Recreation Therapy in the Yukon: Larger than Life G illian Kirk, BSC REC, CTRS SESSION OBJECTIVES Identify 3 barriers and challenges to leisure in the Yukon/Northern settings. Identify 2 strategies to successfully work in a new cultural context. Identify 3 strategies being used to advance Recreation Therapy in the Yukon. www.yourwebsite.com WHAT IS CULTURE? Culture can be conceptualized as part of an individual’s unique identity, comprising ideological, personal, cultural, contextual, and universal factors. (Collins & Arthur, 2010a) CULTURAL COMPETENCE FRAMEWORK Develop knowledge, attitudes, and skills across 3 domains: (a)cultural self-awareness (b)awareness of the cultural identities of clients or understanding the worldview of clients (c) culturally sensitive working alliances (Collins & Arthur, 2010a) GETTING TO KNOW THE YUKON THE EXPANSE OF THE YUKON In the Yukon: Area: 483,450 km² (that’s about the size of Spain) Population: 38,630 In the city of Whitehorse: Area: 416.54km2 Population: 29,962 In the city of Dawson: Area: 32.45 km² Population: 2,220 (Yukon Bureau of Statistics, 2017) Beaufort Sea Herschel Island r e i v R Traditional Territories h Inuvialuit t i r F Settlement r e v i Region R of Yukon First Nations w o l DIVERSITY B and Settlement Areas ! µ Inuvik of Inuvialuit and Tetlit Gwich'in YUKON TERRITORY August 2013 Old Crow r ! p i n e e r c u P o v i STATISTICS R Tetlit Gwich'in B e l l Secondary Use 0 50 100 200 km ! Vuntut Fort McPherson R i v e Gwitchin r Administrative centres of First Nations are depicted in the colour of their Traditional Territory. All other communities are in grey. IN THE YUKON Arctic Circle Tetlit Tetlit Gwich'in Primary Use Gwich'in R E V I R P E E L B S n o H a W n i e R i v a n k v e r i i l r g e O n e t t d P R l i R u v i m e v R e r e i ALASKA r v y e 1 out of 4 Yukoners are of a r R w h i g v i e r Tr'ondëk H Hwëch'in NORTHWEST Nacho TERRITORIES Indigineous ancestry Y U K O Wor N the ld r Nyak of H e p ig t To hw s ay p m e D Dun ! r v e Dawson n d i k e R i K l o K lo nd ike Elsa ! ! Keno City Mayo Lake t ! a r R w i e Mayo v t e r There are 14 First Nations and 8 S Silver Trail ! Stewart Crossing r e Highway v i R R I V E R a n e r l R i v language groups i l m Pelly M a c ! e t i Pelly Crossing R i v e r h Selkirk W ! Beaver Creek White Little Salmon/ d a Faro o ! R River Carmacks! Ro be Kaska Carmacks rt 11.3% of the Yukon’s population Alaska ! Ross River Dena Ca mpbell Ta'an ! d a Canol Burwash Landing Frances o are foreign-born (United Kingdom, ! R Aishihik Kwäch'än Lake Destruction Bay Lake e T H g e i n g H Kluane Lake s h a l w R C Champagne i y Lake Laberge n a o Hig y l h i a w a Kluane a n y n n l Quiet a h d & Aishihik Kwanlin Lake Na L a T B a k h e r Philippines, and United States) i n i i v i ! R Teslin c Haines Junction Dun h L e ! I A R B e a v e H i r a WHITEHORSE R v in D e R e Tlingit R i Wolf v R s R r e r i Lake i i v v R v e R e e I r o Marsh a r V r a sk E d la Lake A R Kusawa Carcross y ! Teslin a Lake ! w Watson Lake Teslin gh Hi ! (Yukon Bureau of Statistics, 2017) Carcross/Tagish Lake Gulf of Alaska BRITISH COLUMBIA Department of Environment Map ID: ENV.020.01 ©2013 Environment Yukon Currently, there are 5 Recreation Therapists working between 5 WHERE TO FIND Care Homes and Community Day RECREATION Program for the Yukon Government within THERAPISTS IN Continuing Care. THE YUKON? NorthernNorthern Living Living CULTURAL CONSIDERATIONS Diversity Residential School NORTHERN LIVING • Temperature and hours of daylight; cold temperatures (below –25°C) affect bus outings/ programming, limited daylight (5 hours in winter) can affect mood and behaviour • Family living far away (ex. fly in only communities); with only a five LTC facilities in the Yukon, residents often come from all over the territory, leaving behind their land, foods, and lifestyle • Isolated living; many residents have lived in the Yukon with limited resources (no running water) and in the outdoors have to adjust to life in LTC DIVERSITY • Very diverse populations; many residents come from other countries, provinces, and territories, etc • Religion/spiritual practices • Cultural/traditional practices; such as food, medicine, sweat lodge, pot latch, smudging, etc • Communication and language; eye contact, limit questions, allow for silences/pauses, variety of bands/dialects, and education • Assessment challenges IMPACT OF RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS • Strained relationship between parents and children • Separated people from their culture and surroundings • Survivors may move into a Long-Term Care setting (institutional way of living) and may experience unwelcome memories of going to Residential school • Family engagement • Children of residents struggle with how to support their parents • Program participation depends on person’s past experience especially if certain leisure pursuits are associated with distressful memories • Development of survival behaviours; hoarding, anxiety around food, protection of personal space • Difficulty trusting and opening up to people ROLE OF THE FIRST NATIONS LIAISON WORKER • Provide emotional, spiritual, social support and help with communication Between the resident, their family and staff • Advocate on Behalf of First Nation residents/family and ensure that they know/understand their riGhts Far far away, behind the word and responsiBilities within the continuinG care mountains, far from the countries Vokalia and system Consonantia, there live the • ArranGe culturally appropriate events blind texts. Separated they live in Bookmarksgrove right • Develop, plan and deliver educational seminars, at the coast of the Semantics, workshops and in-service traininG on relevant topics a large language ocean. for care teams • CollaBorate with Recreation Therapists on 1:1 interventions, Group proGrams, and education CULTURAL PROGRAMMING: • Kwanlin Dun Revival: First Nations music group • Tea and Bannock: A program that brings residents together to socialize, tell stories and share First Nations traditional food • Armchair Travel: A travel program focusing on places that residents are from • Fire pit: Used for outdoor programs and for residents to relive past experiences • Francophone Association: An opportunity to connect with the French community, through song, food and language • Transportation Museum: Interviewed residents and shared their stories with the community • McBride Museum: Hosted a story telling event and wanted to share Resident stories at the museum • Canoeing PROGRAMMING CONTINUED • Life Stories: An appreciation and celebration of resident lives • Storytelling: An opportunity for residents to share their life experiences with co- residents, staff and volunteers • Yukon History Month: Added Yukon history content to our regular programs, such as Bookworms and created an inhouse museum • CAIRS Committee on Abuse in Residential School Society • Outings to campgrounds and scenic drives • Smudging ceremonies and Talking circles • Adaka Festival • National Indigenous Day • Carving and drum making PROGRAMMING CONTINUED • Sensory Programs – furs and trapping guide • Department of Environment Presentations • Wildlife Preserve • Bird Observatories • Music and Visual Artists • Traditional Dancers • Intergenerational programs • Berry Picking • Virtual Reality • Adapted sewing • Stacking wood MOVING THE PROFESSION FORWARD • Certification with NCTRC is a requirement of employment • Follow standardized procedures with referrals amonGst therapist team-PIC system • Visible in community • Public displays • Educational emails • Leadership within ContinuinG Care • Assessment WHAT CAN YOU DO? • Examine your own biases/stereotypes/knowledge • Learn about the community • Examine your language/communication • Consider interactions with families • Learn about individuals and individual differences • Collaborate with community RECREATION THERAPY ASSESSMENT Leisure Inventory P= past C=current I=Interested P C I P C I Creative (paint, woodwork, Physical Activity (walking, exerCise, sports, biking, jewelry, sewing, musiCal swimming, dogsledding, snowshoeing, Canoeing) instrument, beading) Entertainment (musiC, Social/Community (restaurants, sightseeing, Community television, sports, ConCerts, organizations, Clubs, volunteering, events) theatre) Games (cards, board, puzzles, Spiritual/Religious Activities computer, word) Home Activities (Cooking, Technology (email, internet, skype, handheld games, smart fixing things, organizing, phone) cleaning, baking, canning) Outdoor/Nature (gardening, Well-being (reading, family, friends, pets, taking Classes, sitting outside, hunting, eduCation, meditation, storytelling) camping, birding, boating, berry-picking, picnics, drying Other: fish, trapping) QUESTIONS? Contact: Gillian Kirk [email protected] 867- 393- 7112 REFERENCES Collins, S., & Arthur, N. (2010a). Self-awareness and awareness of client cultural identities. In N. Arthur & S. Collins (Eds.), Culture-infused counselling (2nd ed., pp. 67-102). Calgary, AB: Counselling Concepts. Collins, S., & Arthur, N. (2010b). Culture-infused counselling: A frameworK for multicultural competence. In N. Arthur & S. Collins (Eds.), Culture-infused counselling (2nd ed., pp. 45- 65). Calgary, AB: Counselling Concepts. YuKon Bureau of Statistics.(2017). Population Report Fourth Quarter. Whitehorse, YT: YuKon Finance Bureau of Statistics. .