Programs

Ministry of Community of Social Services - Violence Against Women Support Services

 

Counselling Service: Crisis Support

 

 The Crisis Support Worker provides help to Aboriginal women aged 16 years and over in crisis by offering immediate and short-term support (up to six months).  This includes, but is not limited to the following services:

Ø One to one counselling to help with issues such as abuse, addictions, mental health, or any barriers that prevent aboriginal women from staying safe, healthy and becoming independent.    

Ø Advocate on your behalf to help you overcome barriers that you do not want to face alone

Ø  Referrals to Community Resources

Ø  Working together with community resources pertinent to your situation

Ø  Referrals to internal programs within Niijkiwendidaa Anishnaabekwewag Services Circle

Ø  Providing information sessions to community resources to promote aboriginal programs and services offered by Niijkiwendidaa Anishnaabekwewag Services Circle

Ø  Group counselling workshops are delivered with an aboriginal approach incorporating medicine wheel teachings and are based on the needs and interests of the client.

o    Self Care group provides alternative measures to help you live a healthier, safe and balanced lifestyle          

o    Self Defense helps aboriginal women become more physically independent    

o    Organizational Skills helps clients become organized with shopping, cooking, household safety and maintenance, time management and health issues.      

o    Safety Planning helps clients be ready in case of a crisis or an abusive situation in which they have to flee their home; Topics include in depth safety plans for themselves and their family; child identification kits, women’s shelter, safe houses, etc.  

o    Cooking Aboriginal Style workshop is a hand on workshop to help clients learn to cook with seasonal foods as they pertain to the aboriginal food guide.  Topics of discussion include nutrition, food handling, food preparation, storage, grocery shopping, menu planning, etc.  Teaches life skills and uses aboriginal foods such as bannock, fry bread, Indian taco or wild rice casserole.   

o    Addiction prevention is delivered with a Native Drug & Alcohol Prevention Officer.  Information is provided for drugs, date rape, aboriginal treatment centers, community resources, etc.   

 

If you are interested in attending any of the above noted groups, please contact the Crisis Support Worker at 705-741-0900 Seats are confirmed on a first come, first served basis.

 

The Crisis Support Worker is located at the main office on Hunter Street in Peterborough and also provides outreach crisis support to areas of Peterborough and the Kawartha Lakes, Durham, Haliburton and Northumberland region.

  

“Everyone is a house of four rooms: Physical, Spiritual, Mental and Emotional. Most of us tend to live in one room unless we go into every room, everyday, even if only to be aired, we are not complete”

- Native Proverb

 

 Counselling Service: One-to-One Counselling

 

The VAW (Long Term) Counsellor provides counseling to Anishnaabekwewag and their children who have been are being or are at risk of being abused. The counselor provides advocacy, safety planning and counselling in a safe and confidential environment.

 

·      Services provided:

·      One-to-one counseling

·      Provides support & advocacy for individuals by facilitating accompaniments where possible

·      Liaise with community agencies or partners

·      Provides referrals

·      Safety and Emergency Planning

·      Group sessions on various topics

 

 

Child Witness Program: Mother's Group and Children's Group

 

This Program focuses on children that have witnessed violence in the past, currently or whom are at risk of witnessing violence in the future. Children will participate within a group as well as individually. Participants will learn to identify emotions and how to express them in a positive manner; they will learn to develop a safety plan for themselves and how to develop an emergency plan. Children will enhance their self-esteem, and learn about positive attributes within themselves.

 

This program also offers groups for women to help them better understand how their children are affected by family violence. In addition, it will assist women to develop safety plans for themselves and their children, form better relationships with their children and support their children affectively through positive communication.

 

·                     Topics covered:

·                     Safety Measures

·                     Emergency Planning

·                     Play Therapy

·                     Art Therapy

·                     Emotion Recognition

·                     Self-Esteem Building

 

 Transitional Housing Support Program

 

 This service is offered to Kwewag who are starting over, or who have already started over and need help with:

 

·                     Safety Planning for women and their children

·                     Transitional Planning (short or long term)

 

The purpose of the program is to help abused or at risk women build stable lives by helping them establish a network of supports and to find and maintain housing.  The worker offers flexible services to women as they establish violence free lives.  The worker helps identify support and access to those supports.  The worker will also liaise and coordinate with other community support agencies.

 

The goal of this program is to assist Aboriginal women who have experienced domestic violence and are trying to establish lives separate from their abuser in their community and may be residing in emergency shelters, second stage transitional housing, social housing or other accommodations.  The worker may also work with women living with their abuser to make choices to increase their safety and the safety of their children

 

 

Ontario Women’s Directorate - Investing in Women’s Futures

 

"Ogitichitaakwe" Strong Woman Program - Employment Counselling

 

The Employment Program is designed to provide opportunities for Aboriginal women to become economically self-sufficient. Programming focuses on helping Aboriginal women find meaningful work, skills, furthering their education or enrolling in a training program. We also provide information regarding employment resources available in the community.

 

This Program offers skill development courses to encourage and maintain entrepreneurship, provides educational experiences through workshops and offers experience through volunteer opportunities. Workshops include:

 

·                     Small business operations

·                     Taxation training

·                     Crafting

·                     Self esteem building

·                     Resume writing & Job Search

·                     Apprenticeship training

 

“Bimadizawin” Good Life Skills

 

The second component to this program is that of “Bimadizawin’. The “good life” is a teaching that originates from Traditional Anishnaabe Knowledge that is a wholistic approach. The “good life” is in keeping with the circle of four or medicine wheel where all aspects of woman’s life are addressed. The “Bimadizawin” Life Skills Coach will use this framework to aid Anishnaabekwewag towards empowerment. Groups and services offered:

 

·                     self-care, personal and safety planning

·                     and additional group opportunities to empower women

·                     group topics include "health and safety," life thru Traditional Aboriginal Knowledge

·                     referrals to resources and services within the community and agency

·                     opportunities for volunteerism

·                     opportunities for cultural activities and ceremonies

·                     connection to cultural identity

 

 

Ontario Federation Indian Friendship Centre/Aboriginal Healing & Wellness Strategy

 

Aboriginal Healthy Babies Healthy Children Program

 

The aboriginal healthy babies healthy children worker provides services and support for the development, provision and maintenance of a network of health and social services providers to ensure that the Aboriginal families with children (prenatal to age 6) who are at risk of physical, mental and social problems have access to a range of prevention and early intervention services.

 

Services Provided:

 

·                     Individual & family Support

·                     Community based Programming  

·                     Liaison with other community agencies

 

 

Funding provided, by the Ontario Federation of Indian Friendship Centres, the Aboriginal Healing & Wellness Strategy, and the Province of Ontario.