Total $333,863—37 projects

Aboriginal Neighbours—Parksville, B.C.
$3,000
Nurturing Deep Understanding and Hope Three: A Gathering (Year Three, Part Seven, of A Pilgrimage Towards Right Relationships Project)
Working ecumenically and through established networks, a five-year education and action process was begun on Vancouver Island to right relationship between Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal peoples.  These relationships are based on the principles of mutual recognition, respect, sharing, and responsibility.  Exploration will be done from a faith-perspective with spiritual and theological reflection.  (Diocese of British Columbia)

Adah’Dene Cultural Healing Camp Society—Fort St. James, B.C.
$8,000
Cultural Healing Camp Project: The Legacy of Abuse in Residential School
The purpose of this project is to heal the wounds inflicted by residential schools in the four Carrier communities: Nak’azdli, Tl’azt’en, Yekooche and Takla Lake Band.  This project takes the communities another step towards a healthy community life.  It will include workshops for the communities and frontline workers on Adult Sexual Abuse; Drug and Alcohol Education; Youth/Child Sexual Abuse; Relationships; Anger; Emotions and Conflict Management and Training; and Professional Development for staff.   (Diocese of Caledonia)

Biidaaban Holistic Healing Centre—Heron Bay, Ont.
$9,900
Second Annual Residential School Gathering
The grant is to support the Biidaaban Holistic Healing Centre’s Second Annual Residential School Gathering to be held in the summer of 2003. The five-day gathering will include: sharing circles, traditional ceremonies, social activities and other learning activities that have emerged out of a need to provide cultural training appropriate for the sensitivities of the Aboriginal peoples in the area.  These learning activities will promote sharing and healing among the group.  There will be time for the group to share stores and experiences with the youth.   (Diocese of Algoma)

Body Wisdom Training and Consulting—Fort Qu’Appelle, Sask.
$9,375

Healing Residential School Experiences of Childhood Abuse -Empowering Adults – Restoring Families
This treatment program will incorporate First Nations culture, traditions and specialized contemporary approaches to healing the mental, emotional, and spiritual well being of Aboriginal adults and their families from the eleven First Nation communities surrounding Fort Qu’Appelle, Sask..  This project is one component of a larger program designed to address the impacts of residential schools, including the multi generational effects.  This particular component will address the legacy of childhood abuse in residential school and its intergenerational impacts. (Diocese of Qu’Appelle)

Diocese of the Arctic—Iqaluit, NU
$5,000

Training for Healing and Reconciliation
The gathering will be a combined youth revival and Sharing of Ministries Aboard (SOMA) conference.  The major focus of the conference is to promote healing in the communities, to enhance the skills of the community caregivers and to revive youth ministry.  The participants of the gathering will come from: Iqaluit, Kimmirut, Pangnirtung, Clyde River, Cape Dorset and Qikiqtarjuaq.  This weeklong gathering will be held on November 12-17, 2003 in Iqaluit. (Diocese of the Arctic)

Diocese of the Arctic—Rankin Inlet
$10,000
Arctic Conference on Healing and Reconciliation – Suicide and Sexual Abuse
The purpose of this conference is to address issues most critical to the Inuit people; such as, suicide and sexual abuse. Suicide has become an epidemic in some areas of the far north.  The conference will have two sessions running simultaneously, youth and adult with time slots provided where the two groups meet together.   (Diocese of the Arctic)

Children of Shingwauk Alumni Association—Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.
$5,000
E.F Wilson and Chief Shingwauk – The Mission Continues
The purpose of the project is to design a process that will move towards the creation of a partnership with the churches, Children of Shingwauk, Shingwauk Education Trust and Algoma University College.  This partnership will consist of building of new relationships of respect, sharing and working together, and restoration of traditional way of life.  The coordinator of the project will interview people from various First Nation communities on a variety of issues; such as, residential school experiences, history related stories, strengthening networks, and creating new partnerships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples.   (Diocese of Algoma)

Constance Lake First Nation—Calstock, Ont.
$6,400
Spring/Summer/Fall/Winter Ceremonies
The grant will enable the community to revive and restore its cultural and traditional practices by introducing the Spring/Summer/Fall/Winter Ceremonies.  The purpose of providing traditional teachings to the community is to enable the people to make choices that will enable them to retain their cultural identity while participating in all aspects of life including political, economic and social life. They will participate with full knowledge and respect for their cultural values, languages, traditions and forms of social organization.  These ceremonies and many others were almost completely extinguished by the residential school system and other federal government policies.  The result of this has been that majority of the youth and many adult community members are unable to communicate in their first language and have never learned their traditional ways.  Loss of identity has contributed to the alienation that has driven many youth to destructive behaviors.   (Diocese of Moosonee)

Daylu Dena Council—Lower Post, B.C.
$10,200
Healing Project Team
The project is intended to develop and promote culturally relevant healing practices in the community—practices that will lead to a reconnection to traditional knowledge and spirituality.  The project will provide training and capacity building to those responsible for the development and delivery of healing activities to ensure they have the capacity to successfully manage the programs.  The project will integrate traditional and conventional healing and wellness activities and will involve healing professionals from both within and outside the Kaska Dena community.  (Diocese of Yukon)

Doig River First Nation—Rose Prairie, B.C.
$5,000

Walk in Balance Wellness Conference is a three-day educational event for the First Nations people in Northeastern BC.  The overall goal of the conference is to support the development of healthy and self-sufficient First Nation communities by encouraging the integration of aboriginal culture and modern approaches to wellness and community development.  The conference activities will be based on an integrated and holistic model that is used to help guide people along a path of balance. (Diocese of Caledonia)

Healing & Reconciliation Committee/Diocese of Brandon
$20,000
Healing, Reconciliation & New life Project – Year Two
Healing and reconciliation workshops for victims of residential school abuse will be held in a number of communities in the northern part of the diocese. This process is an effort by the Aboriginal people, including the clergy of the diocese to make healing and reconciliation meaningful for the Aboriginal communities. Colonial school system will be addressed in the way that is determined by the peoples and cultural values, traditions and history will be incorporated.   (Diocese of Brandon)

Henry Budd School for Ministry, Easterville, Man.
$2,500

Healing Conference
The purpose of the conference is to organize community-healing work, healing work that will address the in the legacy of the residential school, in the First Nation communities in the immediate area, and determine a communication network among the caregivers. The conference organizers will seek individuals who will provide leadership on various issues related to healing; such as, creating a support system for the frontline workers, etc. (Diocese of Brandon)

Indigenous Council of Rupert’s Land/Diocese of Rupert’s Land—Winnipeg, Man.
$6,750

A Sacred Mission of Healing
The Indigenous Council of Rupert’s Land will host its second gathering ‘A Sacred Mission of Healing’ in the fall of 2003.  This gathering is a direct result and a follow-up to the Sacred Circle in June of 2002 held on the grounds of the historic St. Peter’s Anglican Church near the banks of the Red River, where the original Peguis Reserve was located.  The purpose of the event is to continue the process of healing and reconciliation directly in the First Nation Community of Peguis.  The Indigenous Council is working in partnership with the Parish of St. Aiden’s in Winnipeg on this project. As a lead up to its participation, some members of St. Aiden’s will attend Peguis Days at St. Peter. Dynevor in June at which time they will meet with people from the Peguis First Nation.   (Diocese of Rupert’s Land)

Ininew Friendship Centre—Cochrane, Ont.
$1,000

Snowy Owl Children’s Program
This program presents a variety of program activities throughout the year for children between the ages 6 to 13. The overall program is designed especially for children affected by poverty, isolation, residential school intergenerational impacts and alcohol and/or substance abuse.  The programming area includes: recreation, education, social, health promotion, remedial work, Alta.original culture and language, and social support.   The primary goal of the initiative is to provide children with a positive self-image, promote a desire for learning, and opportunities to participate in community activities.  The grant will allow for acquisition of program supplies. (Diocese of Moosonee)

Ktunaxa/Kinbasket Health & Wellness Society—Creston, B.C.
$12,000

Re-Parenting Staff Training
This training will prepare the staff of Ktunaxa/Kinbasket Wellness Centre to provide a holistic, family oriented residential school healing program to its clients. The project will provide those who attended residential schools with an on going, holistic healing opportunities that will include families and communities—to become independent.  It will also help improve both the churches’ and the general public’s misunderstanding of the Ktunaza people’s history and culture, promoting healing and fostering improved relationships.  (Diocese of Kootenay)

Kwakiutl Band Council—Fort Rupert Reserve, B.C.
$7,875
HA’SA-BREATH Teachings of the Elders Project
The Kwakiutl Band Council will work with ‘Youth at Risk’ in addressing the intergenerational impacts of residential school issues by developing and implementing a 12-week course in Kwatiutle language, culture and traditions.  Elders who are fluent in the language will teach the program.

Lac Seul First Nation—Lac Seul, Ont.
$10,000
Healing Our Experience
This grant will assist the community of Lac Seul to develop a healing strategy for its community members that are still struggling with trauma and other negative experiences as a result of residential schools.  The healing strategy will include social issues, educational awareness, gatherings, circle sharing, building parenting and relationship skills, etc.  The process will include the descendants of the former residential school students.    (Diocese of Keewatin)

Lake of the Woods Ojibway Cultural Centre—Kenora, Ont.
$6,000
A Reunion and a Traditional Healing Gathering
Lake of the Woods Ojibway Cultural Centre on behalf of the Anishinabek Survivors of Residential Schools will hold a Reunion and Traditional Gathering at the site of the McIntosh Residential School.  The purpose of this gathering is to teach some Ojibway traditional skills to the participants including the descendants of the survivors and the non-Aboriginal peoples.  In addition to the learning of traditional skills, the participants will have an opportunity to participate in traditional healing ceremonies such as a sweat lodge.  Among the topics of discussion will be the questions of forgiveness and where do we go from here.   (Diocese of Keewatin)

Little Shuswap Indian Band—Chase, B.C.
$3,800
Intergenerational Family Circle Project
History, tradition, roles, relationships and family rules were always learned and shared at family circles.  The children need to be a part of these family circle times in order to understand family, community roles and responsibilities.  In the era of residential schools, families lost all opportunity to have family circles, and the intergenerational sharing of information, knowledge, culture and traditions was lost for many people.  The Family Circle Project is to re-establish some of this family spirit.  (Diocese of Kootenay)

Liard Aboriginal Women’s Society—Watson Lake, Yuk.
$13,650
Kaska Project – Language and Culture Immersion Program
The Society will hold a 2-week Kaska Language and Cultural Immersion Program for the five Kaska communities—Good Hope Lake, Fort Ware, Watson Lake, Lower Post and Ross River—in the summer of 2003.  Given the cultural genocide of the residential school, many Kaska members are inflicted with addiction, low self-esteem, lack of spirituality, loss of language and identity.  The Society members have been working to restore cultural and traditional practices and language for the past three years.  The activities of the event will include language lessons, hunting, preserving meat, traditional medicines and fishing.  These activities will all be offered in the traditional ways and in the traditional language of the people.  (Diocese of Yukon)

Long Plain First Nation—Portage la Prairie, Man.
$5,000
Indian Residential School Museum of Canada
Long Plain First Nation has completed a business plan for the establishment of a National Indian Residential School Museum to be located in Rufus Prince Building, which is formerly, Portage la Prairie Indian Residential School.  The grant will go towards researching the history of the residential schools with Anglican roots. (Diocese of Rupert’s Land)

Metlakatla Band Council—Prince Rupert, B.C.
$11,180
Preparing for the Future
This group is made up of community elders who are promoting community healing through traditional teachings and activities.  (Diocese of Caledonia)

Native Men’s Residence—Toronto, Ont.
$15,600
Healing and Reconciliation at Tumivut – Youth Project
This initiative will enable the youth at risk (homeless) to participate in a holistic approach through traditional teachings, hands-on workshops and traditional ceremonies.  Thus, allowing the youth to develop the necessary skills to break the cycle of homelessness as well as developing their potential towards leading rich and rewarding lives.  (Diocese of Toronto)

Naxalk Nation—Bella Coola, B.C.
$5,850
Nuxalk Nation Language Proposal
The Nuxalk Nation has made several accomplishments pertaining to language preservation and revitalization beginning with the documentation of Nuxalk Language to curriculum development, the training of its language teachers to the implementation of the language programs in the schools.  Now, Nuxalk Nation has entered into partnership with Simon Fraser University to provide a Nuxalk Language Proficiency Certificate Program for those who wish to learn the language and wish to speak it, write it, and teachers who wish to teaching skills.  Today, Nuxalk Nation has 50 fluent speakers. (Diocese of Caledonia)

NEXT Generation Youth Association—Rolling Hills, Alta.
$7,500
Healing and Reconciliation Tour -Youth Drama Workshop Presentation
This support will assist the group to tour Aboriginal communities in Manitoba and Ontario for the purpose of conducting drama workshop presentations to Aboriginal youth. The NEXT Generation is a touring youth Drama Workshop Presentation that uses music and humor to provide education and address making healthy choices with regard to drug and alcohol abuse and other high-risk behavior; such as suicide.  The Association hopes that the presentations will contribute to long-term future of the communities visited by dealing with the root issues of abuse such as self-esteem and peer pressure.  The desired outcome of this project will be to provide positive coping strategies in dealing with the high risk behaviour and emphasize choices of positive behaviors.  (Lutheran Life) (Diocese of Calgary)

Our Mother’s Guiding Hand Society—Chase, B.C.
$16,148
Program Management Training by Nechi Institute
The Society will engage the Nechi Training Institute to offer its ‘Program Management Training Series’ to those who have completed the Advance Counsellors Training Program. This final training series is geared towards those who wish to further build their capacities and gain a more meaningful employment.  Each person in this training series has either attended a residential school or their parents have, and each has been impacted by that experience.  Each person is either recovering from alcoholic or others forms of addiction, and therefore each day is a recovery.  All participants are committed to make their lives a life-long healing process and committed to helping others with their healing journey.  (Diocese of Kootenay)

Red Women’s Society Healing Lodge—Kamsack, Sask.
$10,000
Healing Lodge for Residential School Survivors
The project will enable the society to continue providing community based treatment and support for the residential school survivors through a weekly sharing and healing circles.  A community healing workshop will be held in the spring, as well as, summer cultural camps for children and youth. (Diocese of Qu’Appelle)

Shamattawa Youth Ministry—Shamattawa, Man.
$7,500
Forgiveness 2003: Teaching Our Youth
The grant will assist the community and the Shamattawa Youth Ministry to conduct a youth wilderness retreat.  The purpose of this wilderness retreat is to provide the youth a time away from their community and begin a process of learning in a quiet and peaceful environment for the youth.  The youth will explore the rivers where their ancestors paddled, learn their history, learn the traditional way of survival, customs, beliefs and spiritual teachings of the bible.  (Lutheran Life) (Diocese of Keewatin)

Swampy Cree Tribal Council—The Pas, Man.
$4,440
Eagle Quest Program Youth Development Project
The Swampy Cree Tribal Council is in the process of implementing the Eagle Quest Youth Development Program that will provide the First Nation Communities in its service area with a year round youth programs for ages 12 to 18.   The purpose of this program is to provide positive choices to the youth.  Many of the youth in these First Nation communities are confronted with problems of suicide, suicide attempts, lack of self-esteem, stress, peer pressure, school dropouts and the attractiveness of belonging to a gang.  (Lutheran Life) (Diocese of Brandon)

Taku River Tlingit First Nation—Atlin, B.C.
$15,400
Healing Project
The first step of the project will to establish a skilled project team to oversee and guide the implementation of the healing activities. The team’s responsibility will include working towards the establishment of funds and activities to ensure community healing continue. The team of 4-6 people will be made up of professionals from the community, an elder and a community member at large. (Diocese of Yukon)

T’it’q’et Administration—Lillooet, B.C.
$5,350
T’it’q’et Healing Project
The project will promote a greater understanding of T’it’q’et heritages and cultures by providing opportunities for the community members to renew their connections to their culture, language and traditions through the learning and sharing of traditional crafts and cultural activities. The youth will be encouraged to share stories with Elders and community members of their choice their experiences, Sask.ills and knowledge, thus increasing a sense of self-identity and pride. (APCI)

Toronto Urban Native Ministry—Toronto, Ont.
$7,000
Restoring Right Relations Gathering
The Toronto Urban Native Ministry will hold Restoring Right Relations Gathering in the fall of 2003.  This ecumenical gathering will involve both Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples to hear each others voices, see each others ways, to speak the truth in each others presence, learn each others culture, discover each others gifts and to walk together toward healing and reconciliation.  (Diocese of Toronto)

Touchwood Agency Tribal Council—Punnichy, Sask.
$10,000
TATC Ketayak and Kichi-Anishnebeck Core Project
The project promotes healing strategies, initiatives and support for survivors and later generations affected by the residential school system through community awareness, education, capacity building for its leaders and caregivers, storytelling, traditional and spirituality teachings, healing circles, traditional ceremonies, community forums and gatherings.

U’mista Cultural Society—Alert Bay, B.C.
$6,745
Beginning a Conversation with Former Students of St. Michael’s Residential School
The two primary components of this project is to improve the communications with former students of St. Michael’s Residential School and to ensure their involvement in the revitalization project of the former residential school facilities.  The facility will include a permanent student memorial and/or museum.  The project will include a Student Reunion in the summer of 2004 where former students will be provided an opportunity to have their stories recorded.  (Diocese of British Columbia)

Webequie First Nation—Webequie, Ont.
$15,000
Webequie First Nation Residential School Survivors and Other Generations
The grant will assist the Webequie First Nation with the cost of bringing in community members who reside in various other communities to the healing conference to be held in the summer of 2003.  This conference will address residential school issues, the intergenerational impacts, sharing of personal stories, healing alternatives, gather resources and provide an opportunity to begin the healing process for many.   (Diocese of Keewatin)

William Winter School of Ministry—Kingfisher, Ont.
$10,000
Forgiveness and the Journey Project
The training will address one of the steps towards healing—forgiveness. Many individuals, especially the victims of abuse and former residential students struggle with the concept and process of forgiveness.  They are often told to ‘forgive and forget’, thus, leading them to denial and suppression their feelings.  As a result, these feelings are often acted out in inappropriate was including substance abuse and violence against each other, family and self – suicide. (Diocese of Keewatin)

Windigo First Nation Council—Sioux Lookout, Ont.
$25,700
WFNC Wheel of Life Project
The first goal of the Wheel of Life Project is community and individual empowerment.
The project will establish a focus group that will travel to five First Nation communities to conduct healing workshops.  The focus group will include: a member from each community, a professional therapist, an elder and staff coordinating the program.  The community workshops will primarily focus on sharing and healing circles, and counseling. (Diocese of Keewatin)