The workbooks featured in this catalogue were developed to fill the need for low-level literacy materials in The John Howard Society of Manitoba’s Basic Literacy Program.  During the past several years the agency has developed a series of literacy workbooks that deal with issues of interest to our clients. Each workbook contains reading lessons followed by writing exercises designed to enhance literacy skills and reinforce understanding of lesson materials. Key words can be found in a glossary at the end of each workbook. Although anyone can benefit from the information contained in the workbooks, they are especially suited for low-level readers.

Adult Survivors of Child Abuse:  This workbook addresses the effects of abuse on a child and the long term effects on the adult. Fourteen lessons cover areas such as memories, coping, breaking the cycle, and parenting.

All My Relations (an Aboriginal Cultural Awareness Manual): The reader is introduced to Aboriginal traditions and beliefs. Twenty-one lessons cover areas such as the people, medicines, ceremonies, celebrations, medicine wheel, foods and feasts. A brief historical overview is included as well.

Children and Parenting: This workbook comes in two versions– community or our institutional program version. Lessons address childhood development, parenting skills, families, and issues related to prison.

Eating Right: A Food and Nutrition Manual:  The twenty-seven lessons in this workbook introduce the reader to the different food groups, the body’s nutritional needs, shopping, meal planning and food handling.

Gangs: Learning to Live without Them: This book was written to give the reader enough information about gangs to make good decisions. Included are reasons why people join, the activities that many gangs are involved in,   the process of lifestyle change, and community program ideas.

Get Out & Stay Out: This workbook was recently revised to appeal to those being released from prisons outside of Manitoba. It has also been expanded to include topics beyond coping with physical needs. Relationships, decision making, and reconciliation are explored.

Getting a Job: This workbook teaches the readers how to start their job search, describe the importance of a resume, and outline how to have a successful interview. Our program version provides information on disclosing criminal records, pardons and bonding.

Getting Along:  A Guide to Healthy Relationships: The goals of this workbook are to help build good relationships and recognize trouble ones. This information is helpful for all relationships, not just the romantic. Some areas covered include trust building, communication, honesty and loyalty.

Hurting People: A Victim Awareness Manual:  This book encompasses victim awareness, stages and causes of victimization, thinking errors, victim’s rights and the cycle of victimization. This manual includes twenty-four lessons.

Learning to Talk and Listen Better:  This workbook contains practical ideas for dealing with conflict, communication, and relationships. The reader will explore self-concepts, emotions, listening, & tips for speaking with people.

Living with Pain and Loss:  A Manual on Grieving:  This is a workbook for anyone who has experienced a loss. The lessons were written to provide help with understanding what has happened, how different people are affected, what may change, and who may be able to help.

Relapse Prevention: This is information adapted from the relapse prevention model for treatment of addictions. The workbook addresses problem recognition, lapses and relapse, prevention, coping, high risk situations, support systems and professional guidance.

Repairing the Harm (an Introduction to Restorative Justice):  These lessons assist people in understanding the impact that crime has on victims, their families, the community and offenders. Based on the principles of restorative justice, this book explains how to repair the harm caused by crime,

Respecting Our Earth:  This is workbook for anyone interested in the basics of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Recover. Information about pollution, the ozone layer, and chemicals in the home is included.

Stress, Anxiety and Depression:  The reader is introduced to stress, anxiety and depression as normal emotions as well as disorders. 14 lessons provide information on coping, treatment, and where to turn for help.

Understanding Anger:  This is our most widely used workbook. It presents eight sections: an introduction to anger, stress, self esteem, responses to anger, expressions of anger, controlling anger, resolving conflict, and related issues such as violence and the family.

Writing Made Easy:  Twenty-nine lessons teach basic English grammar skills. The lessons include instructions on nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, connectives, and contractions. Short stories, maps and poems are used to engage the reader.

THE JOHN HOWARD SOCIETY OF MANITOBA Safer Choices Harm Reduction Series:

The workbooks featured in this catalogue were developed to help lessen the harm that people cause to themselves and others when they participate in risky or harmful behaviors such as injecting drugs or having unsafe sex. It provides students with information they will need to help them reduce harm to themselves and their communities. Each workbook contains reading
lessons followed by writing exercises designed to reinforce understanding of the lesson materials. Although anyone can benefit from the information contained in the workbooks, they are especially suited for low-level readers.

AIDS and HIV:  This workbook was developed to increase awareness of the dangers of AIDS and HIV. Definitions, facts about infection and testing are discussed, as well as emotional and legal issues.

Coming Soon!  FAS/E 

Healthy Lifestyles: This workbook is great for anyone living on their own. Information covered in the sixteen lessons includes making healthy choices, getting a job, budgeting, dating, and keeping fit.

New!  Hepatitis C: Facilitation Guide: was developed as a resource to assist facilitators in more effectively presenting the materials contained in the workbook.  It is designed to be used in tandem with Hepatitis C:  Your Life Your Liver.  A well facilitated program with an interested and engaging facilitator may have a therapeutic affect on the participants.  However, this is secondary to the main objective of providing safe and respectful environment where the participants can learn new and accurate information.  The material used in this manual is intended to instruct individuals on the basic medical information about hepatitis C.  The literacy workbook incorporates lessons and exercises that are designed to improve overall literacy skills. 

New Edition!  Hepatitis C: Your Life and Your Liver: Some of the areas covered in this workbook include the effects of Hepatitis C on the body, prevention, doctors and testing, risk categories, harm reduction, self care, tainted blood and Canadian compensation availability.

New Edition!  Hepatitis C: Walking the Path: This manual was developed to help increase awareness of hepatitis C for people who live in northern communities.  It contains information about hepatitis C, its” symptoms, risk factors, transmission, treatment and prevention.  It includes information designed to help educate aboriginal people using a medicine wheel concept.

Coming Soon!  Methamphetamine Use: 

Overcoming Cocaine Addiction: The exercises in this workbook provide learners with the opportunity to honestly explore his or her cocaine use. The effects of cocaine addiction, warning signs, relapse and relapse prevention, living without cocaine, and treatment are also addressed.

Coming Soon!  Safe Injection Drug Use

Coming Soon!  Safer Sex

Coming Soon!  Solvent/Inhalant Use

Staying Sober:  This workbook addresses the harmful effects of substances while paying particular attention to alcohol use. Social attitudes, predisposing factors, basic drug facts, family issues and treatment programs are all discussed.

THE JOHN HOWARD SOCIETY OF MANITOBA Group Facilitation Series:

New!  Respectful Fathering Group Facilitation Guide Respectful Fathering was developed by the John Howard Society of Manitoba as an educational tool intended to improve parenting skills by exploring topics that are relevant to participants.  The material used in this manual addresses some basic questions about parenting and child development.  While all can benefit from participating in the program, it is especially suited for young Aboriginal fathers.