asking for handouts,” emphasizes McAfee. “They’re asking for a fair chance to rebuild their lives and contribute to our community.”
For participants like Alicia, the program represents something even more fundamental – a restoration of dignity.
“Before Housing Works, I felt like my past mistakes would define me forever,” she reflects. “Now I know they’re just part of my story, not the whole book.”
As our city continues addressing complex social challenges, Housing Works demonstrates the power of comprehensive, compassionate approaches. The program reminds us that investment in human potential yields returns that extend far beyond the individuals directly served.
Edmonton’s reentry landscape still has significant gaps to fill. But through initiatives like Housing Works, our community is demonstrating that we believe in second chances – not just in theory, but in practice, one woman at a time.
And that small apartment key on Alicia’s counter? It’s not just opening a door to housing. It’s opening a door to possibility.
