The Ontario Family Well-Being Program's Long-Term Objectives Are

Knowledge Sharing toolKit

Ontario Family Well-Being program The Ontario Family Well-Being program’s long-term objectives are to end violence against Indigenous women, reduce the number of Indigenous children and youth in child welfare and the youth justice systems, and improve the overall health and well-being of Indigenous communities. Contents

PART 1 User’s Guide Pages 1-4

PART 2 Fourteen Key Messages for Co-development Pages 5-11

PART 3 Shareable Quotes Pages 12-36 (13-36 unpaginated)

PART 3 Videos and Transcripts

Pages 37-64

Morning Sky Consulting Inc. supported by Barnes Management Group Research, Writing and Graphic Design ~ Gyde Shepherd Contributors ~ Pamela Wheaton, Madeleine Anderson and Gaye Hanson

Knowledge Sharing toolKit 2019 Ontario Family Well-Being program Knowledge Sharing toolKit user’s guide Ontario Family Well-Being program

PART 1 Knowledge Sharing toolKit Ontario Family Well-Being program

The Ontario Family Well-Being program’s long-term objectives are to end violence against Indigenous women, reduce the number of Indigenous children and youth in child welfare and the youth justice systems, and improve the overall health and well-being of Indigenous communities. Knowledge Sharing Toolkit Ontario Family Well-Being program

Introduction: the Family Indigenous individuals, families and communities. It is also intended to help communities meet the Well-Being program challenges and celebrate the accomplishments of the Ontario Family Well-Being program. The Ontario Family Well-Being program is a collaboration between the Ontario Government’s What is co-development? Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (hereafter referred to as “the Ministry”) “Co-development is a voluntary, co-operative and and First Nations, Inuit, Métis, and urban consensual process, emphasizing convergent Indigenous partners across Ontario (hereafter over divergent interests. It involves the mutual referred to as “the Indigenous partners”). identification of problems and the development and analysis of solutions to those problems with The Indigenous partners are: Anishinabek Nation; a view to adopt mutually agreed to solutions. Association of Iroquois and Allied Indians; Substantial trust is required as this process requires Chippewas of Rama First Nation, Mnjikaning; a significant degree of shared decision-making.” Grand Council Treaty #3; Independent First Nations; Métis Nation of Ontario; Mohawks Source: Family Well-Being Guidelines, [Ontario] Ministry of of Akwesasne; Mississaugas of New Credit Children, Community and Social Services, November 2016). First Nation; Nishnawbe Aski Nation; Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres; Ontario Native Women’s Association; Ottawa Inuit The Evaluation Team and Children’s Centre; Six Nations of the Grand River; Working Group Tungasuvvingat Inuit. In 2018, an Evaluation Team visited Indigenous Through an innovative process of co-development, communities and organizations across Ontario the Indigenous partners are implementing a variety to talk about the Family Well-Being program with of community-based and culturally responsive program workers and others involved in the co- programs and services for their communities. development and implementation of the program in their communities. The Ontario Family Well-Being program’s long-term objectives are to end violence against Indigenous The team included a videographer tasked with women, reduce the number of Indigenous children carrying out video interviews and documenting and youth in child welfare and the youth justice the evaluation process. The videographer was given systems, and improve the overall health and well- written informed consent for all text, video and being of Indigenous communities. photographic material used to create this Toolkit.

What is this toolkit for? The Evaluation Team was assisted by a Working Group which included Ministry staff and representatives of the Indigenous partners. This This toolkit includes written, graphic and video Toolkit was created with guidance from the resources created to inform the co-development Working Group. and implementation of programs and services for

User’s Guide 1 Knowledge Sharing Toolkit Ontario Family Well-Being program

carried out by the Evaluation Team in 2018 (see PA RT 1 page 1). They are included in this Toolkit as print- This User’s Guide ready PDFs so that they can be printed as posters or postcards. They can also be downlaoded below as images suitable for posting on social media This User’s Guide is designed to make it easy for applications, such as Instagram and Facebook. anyone to access and learn from the components of this Knowledge Sharing Toolkit. This Toolkit Click the image includes embedded links to videos on Youtube. to download the Shareable Quotes in PA RT 2 image (JPG) format. Fourteen Key Messages for Co-development

This is a series of fourteen key lessons from the co-development process that distinguishes the Family Well-Being program. The messages and accompanying explanations are closely based on input from focus groups and interviews carried PA RT out with Family Well-Being workers and others Videos and Transcripts involved in the program in their communities.

This document is intended to be a resource 4A. Overview Video: “Voices of for decision-makers, policy-makers, program the Family Well-Being program” managers, and others interested in exploring co-development with First Nation, Inuit, Métis, This video provides a brief overview of some of and urban Indigenous partners. the key themes raised during the focus groups and interviews carried out by the Evaluation Team. We invite you to share it by email or on social media.

PA RT 3 Click on the image to view the video on Youtube. Shareable Quotes: Posters for Printing and Sharing on Social Media

These shareable posters present key quotes spoken by Family Well-Being workers and others involved in the co-development of the program in their communities. Quotes were gathered during the evaluation focus groups and interviews.

User’s Guide 2 Knowledge Sharing Toolkit Ontario Family Well-Being program

4B. Thematic Video Interviews the Family Well-Being program, including the co-development process. Click on an image below These short videos feature Family Well-Being to view a video, or visit the Youtube Playlist by workers and others who have contributed to the clicking the following link: Family Well-Being program in their communities. They offer insight, ideas and stories concerning Family Well-Being program Video Playlist.

Allen Doxdator, Bkejwanong-Walpole Phillip Comeau, Tungasuvvingat Inuit, Judy Soney, Bkejwanong-Walpole Island First Nation, Independent First Ottawa Island First Nation, Independent First Nations Nations

Joe Martin, Six Nations of the Grand Daphne Armstrong, Kenora Chiefs Lisa Meloche, Naotkamegwanning- River Advisory, Grand Council Treaty # 3 Whitefish Bay First Nation, Grand Council Treaty #3

Levina Winter, Deer Lake First Nation, Darlene Beardy, Bearskin Lake First Rod Fiddler, Nishnawbe Aski Nation Nishnawbe Aski Nation Nation, Nishnawbe Aski Nation

Howard Copenace, Naotkamegwanning- Reepa Eviction-Carleton, Janice Bonnie Couchie, Biigtigong Whitefish Bay First Nation, Grand Messam and Karen Baker-Anderson, Nishnaabeg, Anishinabek Nation Council Treaty #3 Ottawa Inuit Children’s Centre

User’s Guide 3 Knowledge Sharing Toolkit Ontario Family Well-Being program

Click on the images to view on YouTube

Kerri Shipman, Bkejwanong-Walpole Susan Smith, Bkejwanong-Walpole Stephanie McInnis, Chippewas of Rama Island First Nation, Independent First Island First Nation, Independent First First Nation, Mnjikaning, Anishinabek Nations Nations Nation

Jason Williamson, Wauzhusk Onigum Reepa Evic-Carleton and James Harmony Blackbird, Bkejwanong- First Nation-Rat Portage, Grand Mutyaba, Ottawa Inuit Children’s Walpole Island First Nation, Council Treaty #3 Centre Independent First Nations

Cynthia Williams and Allen Doxdator, Laureen Linklater-Pizzale, Bkejwanong-Walpole Island First Anishinabek Nation Nation, Independent First Nations

4C. Video Transcripts

This is a collection of video transcripts of all the videos created for this Toolkit (see pages 39 to 64).

In addition to transcripts of all the videos produced for this Toolkit, this collection includes transcripts of two audio interviews featuring Jason Jamieson, Manager of Program Development at Métis Nation of Ontario (pages 43 and 44), and Rhonda Fisher, Family Well-Being program Worker with the Ochiichagwe’Babigo’Ining Ojibway Nation, Grand Council Treaty #3 (page 45). User’s Guide 4 Morning Sky Consulting Inc. supported by Barnes Management Group Research, Writing and Graphic Design ~ Gyde Shepherd Contributors ~ Pamela Wheaton, Madeleine Anderson and Gaye Hanson

Knowledge Sharing toolKit 2019 Ontario Family Well-Being program Fourteen Key messages for co-development Lessons from the Ontario Family Well-Being program

PART 2 Knowledge Sharing toolKit Ontario Family Well-Being program

This is a series of fourteen key lessons from the 6. Acknowledge the power imbalance that exists co-development process that distinguishes the within the co-development process. Ontario Family Well-Being program. 7. Recognize that flexibility is inherently stressful. These key messages and the explanations that follow them (see page 6 to 11) are closely based on 8. It is important that program evaluations reflect input from focus groups and interviews carried the spirit and intent of the co-development process. out with Family Well-Being workers and others involved in developing the program for their 9. Co-development involves the ability to learn communities. They are intended to be a resource from experience and make changes along the way. for decision-makers, policy-makers, program It needs time and continuity to be most effective. managers, and others interested in exploring co-development with First Nation, Inuit, Métis, 10. Involve Elders, youth and dividuals from other and urban Indigenous partners. generations in the co-development process.

11. Co-development can put additional pressure Key Messages LIST on Family Well-Being program workers serving their home communities. 1. Bring front line workers together early on. 12. Activities that simply bring people together— 2. Facilitate ongoing communication, knowledge such as a weekly community supper—are occasions sharing and capacity building between Family for ceremony, healing, and community building. Well-Being program workers. These activities also provide a way to connect people with programs and services at their own 3. Trust takes time to build, but its benefits are pace. far-reaching. 13. Take account of the diversity of views on family 4. The Family Well-Being program’s flexibility well-being that exist within families, organizations, makes it an excellent partner with other programs and communities. and services serving the community. 14. Co-development is reconciliation in action. 5. The Indigenous partners consistently highlighted the relationship between family well-being and culturally-founded activities.

FOURTEEN KEY MESSAGES FOR CO-DEVELOPMENT 5 Knowledge Sharing Toolkit Ontario Family Well-Being program 1. 2. Bring front line workers Facilitate ongoing together early on. communication, knowledge sharing, and capacity building In early 2017, the Ministry invited Family Well-Being between Family Well-Being program workers from across Ontario for a two-day Family Well-Being Symposium in Toronto. Not only program workers. were program workers able to share experiences and ideas and learn things that were helpful in their One reason the Family Well-Being program work, they also benefited from a sense of solidarity Symposium was so beneficial is that it encouraged as front line workers committed to helping their solidarity between distinct First Nation, Inuit, distinct communities. Métis and urban Indigenous peoples. This sends an important message: the Ontario government It was repeated often that it was helpful that not only wants to engage in co-development this meeting occurred in the early stages of with Indigenous peoples across Ontario, it also co-developing the Family Well-Being program. understands the benefits of Indigenous peoples and Bringing front line staff together early in the communities working together to improve their process seems to have amplified the benefits well-being. of the co-development process. In a practical sense, it is important to find ways As one Family Well-Being worker put it, “Most to encourage communication, for example by times when you have conferences they’re not really providing communities with a staff contact list and geared to front line workers, but to managers and a brief description, updated annually, of what each leadership. So the fact that the Symposium enabled community’s Family Well-Being program is doing. all the workers to come together was very positive. Hopefully it will continue.” Keep in Mind

Keep in Mind Historically, there has been a perception that governments are not interested in Indigenous Family Well-Being program Workers pointed out peoples working together. Facilitating that it was important that travel and other costs communication does not mean managing or of attending the Symposium were covered by the overseeing it. Ministry. This ensured that they did not have to weigh the benefits of using resources from their program budgets.

FOURTEEN KEY MESSAGES FOR CO-DEVELOPMENT 6 Knowledge Sharing Toolkit Ontario Family Well-Being program

She emphasized that the family had not previously 3. trusted anyone in the community, and that the impact of the trip was profound and life changing. Trust takes time to build, but its She said it was a challenge reporting on the value of this trip by answering questions like, “How many benefits are far-reaching. clients have you served?”

The Family Well-Being program is seen by many She went on to explain, “What if you took one client of its workers in Indigenous communities as an out on the land for three weeks? You’ve taken the opportunity for trust-building. Part of the reason for time to build a deep relationship of trust with them. this is the co-development process adopted for the You can’t measure this trip with numbers, you program. can’t measure it in those kinds of terms. Since you have the flexibility with program co-development, It takes time to build trust, particularly in situations you have to carry that flexibility into any program where people, and sometimes communities as a evaluations.” whole, have had negative experiences in the past with government program and service providers. Yet trust-building can produce profound positive results in the medium and long term. Even in the 4. short term, the very fact of acknowledging the importance of trust building gives credibility to The Family Well-Being the co-development process. program’s flexibility makes it an excellent partner with other Trust building in the Family Well-Being program began with the co-development process and programs and services serving extended out into the communities through the the community. program workers and their community partners. Staff who participated in the co-development As the Family Well-Being program’s co-development process felt empowered to extend this approach process bears fruit, it is encouraging communities to individuals and families they serve in their to look for flexible ways to work in other areas. In communities. This has been particularly important some cases, the flexibility of the program allows for more vulnerable and hard-to-reach individuals Family Well-Being workers to partner with other and families. programs in order fund activities together.

Keep in Mind As one Family Well-Being coordinator explained: “For most of our other programs, funds just pay for Trust-building is hard to measure. It is important to staffing. Since a large portion of Family Well-Being find ways to acknowledge and provide incentives for funds are available for programming, we’ve been trust-building approaches. For example, a Family able to coordinate with other programs to be able to Well-Being worker in one community told the serve families in a bigger capacity. The Family Well- story of a family she accompanied on a three-week Being program is critical for capacity building.” camping trip.

FOURTEEN KEY MESSAGES FOR CO-DEVELOPMENT 7 Knowledge Sharing Toolkit Ontario Family Well-Being program

Keep in Mind Keep in Mind

Other services and programs supported by different Being able to take advantage of the benefits of land- governments may not offer the same level of based activities was important for all the Indigenous flexibility, which may be a challenge for Family partners, regardless of whether they were based in a Well-Being workers striving to fulfill their goals for rural or urban area. the program. Whether it means taking a community bus out to It will be helpful to find ways to assist workers so have a picnic by a river near town, having a group they feel secure in planning and setting priorities in discussion around a campfire in a fire pit behind an effort to respond to a wide range of community a community building, or organizing a camping needs. trip for urban youth, land-based activities can take many forms. These don’t necessarily have to involve longer trips out into rural or wilderness areas.

5. As one worker commented, “With our Family The Indigenous partners Well-Being program, we want people to know that going out on the land is for everybody. It might be consistently highlighted the just gathering on the side of the road and building relationship between family a fire and cooking and eating there together.” The well-being and culturally- common denominator in all of these is a desire to reconnect with Indigenous cultural practices, founded activities. beliefs and traditions on the path to individual, family and community well-being. One of the results of the co-development process has been an emphasis by the Indigenous partners on implementing a wide range of culturally-founded 6. activities in their communities, such as Indigenous language classes, drum making workshops, Acknowledge the power traditional dance courses, ceremonies, and a range of land-based activities. imbalance that exists within the co-development process. The fact that so many communities chose to support culturally-founded activities demonstrates Co-development is in part an effort to redress that this type of programming is viewed as having historical wrongs such as residential schools in a role in achieving the Family Well-Being program’s which non-indigenous government policy directed long-term objectives. These are: to end violence what, when, and how Indigenous people accessed against Indigenous women, reduce the number of education, health care, and social services. Yet in Indigenous children and youth in child welfare and the case of the Family Well-Being program, a power the youth justice systems, and improve the overall imbalance exists since overall funding decisions health and well-being of Indigenous communities. remain in the hands of the Ontario government.

FOURTEEN KEY MESSAGES FOR CO-DEVELOPMENT 8 Knowledge Sharing Toolkit Ontario Family Well-Being program

Acknowledging the power imbalance within the co-development process is beneficial to the trust- 8. building process because it tells the Indigenous partners that co-development is not a government It is important that program public relations exercise, but a sincere attempt to do things in a better way. evaluations reflect the spirit and intent of the co-development 7. process. Family Well-Being workers were supportive of the Recognize that flexibility need to ensure accountability for expenditures and is inherently stressful. outcomes, but did not always feel that they had the tools to do so. With this in mind, co-development Family Well-Being workers were unanimous in and capacity-building need to be incorporated into their view that flexibility is key to the success of the evaluation process, in the context of both short the program. However, this flexibility can also be a and longer term forms of evaluation. source of stress for program workers and managers. As one program manager who was involved in the One Family Well-Being worker suggested that co-development process put it, “The flexibility is evaluation can be useful for activities that have great, but then there’s this feeling that you’re going a clear beginning, middle and end, such as a to make a mistake.” weekly regalia making class lasting a few weeks. Another staff member expressed pride in doing While the Indigenous partners and their short surveys after Family Well-Being activities communities clearly want the flexibility and respect and events because they helped identify potential that comes with co-development, several Family improvements and new ideas for programming. Well-Being workers noted that they would have appreciated more feedback from the Ministry along These examples illustrate how evaluations can be the way. experienced positively, especially if they are carried out in the spirit of capacity-building. Keep in Mind Keep in Mind Ongoing communication, particularly in the early It is important to use non-technical terms when stages of co-development can be very beneficial communicating the intent of an evaluation. It is also given that the government is seen as having useful to discuss ways in which evaluation can help knowledge and expertise that can be very helpful to solve problems and support planning and decision- Family Well-Being workers at the local level. making.

FOURTEEN KEY MESSAGES FOR CO-DEVELOPMENT 9 Knowledge Sharing Toolkit Ontario Family Well-Being program

Providing opportunities for the community 9. to gather is seen by many as a way to restore characteristics of life before families and Co-development involves the communities experienced residential schools and other forms of assimilation. It is also increasingly ability to learn from experience supported by research showing that individuals and and make changes along the way. families do better and are more resilient when they It needs time and continuity to feel part of a larger community. be most effective. Keep in Mind Co-development is good for capacity-building. The flexibility of the Family Well-Being program’s The word ‘innovate’ is usually used to describe the co-development process enables workers to learn effort to introduce something new, such as a new from experience and make changes along the way product or service. Yet innovation can also refer to when needed. renewal. Family Well-Being workers often expressed a commitment to bringing back family Co-development may feel like more work at the and community practices that were once beginning, but because it is based on trust-building commonplace in Indigenous communities, such as and collaboration, it gets easier as time passes and the central role played by Elders in knowledge as the process benefits from momentum. Like other keeping and education. It is important to keep in capacity-building approaches, it needs time and mind that while co-development is innovative in continuity to be most effective. many ways, it will sometimes involve a return to past ways of doing things for Indigenous 10. individuals, families, and communities. Involve Elders, youth 11. and individuals from Co-development can put other generations in the additional pressure on co-development process. Family Well-Being program

One of the most common themes raised by Family workers serving their home Well-Being workers is the desire to bring the whole communities. community together, with a particular emphasis on reconnecting groups within the community such as While co-development is intended to empower Elders and youth. The co-development process is communities, it also represents a transfer of most beneficial when it mirrors and reinforces this accountability to the local level. This can be a inclusive community-based approach. source of stress for Family Well-Being workers who are striving to help their communities respond to difficult and enoft longstanding challenges.

FOURTEEN KEY MESSAGES FOR CO-DEVELOPMENT 10 Knowledge Sharing Toolkit Ontario Family Well-Being program

There may be high expectations that a co-developed program will succeed where previous approaches 13. have not been less effective. Take account of the diversity Yet no human effort is without its setbacks and disappointments. It is important to acknowledge of views on family well-being this and to find ways to support and remind Family that exist within families, Well-Being workers of the value of their work. organizations, and communities.

There is no clear consensus about what family 12. well-being means or what is considered a family well-being activity. While this may present Activities that simply bring challenges for those involved in the co-development people together—such as a process, the experience of the Family Well-Being program demonstrates that co-development is weekly community supper—are more effective when it acknowledges the diversity occasions for ceremony, healing, of views on family well-being that exist within and community building. These families, organizations, and communities. activities also provide a way to connect people with programs and services at their own pace. 14. Co-development is Family Well-Being workers talked about the reconciliation in action. importance of an activity being regular, such as a community supper put on once a week in which As one Family Well-Being worker put it, there is a people eat together. They talked about the need sense that in implementing the Family Well-Being to offer activities without specific programming program, the Ontario government is making “an or with optional programming because it allowed honest attempt to reconcile what happened to our people to “test the waters.” grandmas, our grandpas, our people,” through residential schools and other actions taken by For example, Family Well-Being workers in governments and other institutions in Canada in several communities mentioned how a feast or a the past. A significant reason for this view is the community dinner was an opportunity to connect program’s co-development approach. community members with programs and services in health, education, housing, employment, and The Indigenous partners affirmed time and again other areas. that how a program is developed is as important as what is delivered in ensuring it can achieve its long term goals and contribute to the well-being of Indigenous individuals, families, and communities.

FOURTEEN KEY MESSAGES FOR CO-DEVELOPMENT 11 Morning Sky Consulting Inc. supported by Barnes Management Group Research, Writing and Graphic Design ~ Gyde Shepherd Contributors ~ Pamela Wheaton, Madeleine Anderson and Gaye Hanson

Knowledge Sharing toolKit 2019 Ontario Family Well-Being program Shareable quotes Posters for printing and sharing on social media

PART 3 Knowledge Sharing toolKit Ontario Family Well-Being program

The Ontario Family Well-Being program’s long-term objectives are to end violence against Indigenous women, reduce the number of Indigenous children and youth in child welfare and the youth justice systems, and improve the overall health and well-being of Indigenous communities. PART 3 Shareable Quotes Posters for printing and sharing on social media

These shareable posters present key quotes spoken by Family Well-Being workers and others involved in the co-development of the program in their communities.

The quotes were gathered during the focus groups and interviews carried out by the Evaluation Team in 2018 (see page 1). They are included in this Toolkit as print-ready PDFs so that they can be printed as posters or postcards.

They can also be downlaoded below as images suitable for posting on social media applications, such as Instagram and Facebook.

Click the image to download the Shareable Quotes in image (JPG) format.

12 “With the Family Well-Being program, we are working to help people feel better about themselves through community.”

—Family Well-Being Worker

VOICES OF THE Ontario Family Well-Being program “Communities have built the Family Well-Being program in a way that makes sense to them.”

—Mental Health and Addictions Manager

VOICES OF THE Ontario Family Well-Being program “To me, family well-being is living day-to-day with thoughts that are positive.”

—Family Well-Being Worker

VOICES OF THE Ontario Family Well-Being program “The Family Well-Being program is open to the fact that different people need help in different ways, and for different reasons.”

—Family Well-Being Worker

VOICES OF THE Ontario Family Well-Being program “The Family Well-Being program has become essential to our well- being and continued growth as a community.”

—Women’s Shelter Director

VOICES OF THE Ontario Family Well-Being program “Often we are focused on individual clients, but with the Family Well-Being program we are able to work with the family as a whole. The issues are complex and in some cases that’s the only way you can start to solve a problem.”

—Family Well-Being Worker

VOICES OF THE Ontario Family Well-Being program “When we were developing the Family Well-being program, we knew the underlying purpose was to strengthen families, reduce violence against women, and keep children out of care, that was the bottom line.

How we did it was up to us as a community.”

—Family Well-Being Worker

VOICES OF THE Ontario Family Well-Being program “It’s amazing to see and hear youth speak up for how much they want their culture.

As they learn to feel more comfortable in ceremony, you see how much they want to be helpful, how much they want to learn.”

—Family Well-Being Worker

VOICES OF THE Ontario Family Well-Being program “The Family Well-Being program has increased awareness of family violence and violence against women in our community. It has provided women with a safe place to talk and learn from each other.

To learn in a place of safety is everything.”

—Women’s Shelter Director

VOICES OF THE Ontario Family Well-Being program “A child’s well-being is ultimately about the whole family. You can’t tell me that this little child isn’t going to benefit from grandma being better.”

—Family Well-Being Worker

VOICES OF THE Ontario Family Well-Being program “The Family Well-Being program has enabled us to provide families with limited resources with an opportunity to go out on the land and reconnect.”

—Family Well-Being Worker

VOICES OF THE Ontario Family Well-Being program “What I’ve noticed is that when people are in the depths of despair, they don’t dare to dream. You ask them: “What do you hope for?” But they don’t dare to hope for anything.

But then you start finding pockets of joy here and there, like when you experience the beauty, the peace of being out on the land. You encounter a new way of being, you start to dare to hope for things.”

—Family Well-Being Worker

VOICES OF THE Ontario Family Well-Being program “When we put on a Family Well-Being workshop or other activity, people come up to us afterwards and ask, “When are you doing the next one?”

People want to participate, they need to participate.”

—Family Well-Being Worker

VOICES OF THE Ontario Family Well-Being program “One of the reasons kids get taken into care is neglect. What that often means in our world is poverty.”

—Family Well-Being Worker

VOICES OF THE Ontario Family Well-Being program “We wanted to include Elders who don’t usually go out on the land to participate in our Family Well-Being activities. We asked one Elder to be the grandmother-on-the-land and another to do ceremony.

So they came out, and they brought their families out. That’s how we got everyone involved.” —Manager of Program Development —Family Well-Being Worker

VOICES OF THE Ontario Family Well-Being program “Having the Family Well- Being program in place made us see our vision of family well-being a lot differently. We started seeing it more as bringing the community together.”

—Manager of Program Development

VOICES OF THE Ontario Family Well-Being program “The Family Well-Being program not only provided a place of safety for women, but the LGTBQ2S community as well. The program has helped everyone feel part of the community.”

—Child and Youth Worker

VOICES OF THE Ontario Family Well-Being program “The land-based activities are really where it’s at for us. We want to remove any of the barriers of fear and lack of resources for these activities. The Family Well- Being program really helps with that.”

—Family Well-Being Worker

VOICES OF THE Ontario Family Well-Being program “Sometimes it’s all those little successes that come from spending time with a family just working on their concerns that makes the biggest difference.

We can really identify a family’s unique needs and find out what we can do to help. This is where the flexibility of the Family Well- Being program is wonderful.”

—Family Well-Being Worker

VOICES OF THE Ontario Family Well-Being program “We are now connecting our youth and our seniors. We’re going back to old ceremonies that we used to do, and coming together as a community.”

—Family Well-Being Worker

VOICES OF THE Ontario Family Well-Being program “Being out on the land, it’s our safe space.”

—Family Well-Being Worker

VOICES OF THE Ontario Family Well-Being program “My seven-year-old granddaughter attended language lessons in school put on by the Family Well-Being program. She came running in after school one day talking and saying different words in our language.

I asked “What’s going on?” and she said they’d had a language lesson. I’ve never seen her so happy about school.”

—Family Well-Being Worker

VOICES OF THE Ontario Family Well-Being program “Family well-being and hope are so intertwined.”

—Family Well-Being Worker

VOICES OF THE Ontario Family Well-Being program “Every single person is a different well-being story.”

—Family Well-Being Worker

VOICES OF THE Ontario Family Well-Being program Morning Sky Consulting Inc. supported by Barnes Management Group Research, Writing and Graphic Design ~ Gyde Shepherd Contributors ~ Pamela Wheaton, Madeleine Anderson and Gaye Hanson

Knowledge Sharing toolKit 2019 Ontario Family Well-Being program Videos and transcripts voices of the Ontario Family Well-Being program

PART 4 Knowledge Sharing toolKit Ontario Family Well-Being program

4A. Overview Video: “Voices of the Family Well-Being program”

This video provides an overview of some of the key themes raised during the evaluation process. The video has been posted on Youtube. We invite you to share it through email or on social media.

Click on the image at right to view on Youtube >

4B. Thematic Video Interviews ideas and stories concerning the Family Well-Being program, including the co-development process. These short videos feature Family Well-Being Click on a titled image to view a video, or visit the workers and others who have contributed to the Youtube Playlist by clicking the following link: program in their communities. They offer insight, Family Well-Being program Video Playlist.

Click on a titled image to view the video on YouTube.

Joe Martin, Six Nations of the Grand Daphne Armstrong, Kenora Chiefs Lisa Meloche, Naotkamegwanning- River Advisory, Grand Council Treaty # 3 Whitefish Bay First Nation, Grand Council Treaty #3

VideoS: Voices of the Ontario family Well-being program 37 Knowledge Sharing Toolkit Ontario Family Well-Being program

Levina Winter, Deer Lake First Nation, Darlene Beardy, Bearskin Lake First Rod Fiddler, Nishnawbe Aski Nation Nishnawbe Aski Nation Nation, Nishnawbe Aski Nation

Cynthia Williams and Allen Doxdator, Laureen Linklater-Pizzale, Bkejwanong-Walpole Island First Anishinabek Nation Nation, Independent First Nations 38 VideoS: Voices of the Ontario family Well-being program Knowledge Sharing Toolkit Ontario Family Well-Being program

4C. Video Transcripts

This is a collection of video transcripts of all the videos created for this Toolkit (see pages 39 to 64).

VideoS: Voices of the Ontario family Well-being program 39 Knowledge Sharing Toolkit Ontario Family Well-Being program

Overview Video: “Voices of the Family Well-Being program

Introductory Text - The Ontario Family Well-Being With the Family Well-Being program, the communities program is a collaboration between the Ontario have had the opportunity to design what they’re doing Government’s Ministry of Children, Community and and how they’re supporting their families in a way that Social Services and fourteen First Nations, Inuit, Métis, makes sense to them, as opposed to trying to fit within and urban Indigenous partners across Ontario. a prescriptive box of what a service model looks like or service delivery looks like. Through an innovative process of co-development, the Indigenous partners are implementing a variety of Bonnie Couchie (Family Well-Being program Coordinator, community-based and culturally responsive programs Biigtigong Nishnaabeg, Anishinabek Nation) - What I love and services for their communities. about this program is the flexibility that we had at the very beginning to design a program that would address The Ontario Family Well-Being program’s long-term our community’s needs, right from the individual, to objectives are to end violence against Indigenous families, and then looking at the community as a whole. women, reduce the number of Indigenous children and youth in child welfare and the youth justice systems, and Laureen Linklater-Pizzale (Family Well-Being program improve the overall health and well-being of Indigenous Coordinator, Anishinabek Nation) - People are gravitating communities. towards the program because it facilitates environments where it’s safe and inviting. We’ve seen such great Daphne Armstrong (Acting Manager, Mental Health and positive outcomes in such a short period of time. Addictions/Health, Kenora Chiefs Advisory, Grand Council Qualitative data such as, “I’m able to communicate Treaty #3 - One of the things that the communities have with my children again.” or, “I’m able to connect with been faced with historically in program design and my community,” “I understand where I come from, my new initiatives—it’s always been a kind of cookie cutter identity is here.” approach.

VideoS: Voices of the Ontario family Well-being program 40 Knowledge Sharing Toolkit Ontario Family Well-Being program

Phillip Comeau (Family Well-Being program Worker We are now connecting our youth and our seniors. We’re Tungasuvvingat Inuit, Ottawa) - There’s a lot of clients going back to old ceremonies that we used to do, and that I’m currently supporting right now, they have coming together as a community. professional service providers—they’ll have a doctor, a counsellor, a therapist—but they’ll also be working with Cynthia Williams (Director, Three Fires Ezhignowenmidwaa me, and we’ll look more into culture. Women’s Shelter) Bkejwanong-Walpole Island First Nation, Independent First Nations) - We did a walk last November That’s really big within Tungasuvvingat Inuit and the to bring awareness to domestic abuse. We had over a Family Well-Being program because we’re Inuit helping hundred people, which was wonderful, and we walked a Inuit. We have lots of country country food at our couple of kilometres. events. Sometimes we’ll have a full seal come in and Tungasuvvingat Inuit will let the community know. To have that many people participate on a November That’s something that brings the community together. day, and it was actually the men who carried the banner.

Sometimes we’ll have a full seal come in and If you going to reduce family violence you have to Tungasuvvingat Inuit will let the community know. involve everybody. And that’s one of the things that the That’s something that brings the community together Family Well-Being program has been able to do—they can work with all of the different agencies and pull Jason Jamieson (Manager of Program Development, Métis everybody together. Nation of Ontario) - One outcome that Family Well- Being program has really allowed us to capitalize on is Laureen Linklater-Pizzale - I really think that in order province-wide making our hubs more vibrant and more for our families to be well they have to be connected. welcoming. And if you’re connected to the culture, you’re connected to the land, the language is very important, you’ll see That’s creating a better cultural place that’s safer and improvement in the community’s well-being. more welcoming, and just a better spot for anybody within the full spectrum of health, healing and wellness Rod Fiddler (Family Well-Being program, Project Officer to be. Nishnawbe Aski Nation) - It’s all about bringing families together, developing those bonds between parents, their Bonnie Couchie (Family Well-Being program Coordinator, children, their grandparents, all the aunts and uncles. Biigtigong Nishnaabeg Anishinabek Nation) - Our community is very very focussed on land-based activities Developing healthy relationships—I believe that’s what now. We see the power of the land and its ability to the Family Well-Being program is all about. heal trauma and to address addictions, and even family violence.

Judy Soney (Family Well-Being program Worker, Bkejwanong-Walpole Island First Nation, Independent First Nations) - One day I was leaving the building and this elderly lady came to me and put her hand on my and took my hand and held on tight And said, “Thank you, thank you. I need this.”

The minimum words were said, but I knew—she had been a residential school survivor.

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“Acceptance”

An interview with Allen Doxdator, Youth Facilitator, New Directions program Bkejwanong-Walpole Island First Nation, Independent First Nations

My name is Allen Doxdator, I’m the Youth Facilitator for To have Judy come in and help me make those the New Directions program. connections, it’s just snowballed from there.

With the residential schools, colonization, there a big We’ve got so many other community partners now that disconnect between our youth and our seniors. are coming to us to say, “Okay we’ve seen what you’ve done here, is there something that you can contribute My New Directions program and the Family Well-Being and help with this?” program, we partner together and bridge that gap and let the youth know that it’s okay to go to seniors and It’s a traditional thing that youth of the communities— have a conversation, have a healthy relationship with like from say seven and up—would be out in the them, learn from them. Likewise the youth have a lot community participating, learning their roles as people to offer to seniors, their positive energy, their ability to in the community. They were learning from uncles and have new ideas. aunties and grandparents, and other elders and seniors in the community. That’s what we’re trying to get back. We had a seniors’ Halloween get together with the youth. The youth performed a Halloween song and a Always having that participation with each other, that dance, a little skit for them. The seniors loved it. interaction with each other—that’s the most important thing. The youth that were dressed up, the seniors judged their costumes; the youth likewise judged the seniors’ Not being confined to one group because you are costumes, and we all sat down and had a meal together. one group, that’s the difference—making sure you And is was just people talking to each other, getting have acceptance and the ability to go out in the together and making those connections with each other. community and hold your head high for all your differences, and having the community accept you I just want to say thank you, thank you to Family for who you are as well. Well-Being and thank you to Judy (Soney) because she was the one who reached out to me first.

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“A Respectful Relationship”

Jason Jamieson, Manager of Program Development, Métis Nation of Ontario

I’m Jason Jamieson, I’m the Manager of Program We worked hard on our active planning because we Development at Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO). I’ve wanted to have a good plan in place; we wanted to make been involved with the Family Well-Being program since sure that there was real valuable change happening. MNO became involved with it about three years ago. We wanted to know not just how much we were serving people but the impacts as well. The opportunity came up to work with the [Ontario] Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services to Now we are asking questions like, “Is this something that co-develop our Family Well-Being program. We decided can at best be mitigated, or can we empower people to that we were going to fold the program into our existing actually resolve it?” We’re taking a far more active role in Health and Wellness Branch, which meant applying asking people about the real benefits. the same safety standards and the same client service standards. It doesn’t mean that when a problem is solved we don’t help people anymore, but we wanted to make sure we Developing and implementing our Family Well-Being were thinking a little more strategically in the best program was a valuable learning experience for our interest of everybody involved. That definitely wouldn’t team. The importance of bringing the community have happened for me in my role were it not for the time together really came back into focus when we started to we spent co-developing the Family Well-Being program. do the active planning exercises for the program. It was a valuable capacity-building experience for us. What I really like is that the Family Well-Being program allows us to build a specific bridge to whatever service We had a lot of say in how we designed and developed an individual or family needs now. We look at the unique the program, and we knew from the start that we wanted presenting challenges that individuals and families are it to support the Métis Nation of Ontario Healing and bringing forward, and really so that they can own their Wellness vision. We had a lot of access to knowledge solutions and embrace them, we focus on their specific holders both from other nations and from the Ministry. issues and build specific plans for them. Because of the flexibity we had room to learn and make changes along the way when they were needed. Interview continues on the following page.

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The flexibility has meant that it’s wide open to creating a Since we started working on the Family Well-Being more vibrant experience and ultimately one that people program, we have the opportunity to communicate will hold on to. productively and respectfully with the Ministry on an ongoing basis. If in North Bay young women want to develop their self-esteem by spending time with other young women, My earliest experiences with funding agreements is that you can create a group where they can support each it’s more like a purchase of a product. With the Family other by talking about the challenges they’re facing Well-Being program, it seems like the relationship with while creating a quilting pattern together. the Ministry has evolved to where it’s more realistic for success in the long term. The same thing can be done individually for a mother who is struggling to understand why she can’t quite get The things that you should take for granted as part of Children and Family Services to see what she’s doing and a good working relationship are all there. she’s just tired and fed up. Well then, we don’t have to talk about that today, but you’re part of our culture and part of our community, so we’re just going to be together and we’re going to have time for you.

Or if the same mother wants to take another approach and see a counselor we can help her access that help too.

It’s whatever shape the bridge needs to take for the person or the family. I think that’s really at the heart of why this program is so good for everyone—it’s just so flexible that it works for so many different people.

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“A safe and welcoming place”

An interview with Rhonda Fisher, Family Well-Being program Worker Ochiichagwe’Babigo’Ining Ojibway Nation, Grand Council Treaty #3

I’ve had three families come and stay at our Family I’m able to help with some reading material, or some Well-Being building this year because they needed journaling, or talking one-on-one. There’s a pool table a safe place to go. and a ping-pong table for the youth; there’s a little living area. The atmosphere is very comforting, very Individuals and families are more than welcome to welcoming. come when they need a place of safety to go to. It’s well maintained. It’s got everything that you possibly I’m really proud to be able to provide a safe and would need. I have medicines to smudge, I provide welcoming place for my community. healthy snacks.

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“Belonging”

An interview with Phillip Comeau, Family Well-Being program Worker Tungasuvvingat Inuit, Ottawa

My name is Phillip Comeau, I’m from Iqaluit, Nunavut. We have country feasts. Sometimes we’ll have a full I’ve been moving in and out of Ottawa for the most part seal come in and Tungasuvvingat Inuit will let the of fifteen years now. My position at Tungasuvvingat Inuit community know. They’ll be two or three seals and every is the Family Well-Being Worker. one has a job cutting up those seals. That’s something that brings the community together. When people are Family Well-Being serves everyone. Basically I could there we also suggest, “Hey we have our music night on work with a baby who needs help going to the doctor, or Thursday night, you should come check it out. Or youth I can work with a seventy-year-old Elder who is moving night is on Wednesday nights.” That’s our way of getting down for the first time and needs help navigating the clients involved with the community. city. Inuit when we come down from the North we’re taken away from our culture, from our traditions, from Some families are stuck in poverty, some families are our language, and we can feel very excluded. stuck with mental health issues or addictions, and they do come to us, and we do help them as much as we can. There’s a lot of clients that I’m currently supporting right So we’re also breaking some cycles of violence and now, they have professional service providers—they’ll inter-generational trauma. And I think that’s something have a doctor, a counsellor, a therapist—but they’ll also that’s very important. be working with me, and we’ll look more into culture. That’s really big within Tungasuvvingat Inuit and the With the Family Well-Being program we’re able to open Family well-Being program because we’re Inuit helping our doors to more people. I think that it’s important that Inuit. Cultural support is huge in the community we continue these programs for the community so we because you feel like you’re back home, you feel like you can continue to grow and continue to heal. have a sense of belonging.

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“Building Community”

An interview with Judy Soney, Family Well-Being program Worker Bkejwanong-Walpole Island First Nation, Independent First Nations

I’m Judy Soney from Walpole Island-Bkejwanong We had the youth from the Bkejwanong Youth Centre Territory. I work with the family Well-Being program. come in as elves and Santa and deliver the gifts to each of the seniors, and they also sang and entertained. We had our first annual Pride Barbecue this year. It was very well attended by families, their allies, by people We hand out evaluations at the end of each session and who identify. we ask, “What do you think? What groups did you like?” and “What did you like best about today?’” We combine In our youth groups we talk about healthy relationships. it into a little summary and we decide on what groups It’s important for them to know: What is violence? What are going to work best. When we put in for thirty people is abuse? We continue to do personal safety talks for to attend, we have to accommodate usually for ten more. women. Ending violence against Indigenous women is really our focus and those are some of the things that One day I was leaving the building and this elderly lady will help us. came to me and put her hand on my and took my hand and held on tight And said, “Thank you, thank you. I Anti Human Trafficking Awareness was a great group. need this.” The facilitator was a survivor and she had an amazing story. There were a lot of tears because people really The minimum words were said, but I knew—she had understand the trauma that she went through. been a residential school survivor.

For our Seniors’ Christmas Dinner we filled the arena. We are now connecting our youth and our seniors. We individually had them do “Dear Santa” letters. We’re going back to old ceremonies that we used to do, and coming together as a community.

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“Confidence”

An interview with Joe Martin, Family Well-Being program Worker Six Nations of the Grand River

[Mohawk Introduction] So through six weeks we taught families traditional songs and dances, and you can see throughout the weeks Hello everyone, my name is Joe Martin. I’m from the that their confidence slowly starts to build. Six Nations of the Grand River Territory. I’m from the Mohawk Nation Bear Clan and I work here at the Six With our traditional songs and dances we’re always Nations Child and Family Services. I’m the Family giving thanks, so with a lot of the dances they’re Outreach Worker, funded by the Family Well-Being learning, like the Old Mocassin Dance, they’re learning program. about the origin of the dance, how our people got it— giving thanks for that and then learning the actual steps. We’ve been trying to empower the families, empower the community, by offering regalia making classes. So When I’m in community at the social gatherings and we teach parent and child how to make their traditional I see the families that learned the dance steps in the regalia. We provide the teaching and we provide the dance program utilize the skills they learned and put it material. into practice in ceremony—it’s unbelievable.

So that was 100% brought to you by the Family Well- It’s really connecting our families that have identity Being program. loss—they’ve lost their identify though residential schools and all the other policies that tried to Some of the other things we’re doing within our Family assimilate our people. Well-Being program is our dance program. They’re slowly building their confidence, slowly building Me and my coworkers notice that at our traditional their bundle, their knowledge; learning the skills that socials, our traditional gatherings, a lot of the time you’d our grandparents had before residential school. It links just have the same ten dancers always dancing, because us to our ancestors, it links us to our grandparents. there was a lack of confidence, and lack of knowledge on the traditional steps and the traditional songs.

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“Creating Safe Spaces”

An interview with Daphne Armstrong, Manager, Mental Health and Addictions/Health Kenora Chiefs Advisory, Grand Council Treaty #3

One of the things that the communities have been faced Within Wauzhusk Onigum-Rat Portage they’ve done with historically in program design and new initiatives— tremendous work in supporting family events and it’s always been a kind of cookie cutter approach. family activities. Just one example, they have a weekly “Supper Club” where they’re bringing together families With the Family Well-Being program, the communities in a healthy neutral environment where they can have had the opportunity to design what they’re doing sit together and share a meal with the rest of their and how they’re supporting their families in a way that community members. makes sense to them, as opposed to trying to fit within a prescriptive box of what a service model looks like or Safe spaces: within our communities, you’ve really seen what service delivery looks like. them take a community-based approach to what the need actually is. One community has a youth centre that There’s communities that are looking at doing a drop they’ve opened up and that’s the safe space, that’s where in centre kind of model. There’s communities that have people are coming together. Some communities have taken a family approach in offering a lot of activities and taken an approach where they’ve opened up safe beds events where families can be doing things together. One and safe spaces to accommodate families in crisis or initiative in Naotkamegwanning-Whitefish Bay, they’ve individuals that are in crisis, where they can have some been able to continue the work and vision of the Elders respite from whatever situation they’re in. in the community; I think it’s been fifteen years in the making now—the Black River Camp. Having Family Well-Being programs and Family Well- Being workers in the communities has brought life to The Black River Camp was initiated from responding to a lot of other projects and a lot of other programs and a suicide crisis in theie community. The Elders decided services. that the way forward and the future for healing for the young people in the community was to reconnect with And I think we really need those extra resources. our language, our teachings, and our cultural values.

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“Cultural Camp”

An interview with Lisa Meloche, Family Well-Being program Worker Naotkamegwanning-Whitefish Bay First Nation, Grand Council Treaty #3

[Ojibwe Introduction] So it’s a place to relax and enjoy each other and our Elders. If families want to come and stay the night, we My name is Lisa Meloche, I’m from Naotkamegwanning- have cabins so there’s lots of room for them. We provide Whitefish Bay First Nation. the food and we provide the transportation. You can’t come here by road, you have to get boats. We’re at the Black River Cultural Camp here on our Naotkamegwanning First Nation land. We’ve got a We used to use house boats, but I feel that it takes away few activities going on this week in regards to culture, from the camping thing. We want to rough it. It’s a really traditions, and some fun stuff for the kids to do. sacred place here too, we don’t allow drugs or alcohol. If the families ever want to use it on their own, everyone’s This camp has been going on I’d say for at least fifteen allowed to use it. to twenty years. With the Family Well-Being program in place, it gives us a place where we can bring families, I’d say family well-being is about families connecting where they can come and relax with no interference together. with the internet or gaming.

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“Happy families, a healthy community”

An interview with Darlene Beardy, Family Well-Being program Coordinator Bearskin Lake First Nation, Nishnawbe Aski Nation

My name is Darlene Beardy, I’m from Bearskin Lake The Family Well-Being program provides all the stuff we First Nation and I’m a Family Well-Being Coordinator. need like food and equipment. So far I’m in my second year with the Family Well-Being program. Going out on the land connects us to our culture and our traditions. I find this program important for my community because it allows me to work with the youth, the The Family Well-Being program is important, we need Elders, and everyone else. It’s nice to provide them with it to be ongoing so we can learn from building the activities they can do and enjoy; and also, giving them program and to continue what we see as our vision. the opportunity to go out on the land. We want happy families, we want a healthy community. We usually go camping with the youth, and we invite and Elder and parents. We don’t turn anybody away.

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“Getting the family together”

An interview with Levina Winter, Family Well-Being program Worker Deer Lake First Nation, Nishnawbe Aski Nation

My name is Levina Winter, I’m from Deer Lake. It’s a It’s important to get the family together. remote reserve, you have to fly in to get there. And there’s also a lot of young families. We need to teach Right now I’m doing sewing and I tell them that it’s for the young families the skills that they need for their everybody. I want to teach people how to sew, what I family. learned from my mum. It’s important to teach them those things. I want them to make something for them to wear, like slippers, or mitts, gloves, hats.

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“Identity” “Healthy Relationships”

An interview with Rod Fiddler, Family Well-Being program Project Officer Nishnawbe Aski Nation

What makes the Family Well-Being program unique is I think that’s where our Elders come in, to really help the fact that individual communities are able to design our people learn and relearn those relationship skills. the program for themselves. Elders are our knowledge keepers, they have a lot of After having many community engagement sessions, it experience; they have a lot of knowledge and wisdom, was decided by the communities that they would like to and it just makes so much sense to have Elders involved. open it up to everybody. It’s all about bringing families together, developing Communities have the opportunity to work with those bonds between parents, their children, their individual people, but for the most part they would grandparents, all the aunts and uncles. Developing like to have families coming together; they would healthy relationships—I believe that’s what the Family like to have more family oriented activities involving Well-Being program is all about. community members—just bringing everybody together.

For many families, they don’t really know what a healthy relationship looks like because of the generations of people who have gone through residential schools and other forms of assimilation.

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“Identity”

An interview with Howard Copenace, Anishinaabe Elder and Teacher Naotkamegwanning-Whitefish Bay First Nation, Grand Council Treaty #3

[Ojibwe Introduction] And I believe that through these teachings, and through the history, and through the creation stories of where Good afternoon everyone. I just introduced myself the Anishinaabe came from, this is where the young through my traditional name, my clan, and also the people will learn about balance—balance in life, balance ceremonies that I’ve gone through. I was asked to come of creation. and sit with the young people here in regards to the Family Well-Being program. That’s why it’s so important that we bring them outdoors, so they can understand the land, they can I guess one of the things I would say personally is that understand what is out there, the animals, and all coming from an Anishinaabe point of view, Anishinaabe of creation. I believe that for the young Anishinaabe perspective, is that family well-being is about identity, is people, young youth and children, they’re trying to put about who they are as Anishinaabe people. themselves in a place where they feel they belong.

And what I did today here this afternoon when I sat Family well-being is understanding who you are as a down with the young people and also the Elders, I spoke Anishinaabe, to follow that circle of life. And what you about the creation story. The creation story always talks learn and what you see and what you experience you about that well-being of life that was given to the people, leave behind. We need to pass on the good teachings to that was gifted to the people. these young people.

Miigwech.

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“Looking out for each other”

An interview with Reepa Evic-Carleton (Counsellor), Janice Messam (Family Well-Being program Manager) and Karen Baker-Anderson (Executive Director), Ottawa Inuit Children’s Centre

The Ottawa Inuit Children’s Centre’s Inunnguiniq One of the benefits is that parents start supporting Parenting Program is supported in part by the Ontario parents; they become each other’s support. I think that’s Family Well-Being program. really important, that you build peoples’ capacity to connect with each other. Reepa Evic-Carleton - Innunguinniq in Inuktitut is the name of this parenting program. It actually is translated Janice Messam - The secondary aspect of that is that if as “making capable human beings”. We all eat together things are coming up in circles, we have other resources for supper, somebody from the team will do the cooking, and supports that they can then, during the day, be and then we all eat together before you go into your tapping into. programming. The kids are playing together and doing an activity together while the parents are getting what Reepa Evic-Carleton - With the Innunguinniq parenting they’re here for. program, one of the objectives is for parents to heal from colonization. So when we talk about Inuit history Janice Messam - In the North you’d be in a community in a therapeutic way, people can begin to understand whereas here you’re a big city. Finding those you can where we were, why things happened, and how we can trust and who understand where you come from, that move forward with it. has been integral to many of our parents. They’ve said I finally feel part of a community. It really brings a lot of a sense of pride in who you are, and how your people live thousands of years ago, and Karen Baker-Anderson - I think just knowing that you that was the way of life. Everything was centred around can just go somewhere and have a break from your kids family and looking out for each other, caring for each for three hours with child care and you know your child other. That’s how they lived. is getting taken care is so helpful for parents.

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“Momentum”

An interview with Bonnie Couchie, Family Well-Being program Coordinator, Biigtigong Nishnaabeg, Anishinabek Nation

I’m Bonnie Couchie, I’m from Biigtigong Nishnaabeg What I love about this program is the flexibility that and I’m their Family Well-Being Coordinator. I was we had at the very beginning to design a program involved right at the beginning stages of proposal that would benefit our community and address our writing. community’s needs, right from the individual, to families, and then looking at the community as a whole. Momentum is so important when you’re trying to get anywhere. I’m a canoe instructor, and I really see it there Our community is very focussed on land-based activities when I’m on the water—the importance of momentum. now. We see the power of the land and its ability to The same applies to this program. It took forever to heal trauma and to address addictions, and even family build the momentum that we are just now starting to violence. experience. This is a really unique opportunity to design a land- Finally, we are starting to have the required momentum based program that can increase access to the greatest to do you what this program was intended to do. teacher and healer out there—and that’s the land.

To start with a design of something that’s intended to address long-standing issues in the community—of trauma due to the effects of colonization, residential schools, addictions, family violence—all of these challenges have been in our communities for a really long time. And so they take time to address.

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“New Partnerships”

An interview with Kerri Shipman, Child and Youth Worker, The “Way Out” Counselling Services Bkejwanong-Walpole Island First Nation, Independent First Nations

My name is Kerri Shipman. I’m a child and youth worker They really appreciated coming to our community for The “Way Out” Counselling Services. Through that and showing their support, not only for a First Nations work I’m also involved in different committees here on community, but for LGBTQ2S individuals as well. Walpole Island. I think the significance of that was that First Nations The committee I was doing work for was the National have always recognized two-spirited individuals Aboriginal Youth Suicide Prevention Strategy. We were (signified by 2S) and that they have special gifts, and that wanting to do LGBTQ work in the community because historically those gifts were always held in regard. we found that there was a rising need. Through those different events, what I’ve seen through We heard that the Family Well-Being program was my work is more collaborations. We had a speaker looking for partners and support to try and get this work come from Rebound in Sarnia. Since then Rebound off the ground. So that’s where our partnership began. and Chatham-Kent Community Health Centres are collaborating together to bring an LGBTQ2S inclusion Our first collaboration was, we wanted to do an group to our youth on Walpole, which wasn’t there awareness day for service providers. We had a bunch of before. different meetings with social services, with health, with the Canadian Mental Health Association, and we started So these people from these different agencies were able planning this awareness day for our service providers. to connect and find some common interests and work together, and our community is benefitting from it. We had community partners from Sarnia and Wallaceburg, Chatham-Kent that came and shared their resources at information booths.

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“Ribbon Shirt”

An interview with Susan Smith, Instructor, Bkejwanong-Walpole Island First Nation Independent First Nations

My name is Susan Smith, I’ve worked for the Three People do have their own colours but at that time I don’t Fires Women’s Shelter and Independent First Nations believe she knew her colours, so she picked some. For on Walpole Island. They’ve hired me as an instructor example, they could be colours of things that her father for their culture camp and day programs. liked when he was alive.

The Family Well-Being program asked me to do a It gave her closure to be able to make this shirt for her presentation about ribbon shirts and to have each father. To make that connection in the heart to who participant make one. We had three different levels he was—to who she is—to say goodbye, and then to get from 6 year-olds up to 18 year-olds, and one for that family connection back with family here in this women to make ribbon shirts for family. community.

A young woman that came from one of our off reserve To be able to have this young lady come back and make families was overseas doing service. She had to her father a ribbon shirt was uplifting. come back home for her father’s death. She had the opportunity to make her father a ribbon shirt that they put on him in preparation for the burial.

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“Small Things”

An interview with Stephanie McInnis, Family Well-Being program Worker Chippewas of Rama First Nation, Mnjikaning, Anishinabek Nation

Family Well-Being is such an amazing program that For example, kids and youth starting to come out to supports so much life and so much goodness coming sweat lodge ceremony, even just wanting to come and back to the community. help, or young men coming to sit by the fire with the fire keeper. Aunties bringing their nieces out, or moms coming out with the kids, or mom and dad coming out with the kids; They’re small things, but really beautiful things. doing things in their family units as their family units look to them. And I really try to let people know that this happened, and so that people can say, “Oh, maybe me and my Just providing opportunities for families to be together family can do that one time.” in safe spaces where they know they’re welcome, they’re accepted, and we’re just all there together as family, as Family Well-Being is a program for the whole community, just learning and sharing together. community to benefit from.

It’s amazing to see and hear youth speak up for how much they want their culture. As they learn to feel more comfortable in ceremony, you see how much they want to be helpful, how much they want to learn.

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“Supper Club”

An interview with Jason Williamson, Family Well-Being program Worker Wauzhusk Onigum First Nation-Rat Portage, Grand Council Treaty #3

[Ojibwe Introduction] It’s basically just a big feast that we’re doing. I do the opening. I’m a drum carrier myself. I’m very traditional My English name is Jason Williamson. I’m the Family and I follow my traditional culture. Well-Being Worker for Wauzhusk Onigum First Nation-Rat Portage. I worked with the youth in the schools system for ten years. I was an Education Assistant so I worked with all One event I do weekly is called the “Supper Club”. It’s the community youth. I was also their Family Violence our highest attended event that we have and it goes on Coordinator for two years. every Wednesday. Families come, sit down, have a meal. I hire someone from the community and they cook the When I announce what’s going on it’s always well food. Families sit down together and share a meal. attended by youth. They all know me and they all trust me; they feel safe. I’m a big guy, but I’m a gentle guy. We have newborns up to Elders. Actually Elders look forward to this because it’s the one time in the week We work side by side with the other programs, we have a they can get out of their house and mingle, chit chat good working relationship with one another. with the other Elders or younger generations, or see their grandchildren. After this Family Well-Being Supper Club, all those ties have been renewed again. It just brought the community After we’re done eating everyone just sits around together. and chit chats with one another and renews their friendships, make new friendships. It’s open up to anyone. The community of Kenora is close by, we ask people if they want to show up. We usually get about 70 to 90 people.

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“This is what well-being is all about”

An interview with Reepa Evic-Carleton (Counsellor) and James Mutyaba (Program Facilitator) Ottawa Inuit Children’s Centre

Reepa Evic-Carleton - Inuit are very much land people. And each one of these people experienced something We love the land and being out on the land is very so unique. healing. There was a mum who had her child in care. And the So with the Family Well-Being program, we have family two of them just being there surrounded by just ice camps that happen four times a year where we take and looking at each other. And the mum reached out parents and children outside Ottawa and we spend three and she was just like, “This is it.” days with them. We have cultural workshops and the kids are being looked after while the parents are, let’s That actually made a very big difference. say, learning to light the qulliq, which is the traditional oil lamp. Reepa Evic-Carleton - It’s so wonderful to see everybody in this happy state of mind. And when I see that I always James Mutyaba - I remember when we first did our say, “This is what family well-being is all about.” camps, we went to Gracefield, Quebec. I think there were fourty-five of us that went.

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“Trust”

An interview with Harmony Blackbird, Family Well-Being program Worker Bkejwanong-Walpole Island First Nation, Independent First Nations

[Ojibwe introduction] So the fact that this program brings together not only families but also survivors who are willing to share that My name is Harmony Blackbird and I’m from the with our youth for instance, in some of our groups. And Bkejwanong Territory and this is my daughter Nova. that actually creates that relationships between them and allows there to be a trust. I was involved in the development of the Family Well-Being program for the Bkejwanong community. And I think that it’s the trust and a loving connection that we actually lost. We actually wanted to design it a little different to incorporate all age groups. The main focus was to bring The Family Well-Being program helps to rebuild that family together. And in order to do that you have to have love and trust with each other. And I think this is what everybody feel confident not only themselves but also, that program helps to create. so that they can bring that to their families.

My grandparents never spoke the language in front of me; my grandfather never talked about his residential school experience. So I never got that chance with him.

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“Walking Together”

An interview with Cynthia Williams (Director, Three Fires Ezhignowenmidwaa Women’s Shelter) and Allen Doxdator (Youth Facilitator, New Directions program), Bkejwanong-Walpole Island First Nation, Independent First Nations

Cynthia Williams - The Family Well-Being program has Alan Doxdator - Having the men starting to come out, become very important to this community. and starting to realize that it’s okay to come out and support our women in these events: the men coming One of their main roles has been to bring awareness to out is actually strengthening that community bond and the need to reduce family violence. making people feel safer to come out when things aren’t quite right for everybody. We did a walk last November to bring awareness to domestic abuse. We had over a hundred people, which It also shows our young men coming up that we can was wonderful, and we walked a couple of kilometres. stand with our women, and it’s teaching our youth that To have that many people participate on a November it’s okay to be a good man, a good father, a good uncle. day, and it was the men who carried the banner. Fifty That’s what we want for our men—to develop nice, percent of the community members who came were strong, balanced men. men. Cynthia Williams - If you are going to reduce family I had people approaching me in the community, in the violence, you have to involve everybody. And that’s one grocery store, and they’d come up to me and tell me our of the things that the Family Well-Being program has walk was a really a good idea. They told me they really been able to do; they can work with all of the different enjoyed it and they even sat through the information agencies and pull everybody together. sessions. So I think that’s great.

VideoS: Voices of the Ontario family Well-being program 63 Knowledge Sharing Toolkit Ontario Family Well-Being program

“We All Belong”

An interview with Laureen Linklater-Pizzale, Family Well-Being program Coordinator, Anishinabek Nation

It doesn’t matter if you’re struggling with addictions, it One of the communities had disclosed that they didn’t doesn’t matter if you’re struggling with your child being see any reports from their community about domestic apprehended by child welfare, we all belong. violence. They didn’t think they needed to work on anything. You’re my sister, you’re my brother, you’re my auntie, my uncle, my grandmother—we all have struggles in our When it came to doing more awareness because of this life, and it’s for us to provide that opportunity for growth program—by education and some workshops and some and learning in a very non-judgemental environment. sessions about the root causes of violence in families, the impact of colonialism—it actually generated some People are gravitating towards the program because it more reports. Now their community members are more facilitates environments where it’s safe and inviting. empowered to reach out and talk to people and report when it does happen. We’ve seen such great positive outcomes in such a short period of time. Qualitative data such as, “I’m able to I really think in order for our families to be well, they communicate with my children again,” or “I’m able to have to be connected. And if you’re connected to the connect with my community, I understand where I come culture, you’re connected to the land, the language is from, my identity is here.” very important, then you’ll see improvement in the community’s well-being.

VideoS: Voices of the Ontario family Well-being program 64 Morning Sky Consulting Inc. supported by Barnes Management Group Research, Writing and Graphic Design ~ Gyde Shepherd Contributors ~ Pamela Wheaton, Madeleine Anderson and Gaye Hanson

Knowledge Sharing toolKit 2019 Ontario Family Well-Being program