It’s a Tuesday morning inside Whitehorse Correctional Centre. A group of men sit in a circle. The room is quiet, but not tense. There are papers, markers, and pencils on the table — and someone’s absentmindedly doodling as the conversation begins.
The topic today: what it means to be a caregiver.
This might not be where most people picture parenting conversations happening. But for the Yukon Family Resource Unit, this is exactly where they need to be.
Supporting caregivers wherever they are
Caregivers come in all forms — and sometimes, they’re people in custody. They may not be with their children every day, but they still matter. They still carry influence, memories and relationships. And when they get the chance to reflect on those roles, something powerful can happen.
That’s what sparked a new initiative this year: a 5-week workshop series at Whitehorse Correctional Centre, led by the Family Resource Unit. The sessions weren’t about lectures or judgment. They were conversations — thoughtful, sometimes emotional, always real. Each week had a different theme:
- the importance of male caregivers;
- what supports exist in the community;
- parenting and communication strategies;
- stages of child development; and
- self-care and resilience.
And each week, the same message echoed: you still have a role to play.
“Ah-ha” moments in unexpected places
The team noticed something interesting during these sessions. When people had something to do with their hands — like doodling — they opened up more. Walls came down. Conversations got deeper.
There were quiet moments where someone realized, for the first time in a long time, just how much they mattered to their kids. Or how they could try a new way of communicating. Or how they might do things differently when they returned home.
Those moments — the “ah-ha” moments — are what social work is all about.
The human side of social services
For people who work in the Yukon’s Family Resource Unit, this is familiar territory. Whether supporting parents in community centres, over the phone or inside correctional facilities, the goal is the same: to help people show up better for the children in their lives. It's not always easy work. It takes patience, compassion and emotional strength. But it’s also incredibly rewarding.
There’s something powerful about watching a person shift — even just slightly — toward hope, reflection or change. You get to witness it. Sometimes, you even get to help spark it.
A path for those who want to make a difference
If you’ve ever thought about a career in social services, this is what it looks like in the Yukon.
It looks like honest conversations. It looks like laughter after a hard story. It looks like a former client stopping you years later to say thank you. And it looks like creating space — even in the most unlikely places — for people to feel seen, heard and capable of change.
The Family Resource Unit will be returning to Whitehorse Correctional Centre this summer, this time expanding their sessions to include the female unit. The work continues — and so does the need for people who want to be part of something meaningful.
