About Us
An Indigenous Women’s Support Centre
Gignoo Transition House Inc. has been empowering and protecting Indigenous women and children in New Brunswick since 1993. Gignoo means “our home” in the Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqey languages. Gignoo Transition House Inc. is the sole, non-profit Indigenous women’s shelter in the province of New Brunswick serving Mi’kmaq, Wolastoqiyik, Passamaquoddy and other Indigenous women and children. At Gignoo, vulnerable and at-risk families are supported every day to help end the trauma in our communities. Guided by Indigenous knowledge, programs and services are offered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The board of directors of Gignoo Transition House Inc. consists of Indigenous women from First Nation communities in New Brunswick off-reserve and allies who can contribute to Gignoo’s mission and operations. Gignoo also has an Elder who guides and supports the Board of Directors, as well as the staff.
Gignoo’s staff consist of an Executive Director, Outreach Worker, Child and Youth Coordinator, Lead Crisis Counsellor, Senior Crisis Counsellor/ housing support and many Crisis Interveners who work in shifts to ensure accessibility to Indigenous women 24 hours a day.
Gignoo House Logo by Samaqani Cocahq (Natalie Sappier)
We enter the womb of Mother Earth and we feel safe, we cleanse and we build strength as the land and the sky blankets us with protection. The ancestors whisper “Our Women sit in the centre of our baskets. Our Women are the carriers of creation.” We braided our hair weaved with Medicine and wrap ourselves in roots of Grandmother teachings.
My sister, you are home.
Our Values
As an organization, Gignoo believes in:
- Our Indigenous worldviews, cultures and languages: We enable our women and their families to practice our traditions and languages in a supportive, respectful environment.
- Traditional wisdom/knowledge: We value the knowledge of all the sacred teachings of our elders – love, respect, courage, honesty, wisdom, humility and truth.
- Accountability and transparency: We practice strong, ethical leadership and demonstrate professional and financial accountability and transparency.
- Client-centred approaches: We value the relationships we build with the women and families who we serve. We treat them with respect, kindness, compassion and we safeguard their privacy.
Our Vision
Every Indigenous woman who experiences family violence will have easy access to a safe, culturally supportive place where she and her children will feel nurtured, supported and can participate in programs to help them establish a life free of abuse, learn and gain an understanding of, and sense of pride in their cultural language
Our Mission
To honour and support Indigenous women and their children in their healing from intra-familial abuse. We do this by providing safe accommodations, the opportunity for them to learn about and be proud of their cultural heritage and programming to support their journey towards wellness.