Villa Rosa is a prenatal and postnatal residence offering a wide variety of programs in a safe and nurturing environment. Any single, pregnant woman or new mother may access our services.
There is no cost to any resident of Manitoba not living in a First Nation community - block funding through the Province of Manitoba and the United Way allows Villa Rosa to provide all services free of charge to young women who are pregnant and need a safe and healthy place to stay. However, Villa Rosa is not financially responsible for transportation, spending money, clothing needs, personal needs or medication. Women living on their First nation may be eligible to receive service on a per diem basis.
Villa Rosa’s mission is to provide educational, health and social services to young single women and their families during and after pregnancy, in the Province of Manitoba. Programs are offered in a safe, nurturing environment that encourages personal growth, and carried out in a fiscally responsible, culturally competent manner.
We minister to the whole person respecting individual differences and cultural diversity based on principles of caring, integrity, mutual respect, dignity and trust.
HISTORY: (To download video, right-click on link and "save target as..." A Villa Rosa Minute History Video)
Villa Rosa was founded over a century ago by the Misericordia Sisters, who created a respectful place where young women could find shelter during their pregnancies.
In an effort to embrace members of all faiths and ethnic backgrounds Villa Rosa has evolved over the years into a community-run organization that celebrates the diversity of our residents and strives to honour all denominations and traditions. While the founding vision of providing a safe place for pregnant women remains intact, Villa Rosa has changed substantially in recent decades.
Residents were once mostly middle class women sent to complete their pregnancies in an understanding place. Villa Rosa now primarily serves some of the most vulnerable women in Manitoba. These are women who often face hardships that most of us cannot imagine and have health issues and emotional needs that require significant care.
In 1965 Villa incorporated and became its own entity. It received a charitable designation in 1967. Villa receives its operating funding from the Province of Manitoba and is also supported by the United Way of Winnipeg. Villa Rosa is now embarking on a private sector funding program in order to diversify its funding and financial sustainability.
TODAY:
Villa Rosa is a safe haven for single young pregnant women. The majority of our residents are in their mid- to late-teens but range from as young as 11 into their 30’s. There is no age restriction for our services. Women live at Villa Rosa free of charge. Our funding comes from the Province of Manitoba, the United Way, First Nation communities (for those women living on and various other foundations and donors).
Our clients are often our society’s most vulnerable women who come from lives of abuse, addiction, and violence who are seeking a safe and healthy environment to prepare for their future. At Villa Rosa they are offered support, education, information and the opportunity to live in an alcohol and drug-free environment.
We provide residency, individual counselling, life skills, education and community follow-up to 300 women every year. Last year we were able to accommodate 80 expectant mothers, and each of those was given the chance to finish her high school education as well as access to scholarships for post secondary education. Occupancy is generally at 90% capacity of our 25 spaces. An average stay is 3 – 4 months.
Pre-natal residents share meals prepared by our cook, and are given a private or semi-private room. After delivery residents spend 3 or 4 weeks with us. We have an apartment block next door for those who need to learn independent living skills in a supported environment. Occupancy remains at 100% of its 8 apartments. Residents there continue to attend school at Villa Rosa and attend independent living skills and parenting programs for an average of 6 months.
Research that Villa Rosa and others have done on young single parents is that the most significant predictor of future success is to stay in school. Some of the women who come to Villa Rosa have never had a positive experience in school. The combination of one-on-one support and the individual learning environment in our classroom is one that is not duplicated anywhere else.
Villa Rosa is making a life long impact on women by being able to provide schooling within an environment that can also offer them a combination of counselling, care for their babies, parenting programs as well as nutritious meals. All residents at Villa Rosa are required to be in school and follow-up programs.
Once our residents have delivered their baby, their child is cared for on-site while they attend classes. Our Parent-Child Centre offers them the opportunity to learn and model parenting behaviour based on examples set for them by our staff and volunteers. Our social workers, teachers and early childhood educators work in teams. This has been found to be the most beneficial approach to young women seeking our services.
On average Villa Rosa provides service to 300 residents each year through the residence, post-natal house and the follow-up programs.
Since its inception Villa Rosa has served over 14,000 women and their children.
There is no cost to any resident of Manitoba not living in a First Nation community - block funding through the Province of Manitoba and the United Way allows Villa Rosa to provide all services free of charge to young women who are pregnant and need a safe and healthy place to stay. However, Villa Rosa is not financially responsible for transportation, spending money, clothing needs, personal needs or medication. Women living on their First nation may be eligible to receive service on a per diem basis.
Villa Rosa’s mission is to provide educational, health and social services to young single women and their families during and after pregnancy, in the Province of Manitoba. Programs are offered in a safe, nurturing environment that encourages personal growth, and carried out in a fiscally responsible, culturally competent manner.
We minister to the whole person respecting individual differences and cultural diversity based on principles of caring, integrity, mutual respect, dignity and trust.
HISTORY: (To download video, right-click on link and "save target as..." A Villa Rosa Minute History Video)
Villa Rosa was founded over a century ago by the Misericordia Sisters, who created a respectful place where young women could find shelter during their pregnancies.
In an effort to embrace members of all faiths and ethnic backgrounds Villa Rosa has evolved over the years into a community-run organization that celebrates the diversity of our residents and strives to honour all denominations and traditions. While the founding vision of providing a safe place for pregnant women remains intact, Villa Rosa has changed substantially in recent decades.
Residents were once mostly middle class women sent to complete their pregnancies in an understanding place. Villa Rosa now primarily serves some of the most vulnerable women in Manitoba. These are women who often face hardships that most of us cannot imagine and have health issues and emotional needs that require significant care.
In 1965 Villa incorporated and became its own entity. It received a charitable designation in 1967. Villa receives its operating funding from the Province of Manitoba and is also supported by the United Way of Winnipeg. Villa Rosa is now embarking on a private sector funding program in order to diversify its funding and financial sustainability.
TODAY:
Villa Rosa is a safe haven for single young pregnant women. The majority of our residents are in their mid- to late-teens but range from as young as 11 into their 30’s. There is no age restriction for our services. Women live at Villa Rosa free of charge. Our funding comes from the Province of Manitoba, the United Way, First Nation communities (for those women living on and various other foundations and donors).
Our clients are often our society’s most vulnerable women who come from lives of abuse, addiction, and violence who are seeking a safe and healthy environment to prepare for their future. At Villa Rosa they are offered support, education, information and the opportunity to live in an alcohol and drug-free environment.
We provide residency, individual counselling, life skills, education and community follow-up to 300 women every year. Last year we were able to accommodate 80 expectant mothers, and each of those was given the chance to finish her high school education as well as access to scholarships for post secondary education. Occupancy is generally at 90% capacity of our 25 spaces. An average stay is 3 – 4 months.
Pre-natal residents share meals prepared by our cook, and are given a private or semi-private room. After delivery residents spend 3 or 4 weeks with us. We have an apartment block next door for those who need to learn independent living skills in a supported environment. Occupancy remains at 100% of its 8 apartments. Residents there continue to attend school at Villa Rosa and attend independent living skills and parenting programs for an average of 6 months.
Research that Villa Rosa and others have done on young single parents is that the most significant predictor of future success is to stay in school. Some of the women who come to Villa Rosa have never had a positive experience in school. The combination of one-on-one support and the individual learning environment in our classroom is one that is not duplicated anywhere else.
Villa Rosa is making a life long impact on women by being able to provide schooling within an environment that can also offer them a combination of counselling, care for their babies, parenting programs as well as nutritious meals. All residents at Villa Rosa are required to be in school and follow-up programs.
Once our residents have delivered their baby, their child is cared for on-site while they attend classes. Our Parent-Child Centre offers them the opportunity to learn and model parenting behaviour based on examples set for them by our staff and volunteers. Our social workers, teachers and early childhood educators work in teams. This has been found to be the most beneficial approach to young women seeking our services.
On average Villa Rosa provides service to 300 residents each year through the residence, post-natal house and the follow-up programs.
Since its inception Villa Rosa has served over 14,000 women and their children.