By Storrm Lennie and Josh Hall

Dragonfly Centre succeeding despite limited funding

Mar 8, 2019 | 10:59 PM

Since its opening last fall, Red Deer’s Dragonfly Centre has seen over 200 children seeking help to cope with their traumatic experiences.

Operated by The Outreach Centre, staff at the Dragonfly use trauma-informed therapeutic approaches to nurture, protect and provide healing strategies to children who have witnessed or been victims of things like domestic violence, homelessness and suicide.

“I think what we’ve been able to see is that the youth don’t feel so alone and so isolated anymore,” says Barb Barber, Executive Director.

“A lot of the children that come to the centre think that this is only happening to them and no one else, and they feel really alone. So they’ve been able to feel like somebody cares and that life can get better and it will get better, and we’ve been able to teach them some skills and give them resources to continue to work through the issues they are facing.”

Barber explains that the centre isn’t fully staffed due to limited funding, meaning there is the potential to actually help many more youth through their issues if dollars could be secured.

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Thus far, the facility has put on three eight-week youth programs since September. Barber says she is proud of the work that has been done to this point regardless of the struggles around funding.

“I’m very proud of the centre. Some of the programs that are offered there used to be in our main building, so to be able to move it over to the Dragonfly Centre is just awesome,” Barber adds. “The kids just love having their own space and I’m just very proud of the work that we are doing and what we are able to do.”

The Dragonfly Centre is the only facility of its kind in Central Alberta and receives operating dollars from the provincial government.

Barber says that through fundraisers such as the annual ‘Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” event in June, The Outreach Centre hopes they can properly staff the Dragonfly and reach more children who need its help in the near future.

by Storrm Lennie and Josh Hall

Dragonfly Centre succeeding despite limited funding

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