A communtiy development project started by the Social Service Worker - Native Specialization Program, Sault College
Connecting Community
Promoting Healing & Wellness
April 5, 2016
Register Aboriginal YOUTH age 10 - 15
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Apply online to be an Aboriginal MENTOR age 25+
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Project ALLY
Description
Project ALLY
Goals & Objectives
1) Raise Awareness:
Inform ALL citizens of colonial impacts—historic trauma transmission leaving Aboriginal people trapped in the intergenerational cycles of poverty, learned helplessness and hopelessness, addictive behaviours, and more. Provide non-Aboriginal citizens with opportunities to gain a better understanding of Aboriginal culture through ‘Knowledge Sharing’ events.
2) Recruit Allies:
Provide opportunities for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal citizens and organizations to participate in reconciliation through contributions/donations while supporting Aboriginal people in self-determination.
3) Empower Current Leaders:
Aboriginal adults should all be leaders and this project will help them ‘realize their own potential in making change happen’, ’increase their confidence’ and ’provide them with opportunities’ to take action in healing & wellness and fulfill their inherent responsibilities.
4) Empower Future Leaders:
Aboriginal youth need more opportunities to ’feel a sense of pride and honour in who they are as Aboriginal people’, to ‘unlock their potential’ and ‘highlight the many areas of mastery these youth hold within them’ to expand their capacities and promote healing and wellness.
5) Connecting Community:
Engage Aboriginal community members to get out and interact. Positive social environments are the best defensive and intervention for addictive behaviours and more. Facilitate the development of 100 mentor-type relationships with youth and a benevolent adult.
The inception of the project was in 2014, in response to heartbreaking stories of suicide, racism/bullying, low self-esteem, cultural identity loss and other historic trauma impacts faced by Aboriginal youth in our community. Faculty and Students in Social Service Worker - Native Specialization Program at Sault College organized an event on student fundraising only. The Project ALLY team worked with the Sault Ste. Marie Indian Friendship Centre, and the local school boards to connect with Aboriginal youth and engage them to attend the event. The goal was to connect Aboriginal youth with an adult mentor.
Project ALLY is now a growing community development initiative bringing together Aboriginal organizations such as the Native Education department at Sault College working to partner long-term with the Sault Ste. Marie Indian Friendship Centre to maintain the project's momentum. Sharing knowledge, ideas and resources will hopefully lead to expansion into other communities across Turtle Island (North America) to help heal on a broader scale.
Following our Anishinaabe values - we SHARE our resources humbly and freely for others to use and adapt in a good way to suit their community needs.
In Sault Ste. Marie, the project continues to grow to include an Indigenous Leaders Sharing Knowledge Speaker Series, an Anishinaabemowin Language and Storytelling Seminar and numerous fundraising and speaking events.
This is a community capacity building project BY and FOR Aboriginal peoples!
