INNOVATIONS IN COMMUNITY HEALTH AND WELLNESS Project Jewel

Helping Aboriginal people re-discover their value

Sarah Rogers & Faith Raymond Photo credit: RegionalPhoto credit: Corporation Youth setting up camp at trapper training program, February 2017.

roject Jewel is an on-the-land wellness program ness was needed to accommodate the unique needs that builds in after-care support for its par- of our people. ticipants.P It strives to provide services that are cli- The first on-the-land program organized by ent-driven, culturally sensitive, and relevant. With Project Jewel was held in September 2015. An the assistance of Elders, external and internal facili- all-women’s wellness retreat was run at tators, and clinical support, Project Jewel works with Station (a traditional camp that is an one-hour boat individuals to manage stress, grief, trauma, or any ride northwest of ). The comfort of being on emotions they are experiencing. the land and not far from home, paired with wellness Four years ago, Project Jewel started as a pro- counselling, was a great tool to promote healthier gram funded by Inuvialuit Regional Corporation lifestyles among the participants. (IRC) with the intent to provide opportunities for The popularity of the program helped spread beneficiaries who may not have the resources on word of on-the-land wellness and soon the Govern- their own to receive addictions treatment. There ment of the (GNWT) funded were some participants who benefited, but a com- more retreats at Reindeer Station to further explore mon issue was the treatment was uncomfortably far the benefits and barriers that come with on-the-land from home, culturally irrelevant, and pricy. An inno- programming. These trips included programs di- vative approach to addressing addictions and well- rected towards couples, men, Elders, and youth. The Northern Public Affairs, July 2017 41 Photo credit: Inuvialuit RegionalPhoto credit: Corporation “F-Word” Family camp youth participant getting ready to cut up fish after the daily catch, Reindeer Station, August 2016. Photo credit: Inuvialuit RegionalPhoto credit: Corporation Family whaling camp at Baby Island, July 2015. combination of clinical practices geared towards traditions. For the future, Project Jewel aspires to healing and wellness, paired with education and the incorporate the use of traditional language in their practice of traditional lifestyles proved very successful. programming, as well. An Elder Support Worker is always present during the program. This community knowledge An Elder’s Perspective keeper plays a key role in the process of healing. My name is Sarah Rogers, an Elder Support Worker They can provide insight from their individual ex- in Inuvik, Northwest Territories. Through my young periences, what they’ve witnessed, and the traditions life, I have gone through a lot of trauma from res- they were raised with. idential school and personal life. At the age of 50, Currently, Project Jewel is aiming to host five after raising 10 children with my husband, our last wellness retreats a year, all over the Beaufort Del- child was going to school all day. The hard times ta, with a broad spectrum of themes involved. For for me started in the quiet, and being alone brought example, in 2016 there was a forgiveness workshop along flashbacks and bad feelings. I thought I was facilitated by Full Circle Facilitation and Consulting, going crazy. I was sent to a trauma recovery pro- which took place in mid-summer and was geared gram, with medical doctors and counsellors to help towards families. The week-long retreat included me through my journey of healing. At the end of presentations from trauma survivors, structured dis- the program I felt like a young 50-year-old Inuvialuk cussions on healthy routines, bonding exercises, and Elder, instead of a scared, unhealthy child with no other activities that utilized forgiveness as a tool to self-confidence. promote wellness within a family. Most of my healing took place in a beautiful To balance the heavy subject matter, the down- home – our bush camp. It always felt friendly and safe, time activities were culturally relevant and easy-go- and always had yummy smelling native food. A place ing. Examples included berry picking, exploring the where the father and mother worked together and delta by boat, and harvesting and preparing fish. the children had space to roam the land. We worked This provided opportunities for the family to debrief hard to harvest our meals for each season of the year, and bond while feeling connected to the land and and not worry about going on welfare to pay our rent. Northern Public Affairs, July 2017 43 Photo credit: Inuvialuit RegionalPhoto credit: Corporation “F-Word” family camp participants, Reindeer Station, August 2016.

Nowadays, I work as an Elder support worker for can be vastly different from those in the South due to wellness programs that are held out on the land. On- isolation, connection gaps, lack of stimulation, and the-land programs are very helpful for all of us on resources. From personal experience, I can say that our healing journey, as it seems like we are free to wellness in Northern youth is most effective when tell our stories and emotions with confidence that paired with on-the-land programming. The familiar we will get the help we need. I, as an Elder support setting paired with the support of Elders and clin- worker, can find positive ways to promote living a ical counsellors made my experience much more healthier lifestyle and can share my personal coping valuable and memorable. As an Inuvialuit who has skills in a way that comes from my heart. been affected by intergenerational residential school trauma, I consider it a top priority that wellness A Youth’s Perspective programs are held in a traditional setting to instil My name is Faith Raymond. I am 18 years old and healthy healing and a greater sense of cultural iden- I have been working with my community towards tity. ◉ improving our wellness system for a few years now. I work at the Inuvik Youth Centre and have partic- Sarah Rogers is an Inuvialuit Elder and life time resident of ipated in dialogues and conferences as a youth rep- the Mackenzie-Delta. Sarah has supported the Project Jew- resentative, voicing my concerns as a youth when it el On-the-Land Wellness program as an Elder support for comes to Indigenous wellness. I have also had the the past two years. Her professional and personal life expe- privilege to attend a Project Jewel wellness workshop riences are complemented by her vast traditional knowledge in 2016 as a photographer and journalist on behalf skills. Faith Raymond is an Inuvialuit youth with a wealth of IRC. of knowledge, understanding and patience. Her unique per- Through my experience working with youth, sonality is complemented with “old soul” traits that allow her I have witnessed the unique challenges Northern to easily connect with diverse groups. Faith has been a lively youth face as they age. Obstacles that arise in ado- voice for Inuvialuit youth. lescence in Northern communities, in my opinion,

44 Northern Public Affairs, July 2017