FROM TEEN MOM TO CYBERMOM

Supporting Pregnant Teens and Young Mothers Using the Web

by Dr. Carol Kauppi

School of Social Work, Laurentian University

Many people look down on teen mothers and what people say in public about them often perpetuates unfavourable images. The presence of teen moms fans public anxiety about teenage sexuality, school leaving, welfare dependency or poor parenting. Many of Sudbury’s teen mothers say that they feel the sting of disapproval when they bring their children along to do routine activities such as grocery shopping or attending medical appointments. They also say that people often give them dirty looks and "attitude" because they are young parents.

Seldom does one hear praise for teen mothers who are raising healthy children under difficult circumstances and moving on with their lives by continuing their education, getting a job, or caring for their families. More likely, the headlines and news stories focus on teen mothers whose circumstances involve misfortune, scandal, or tragedy.

A young mother recently said, "The government deducts money from our cheques because they think that we spend it on alcohol or drugs but I’m barely getting by, cheque to cheque, and living at the poverty level". Yet, despite these obstacles, she and many others like her are working hard to change their circumstances and improve their lives.

Are we missing the point by talking about teen parenthood as a social problem? Research shows that teen mothers whose contributions are valued by their families and communities have better outcomes and are more likely to become good parents and to do a good job raising their children. It then makes good sense to support these young women and their children and to ensure that they can more easily navigate their joint transitions through adolescence and infancy.

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.

Cybermoms assists young mothers in an unexpected way: by providing them with computers, access to the Internet, a chat group, and computer training. The program’s participants use the computers to connect to a world of information they need and want, other Cybermoms, and a Community Worker who is available "on-line"or for home visits. Building a computer-mediated peer support network has turned out to be an extremely powerful strategy for supporting teenage mothers. Offering them the capability to "chat," much like the telephone, has proven to be an ideal way to disseminate good information and build computer skills, as well as offering friendship and a way of sharing experiences among more than 40 young parents.

One of the unexpected benefits of Cybermoms has been that the participants have developed some of the most valued skills in our society. Regular participation in the chat group and workshops has enabled the Cybermoms to develop their writing skills and the ability to use computers in a variety of ways (including web design and web publishing). The Cybermoms participants post messages in a secure chat group to share some of their compelling circumstances, ask for advice, and offer assistance to others. As the Cybermoms enter the "chat room," they learn from the experiences of the group, give their own thoughts, and often offer assistance in the way of material things (for example, offering baby clothing or items), advice, information, or a personal connection to others who have experienced the same circumstances or problems. The Cybermoms chat room has been a forum for heated discussion of the issues facing young parents such as relationships with boyfriends, making ends meet on a poverty-level budget, the custody and access rights of the biological fathers of the babies, "deadbeat dads", and the joys and sorrows of parenting, to name just a few topics.

Statistics Canada recently released a report on household Internet use which showed a large gap between high and low income households in the use of the Internet. Over half of high income people use computers at home to access the Internet compared to only 10.9% of low income people. The Cybermoms Program is helping to close the gap in Internet access for pregnant teens and young mothers in Sudbury who are most often from low income families. A compelling aspect of the Cybermoms program is that the participants use computer technology to fulfill emotional needs and to overcome the social isolation that very young mothers often feel. At the same time, they are learning marketable skills in computers including word processing, web design and web publishing, and Internet research. A number of the participants have received employment as a direct consequence or are applying these skills in schooling.

Cybermoms has proven itself to be a relatively inexpensive way to use refurbished computers recovered from the business sector to support a population that faces many disadvantages. Research findings from the program have demonstrated that, when given a chance, pregnant teens and young mothers can form a strong, resourceful, and supportive community to help each other. Cybermoms is based on an empowerment model that involves supporting the participants to overcome the barriers they face as young parents. Many of the participants are proud of their achievements in working together to form a strong group of young women and have spoken out on issues of importance to them at public events such as International Women’s Day, a forum organized by the SPC on the poverty of Ontario Works recipients, and an all-candidates meeting in the 2000 federal election.

Given all this, doesn’t it make more sense to nurture these young women and their children rather than putting them down? Important research on early child development, such as the Early Years Study conducted by Margaret McCain and J. Fraser Mustard, has emphasized the vital importance of investing in children during the first three years of life as a strategy for preventing problems later in life. Cybermoms was developed as a research and demonstration project to examine how we could support our youngest mothers. This program has shown that pregnant teens and young mothers eagerly learn how to use web technology to improve their own computer and communication skills and obtain information and advice on parenting and early child development. Helping young mothers directly benefits their children. Perhaps it makes sense to build on the knowledge gained through the Cybermoms Program, to recycle more used computers, to build a "connected community," and to support other groups.

On Wednesday, April 11, Dr. Kauppi 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.