Zhaawanong Shelter Statistics 1992—2008 Number of women Served -2193 Number of children Served - 1350 2007-2008 Residen

1. At^lohsa Statistics Zhaawanong Shelter Statistics 1992—2008 Number of women Served -2193 Number of children Served - 1350 2007-2008 Residential clients -174 Residential children -90 Crisis calls -+2000 Safety Plans completed – 180 Number of support Groups - 122 Children Served 2007-2008 Children—264 Safety Plans- 186 Support Groups—136 Transitional Women’s Support Program 2007—2008 Direct service—1035 Women Groups held—26 Safety Plans completed—940

2. Celebrating 16 years of dedication towards the elimination of Family violence. Zhaawanong Shelter Providing a Safe Place for Women & Children since 1992

3. Honouring Our Founding Grandmothers Susan McPhail Rosemary Albert Donna Sears Letitia Antone Bernice Ireland

4. The principle focus of Mino Bimawadizwin is safety planning for children. Safety is promoted through reconnecting First Nations children with their original teachings around personal responsibility and ways of being in the world. The seven traditional teachings are used as the group guidelines. These teachings promote life skills that help children to understand how they can implement safety planning as an act of peace, it promotes personal safety for oneself and safety for those around them. This process helps children to understand the need for planning of peace/safety throughout ones life. The program utilizes the “group treatment for child witnesses of violence” as a guide for the implementation of the program.

5. Program Objectives • To provide an opportunity for First Nations children to share their ideas and maintain this child focused program • To provide an opportunity for First Nations children and mothers to share different stories of relationships they have experienced. • To provide an opportunity for First Nations children and their mothers to rebuild their cultural identity. • To Provide First Nations children and their mothers with safety tools through the development of life skills and safety planning. • To provide First Nations children and their mothers with adequate care as they deal with the issues of unbalanced relationships. • To provide an opportunity to advocate and show respect for all First Nations teachings.

6. The Seven Grandfather Teachings

7. Bravery: Practice and share courage, not aggression; make positive choices, practice healthy expression and communication. To do things that are difficult but need to be done, even in the most difficult of times. • Honesty: Inner truth, be honest about your feelings and thoughts in a good way. Express what you feel and want in a good way. To be honest in everything you do and provide good feelings in your heart. • Humility: Understand that everyone is a scared part of creation and treat we need to treat each other in a good way. To know that everyone is equal and should be treated as equal.

8. Seven Grandfather teachings con’t: • Love: Is unconditional. Know peace, be kind to all things that hold life, share, and be respectful. To be at peace with oneself and to be able to express love to people important in your life such as your family, and friends through your actions and words. • Respect: Honor and value each other. Don’t cause hurt emotionally, mentally, physically or spiritually. To accept everyone as they are. Not to judge anyone. Respect yourself as well as the creator and all that he has created. • Truth: Practice the seven cultural teachings and to live by them daily. Learn the truth, live the truth, and speak the truth. • Wisdom: To have a good attitude. To learn from one’s life experience and all of the teachers. To know the difference of good and bad and to every action there are consequences to your actions both negative and positive.

9. The program is free • Child and mother participation is voluntary • Pre and Post assessment interviews are facilitated prior to attending the program and upon completion of the program. • The culturally based program is facilitated throughout the year • Once started the sessions become a closed group. • There are 10 sessions with each session 1.5 hours in length • Groups are broken into age groups: 4-6; 7-8; 9-10; and 11-13

10. Nutritional snacks are provided for each session • Within a therapeutic setting participants experience the program according to the depth of involvement they choose. • Concluding the program participants receive a resource package and a personal keepsake. • Groups are at a maximum of 8 children per group. • Transportation is provided…

11. Sessions

12. Session 1: Introduction Objective: Facilitate relationship building and create a safe environment with the group. Read the Seven Grandfather Teachings story. Acknowledge how the Seven Grandfather Teachings work within relationships. Session 2: Clan System Objective: Facilitate relationship building, and create a safe environment that motivates participants to share freely. Read one or two clan system stories (Ojibway or Iroquois). Acknowledge the importance of individual roles, responsibilities, freedom, safety, and fun within relationships at home, with the community, and with creation.

13. Session 3: Wisdom Objective: Identify the quality of living a good life. Explore safety practices within relationships and with the environment. Session 4: Bravery Objective: Provide opportunity for participants to explore their individual definitions of Aggression and, Bravery and Good life within the group. Share new information about the topic. Identify examples of how participants practice or can practice bravery (keeping safety in mind).

14. Session 5: Honesty Objective: To provide an opportunity for participants to reflect on ways to deal with challenging situations and/or relationships. Support each participants ability to express emotions in a safe/healthy environment. Session 6: Humility Objective: to provide an opportunity for all participants to heal through the medicine of laughter. Recognize each participant as unique individuals with unique purpose in the physical world. Have Fun!

15. Session 7: Love Objective: to provide participants with the opportunity to collectively experience self love. Identify that caring for your self is essential before you are able to care for another. Session 8: Respect Objective: Identify each participant’s relationship to all living things on mother earth. Identify the mental, emotional, physical and spiritual practice of respect in relationships.

16. Session 9: Truth Objective: Explore meaning in the phrase “balanced living”. Identify the need for boundaries, laws, rules, safety practices and inner learning. Identify how the 7 grandfather teachings are practiced in life. Build participant Eagle Staffs Session 10: Closing Circle and Community Connects Objective: To celebrate the relationships shared during the program. Honor each participant in their continued practice of the 7 grandfather teachings within, with members at home, with people in the community and with creation.

17. Evaluation

18. Each session is given a chance to be evaluated by the participants and the facilitators. • Each child is sent home with a daily communication book • At the end of the program each participant's parent's are given an evaluation to fill out and return.

19. Contact Information: Chanda Kennedy Program Manager At^lohsa Native Family Healing Services Inc. 109-343 Richmond Street London, Ontario, Canada N6A 3C2 chandakennedy@atlohsa.com 519-438-0068 ext. 228