When Shayla Shingoose walked out of Pine Grove Correctional Centre in July 2023, she carried with her little more than determination. She had no ID, no housing, and no nearby family. But she also had something else: a pamphlet that kept appearing during her time in custody, one offering a second chance through the Saskatoon Tribal Council’s Īkwēskīcik iskwēwak (“Women turning their lives around’) program.
“It just kept popping up — in my range, during Elder visits — like it was a sign,” Shayla recalls.
Shayla had spent the previous few years in active drug addiction and went into custody knowing she needed a fresh start.
With the support of her caseworker and staff from STC, she was accepted into Īkwēskīcik iskwēwak just before her release.
The program provides up to 18 months of transitional housing and wraparound supports for women with a history of repeat incarceration for non-violent offences.
Shayla arrived in Saskatoon, four-and-a-half hours from her home community in Manitoba, ready to rebuild — but not without challenges. Lacking identification, she couldn’t access government support services right away, and she admits the stress and “the run-around” nearly caused her to give up before she had a chance to get started.
STC staff helped Shayla gradually assemble the paperwork she needed, and were able to provide her with a referral to the North Thunderbird Centre, a community partner providing counselling and mental health support services designed by Indigenous people, for Indigenous people.
“I still go there, it’s awesome” she says. “It feels like home.”
Īkwēskīcik iskwēwak support and programming became the foundation for everything that followed. With encouragement from program staff, Shayla enrolled in adult education to earn her Grade 12.
Although she was doing well in her programming, Shayla says she struggled with being far from home and family. This led to a relapse in her addiction around the holidays, a time she describes as “lonely and hard.”
Shayla didn’t give up, and the staff at Īkwēskīcik iskwēwak were there to walk with her through the hard times, recognizing that the path to a new life sometimes comes with setbacks.
She completed her first semester of schooling, and then chose to pause her studies to get treatment. STC staff connected her with a 35-day inpatient program at the Cree Nations Treatment Centre, operated by the Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation.
The cultural teachings at the facility resonated deeply, and helped Shayla get back on track.
“I’ve never done a sweat or shake tent before… I didn’t know much about my culture before coming here,” Shayla says. “But now I do, and that’s helped me stay grounded.”
She continued to grow through STC-supported outpatient programs, women’s circles, and cultural activities, all while staying sober. With 16 months of sobriety under her belt, Shayla has graduated with her Grade 12 — something she never imagined possible just over a year ago.
Now, Shayla’s already thinking of what she’ll achieve next: she’s exploring post-secondary programs in mental health and addictions, applying for jobs, and working toward her full driver’s license, with help from STC’s Employment and Training Services. She’s even considering university — something that once scared her.
“Coming from the bottom and climbing up — it’s possible,” she says. “This place believed in me, even when I slipped. They never gave up on me.”
For Shayla, that belief, and the connection to culture, community, and consistent support made all the difference.
