Aseniwuche Winewak Nation

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About the Tawow Centre
Tawow ᑕᐋᐧᐤ Come in, You’re Welcome

Aseniwuche Winewak Nation opened the Tawow Centre to be one-stop-resource-shop for the Grande Cache community.  Named after the Cree word for “welcome”, the Tawow Centre is a safe space for people to access programming and resources for families, parents, caregivers and individuals seeking support with employment, mental health and addictions.

Unfortunately, due to government cuts, the Tawow Centre lost its funding to continue operating the Parent Link Centre (PLC) and Early Intervention programs. This was a devastating loss to the Grande Cache community as many families regularly participated in the PLC’s weekly activities and events.

Currently, the AWN programs that run out of the Tawow Centre are: the Parent Child Assistance Program (PCAP), Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Program, Mental Health and Addictions, Cultural Navigator, and the Kociwin Project (Crisis Management Coordinator and Violence Prevention Coordinator).

Trauma-Informed Care Program (TIC)

“Many of the people we interact with every day have been affected by overwhelming stress or traumatic experiences. Traumatic experiences change a person and can create turmoil within a person and in their life. This is especially true if events and/or conditions happen in childhood. The consequences of trauma are far reaching and can be directly or indirectly linked to mental illness, addictions, chronic disease, suicide, and overall, a failure to thrive.”
-Alberta Health Services

In 2020, AWN’s Opioid Prevention Program was renamed the Trauma-Informed Care Program to better capture the services we offer.

  • How to access resources and supports for mental health, substance abuse and addictions
  • Workshops and support groups
  • Harm reduction and goal setting
  • Referrals to detox, rehab, and recovery services
  • Assistance completing income support and AISH applications
  • Assistance accessing the Grande Cache and Area Food Bank
  • Assistance accessing transportation to and from TIC-approved medical appointments

Naloxone Training

TIC provides Naloxone training and free Naloxone kits. Virtual training sessions are available. Contact TIC if you would like to book a Naloxone training for yourself or your team.

If you require a Naloxone kit, please contact the TIC Program Coordinator or Outreach Worker. We also replace expired Naloxone kits.

Connect with TIC

Resources

Grande Cache FCSS

Grande Cache Community Learning & Employment Resource Centre

AHS Mental Health & Addictions

Hinton Employment & Learning Place

Families for Addiction Recovery

Canadian Mental Health Association

Virtual Opioid Dependency Program

HIV West Yellowhead Society

Parent Child Assistance Program (PCAP)

AWN’s Parent Child Assistance Program (PCAP) is based on the Alberta PCAP model. The program’s goal is to help mothers build healthy independent family lives. We want all children to thrive in safe and stable homes.

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PCAP Brochure Cover
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The PCAP Program Offers Support in the Following Areas:

  • Educating mothers to prevent alcohol and drug-exposed births
  • Having a healthy pregnancy
  • Food and nutrition education
  • Resources for parents of children with disabilities

Connect with PCAP

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Program (FASD)

“Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a diagnosis to describe impacts on the brain and body of individuals prenatally exposed to alcohol during pregnancy. FASD is a lifelong disability. Canadian researchers estimate that 4% of Canadians have FASD. As approximately 60% of pregnancies are unplanned, the risk of prenatal exposure to alcohol is significant.

Individuals with FASD may experience some degree of challenges in their daily living and need support with motor skills, physical health, learning, memory, attention, emotional regulation and social skills to reach their full potential.

Each individual with FASD is unique and has areas of both strengths and challenges. Although people with FASD experience complex challenges, they also possess resilience, strength and abilities, and offer valuable contributions to society.

It is important to know there is no safe time or safe amount of alcohol to drink when pregnant or planning to become pregnant. FASD can affect all ages, genders across cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.”

-Government of Alberta

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AWN’s FASD Program offers one-on-one client-centered support, coaching and individual mentoring, advocacy, family support, and educational resources.Our goal is to help affected clients have positive experiences whether at home, school, or work.

Connect with the FASD Program

Cultural Navigator

The Aseniwuche Winewak Nation (AWN) Cultural Navigator will act as both a cultural and language translator to improve communication and reduce mistrust between CS staff and AWN children, youth and families that may stem from cultural differences and a lack of knowledge about the Aseniwuche Winewak communities generally and families specifically. The core program components of the AWN Cultural Navigator are assisting CS workers to navigate the unique cultural context of Aseniwuche Winewak families while assisting these families to navigate what often feels like a foreign system. The key activities will be assisting with communication and context in individual cases as well as facilitating more formal reflective exercises for CS staff designed to deepen knowledge. The objective of the AWN Cultural Navigator is to build and maintain mutual respect, understanding and relationships to rebuild and increase trust between CS and AWN children, youth and families and the broader AWN community

Kociwin (Strive) Project

Aseniwuche Winewak Nation  is leading the KOCIWIN Project, an Indigenous-led initiative to address and prevent violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2S+ people. Rooted in Cree culture, language, and traditional teachings, the project aims to heal, strengthen, and empower the community by creating a comprehensive circle of supports for survivors, families, and loved ones.

Through the hiring of a Crisis Management Coordinator and a Violence Prevention Coordinator, the project will develop and implement a Community Crisis Response Model that promotes prevention, early intervention, crisis support, and post-intervention healing. It will also deliver education, peer support, workshops, and cultural programming focused on wellness, resilience, and restoring balance.

By working with local service providers, Elders, and Indigenous leaders, the KOCIWIN Project will build a coordinated and culturally grounded approach to reducing violence, addressing trauma, and honouring Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2S+ (MMIWG2S+) people.

Elder/Senior Abuse Program

Whether physical, psychological, emotional or financial, elder abuse and neglect is an urgent and growing issue threatening the human rights and well-being of many older Albertans forced to give up their dignity and bend to the will of others.

Tragically, those causing harm are often individuals whom the abused trust most—family members, caregivers, or close friends. This makes it incredibly difficult for the person who has been harmed to seek help or even recognize that they are being abused.

The program will assist older adults and their families to navigation complex systems to access services and resources required for strengthening mental health and addressing addiction