Laurentian University Lecture to feature the Cybermoms program

On Wednesday, April 11, Dr. Carol Kauppi, professor of social work at Laurentian University, will present a lecture entitled "From Teen Mom to Cybermom: Using the Web to Support Pregnant Teens and Young Mothers," at 7:30 p.m., at the Art Gallery of Sudbury. This public presentation is the fourth lecture of the Laurentian University Lecture Series.In her lecture, Dr. Kauppi will describe how teen pregnancy and parenthood are often viewed as social problems. Most research and practice in this area focus on prevention, which leaves teenage girls on their own to face the struggles of becoming parents and raising their children. They are often stigmatized, isolated, powerless, and lacking the supports that all parents need to raise healthy children. In the 1990s, there were approximately 170 births to teen mothers each year in the Sudbury region and most of these mothers retained custody of their babies.

In order to support this population, the Cybermoms Program was established in Sudbury in 1998 by the Social Planning Council of Sudbury (SPC) with funding from the Atkinson Foundation ($195,000) and from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs ($150,000). Key partners include Cyber Beach Communications and Laurentian University’s School of Social Work. It is the only program of its kind in Canada.

Participants are given a computer and free access to the Internet so that they can become part of an on-line peer support group–a "cyberfamily." This lecture will present the Cybermoms Program as a new model of intervention and will touch on issues such as how recycled computers from the business sector can be used to support disadvantaged groups. It will also describe how Cybermom participants use the technology as a tool for connecting with others and providing mutual aid. Dr. Kauppi will also outline experiences, problems, and strengths in using the technology as a form of social support and skills development.In her research, Dr. Carol Kauppi has studied women and poverty, youth and the transition to the labour market, and homelessness. She has published many articles and reports on family issues and parenting, women's poverty, and science/technology learning among youth in Sudbury and Northern Ontario. As well, she has served as a research consultant for the Regional Municipality of Sudbury, the Ministry of Community and Social Services, and many social service agencies. Dr. Kauppi is the Research Director of Cybermoms: A Computer-Mediated Program for Pregnant Teens and Young Mothers that was developed through a partnership between the Social Planning Council of Sudbury and Laurentian University.Admission to the lecture is free. Tickets to Dr. Kauppi's lecture can be obtained on campus at the following locations: Public Affairs Office, LU Bookstore, and the J.N. Desmarais Library.The Laurentian University Lecture Series was launched by Drs. Douglas H. Parker and André Roberge, Vice-Presidents, Academic. The goal of this initiative is to expose both the Sudbury and the Laurentian communities to subjects of general interest. The lectures will be delivered by Laurentian professors with national and international reputations in their fields of research.

For more information, please call Dr. Carol Kauppi, social work professor at Laurentian University, at (705) 675-1151, ext. 5058.