HIPHonouring Indigenous People

EDUCATION IN THE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY

In Toronto 33% of the Aboriginal population has not achieved High-school diplomas, while only 10% has completed university (higher in rural communities)

In Canada over 50% of Aboriginal households have serious literacy problems

43% of Aboriginal people aged 20-24 dropped out of high school compared to 16% for the non-Native Canadian population, and that the suicide rate among Aboriginal children 10 – 19 years old is 5 to 8 times the rate for non-Aboriginal children (First Nations Regional Health Survey (RHS) 2008/10)

Native Child & Family Services of Toronto

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HISTORICAL FACTORS & HISTORICAL FACTORS & CORRELATION TO POOR CORRELATION TO POOR OUTCOMESOUTCOMES

Residential school system in 1874Designed to “assimilate”Cultural genocideGenerations of Aboriginal people

victims of physical, mental and sexual abuse

Most residential schools closed by mid 1970’s

Last school in Canada closed in 1996

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THIS LEAD TO…THIS LEAD TO…

Intergenerational Trauma

60’s Scoop

Over representation of Aboriginal children in care

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THE 60’s SCOOPTHE 60’s SCOOP

Term referred to the phenomenon beginning in 1960’s to 1980’s of UNUSUALLY high numbers of Aboriginal children apprehended from their families

-substance abuse-physical abuse-sexual abuse-economic hardship, neglect

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IMPACT ON CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IMPACT ON CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

Destroyed family ties, humiliation & self worth Poor parenting skills Loss of culture and language Learned abusive and unhealthy behaviours Over representation of Aboriginal Children in

child welfare system Over representation of Aboriginal people in

criminal justice system High rates of suicide/youth suicide Poor health outcomes Poor education outcomes General mistrust of government systems

◦ Education◦ Justice◦ Medical

Native Child & Family Services of Toronto

VULNERABLE COMMUNITYVULNERABLE COMMUNITY

3% of Ontario’s youth population is Aboriginal, yet Aboriginal Youth make up 23.5 % of our provincial youth unemployment rate. Page 6, Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities power point presentation, Youth Jobs Strategy Roundtable, August 27, 2013

Native Child & Family Services of Toronto

LETS “CHANGE THE PICTURE LETS “CHANGE THE PICTURE IN THE MIRROR!” IN THE MIRROR!” Anthony Bertin, 2013Anthony Bertin, 2013

Native Child & Family Services of Toronto

NCFST YOUTH FOCUS GROUP NCFST YOUTH FOCUS GROUP APRIL 4, 2013 & DECEMBER 10, APRIL 4, 2013 & DECEMBER 10, 20132013Priorities:EducationJobsEmployment

Worries:“If you don’t finish high school you do

nothing”“Maybe I could have done something if I

applied myself”“You need to be pushed into doing

something better – so my mom won’t get a phone call that her kid is dead”

Native Child & Family Services of Toronto

““EDUCATION IS A TICKET EDUCATION IS A TICKET OUT OF POVERTY” OUT OF POVERTY” Kenn Richard, 2013Kenn Richard, 2013

Youth expressed anxiety about engaging in non-native services. Therefore, by offering an easily accessible, culturally safe education program at SCFLC we will attend to the educational needs of the community and address the social risk factors that Urban Aboriginal Youth face while living in a high priority neighborhood.

Why HIP?Honouring Indigenous People

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BackgroundState of indigenous peopleRCT – education and partnershipsDistrict Conference 2012Steering CommitteeSeparate organization - HIP

◦ 5 districts – 6330, 7010, 7040, 7070, 7080

◦ Board - 5 indigenous leaders◦ Kenn Richard, Suzanne Brant, Diane

Longboat, Tim Thompson, Ernest Beck

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Mission:

Support education of indigenous people in all its forms

Promote understanding and awareness of the culture, history and issues of indigenous people to Rotarians and others

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Goals: Create an organization of Rotarians and

Rotary Clubs working in partnership and in collaboration with indigenous people in Canada and other interested parties whose focus is on education in all its forms, for the purpose of:

Empowering indigenous people

Creating awareness and understanding of Aboriginal issues amongst Rotary members and others

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Values:

HIP adheres to the core values of the Rotary International 4-Way Test and the Seven Anishinaabek Grandfather Teachings. We believe:

1. Service – Working together with our partners to create a culture of service.

2.Integrity – Committed to and expect accountability and transparency from all of our members. Ethical and professional standards in all work and personal relationships.

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Values:3. Diversity – Membership and all members will be

treated with respect and dignity regardless of their role.

4.Leadership – The importance of understanding leadership development and empowerment of indigenous people.

5.Collaboration – Foster partnerships and collaboration amongst Rotary clubs, Rotarians, indigenous peoples and their communities and other groups

6.Sustainability – Programs are to be designed to be sustainable, owned by the indigenous community, not becoming dependent upon Rotary to provide for continual funding and support.

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Values:7.4-Way Test – Of the things we think, say or do:

i) Is it the TRUTH?

ii) Is it FAIR to all concerned?

iii) Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?

iv) Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

8. 7 Sacred Grandfather Teachings (Anishinaabek)– Truth, Humility, Honesty, Respect, Courage, Love and Wisdom (Operating Principles)

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Operating Principles:Our wish is to assist, not dictate. While we operate as partners, our projects must be owned by the indigenous people. The indigenous people must participate at all levels.

1. We are sensitive in all our words and actions to the damage done by the residential school system. We respect that the healing process for many is still ongoing and there is still much reconciliation to be done. We aim to be part of this process.

2. We acknowledge skepticism and hesitation around our motives as part of the bridge-building process. Trust needs to be established, will take time and is best done through developing strong relationships.

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Operating Principles:3.We value the spirituality and respect for the

Earth our indigenous partners represent.

4. We stay out of politics.

5. We understand, recognize and support the desire of the youth to learn of their indigenous roots, history and culture.

6. We recognize culture at each talking circle and where possible open with a story or meditation.

7. We continually increase our indigenous knowledge about the culture, customs, history and issues of indigenous peoples. We also understand the respect held for elders, and that each community may have separate elected and hereditary chiefs.

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Operating Principles:8.We do not promise more than we can

deliver.

9. We understand indigenous issues are prevalent both in rural and urban areas and not every indigenous community is the same.

10. We follow the core values in the Rotary 4-way test and 7 sacred grandfather teachings(outlined separately).

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HIP’s Role?Our mission, values and principles were developed after

extensive

discussions with many Rotarians and indigenous leaders. Our role, in

part, will be to:

Create a “go-to” website - www.rotaryhip.com

List and share educational project opportunities

Create opportunities to partner with other clubs and groups

Provide ideas for clubs to create awareness amongst club members and other Canadians

Provide a place to go for all Canadians to become better informed about indigenous culture and history

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HIP’s Role? Provide leadership and an example for all

Canadians to follow Create a tax receipt facility for personal

donations (to be finalized) Provide updates on current activities

throughout Ontario and across Canada

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Further Reading

The Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native People in North America

By: Thomas King

Have you ever really looked at history and the stories behind them? Do you question if these stories are fact or myth or accept them as the absolute truth? Author Thomas King looks at the stories behind such events as the 1861 Almo massacre by the Shoshone-Bannock, the meeting of Pocahontas and Captain J ohn Smith, the Rebellion of 1885 with Louis Riel, the 1876 Battle of the Little Bighorn with George Armstrong Custer, and many other stories and he points out the inconsistencies in each

http:/ / www.ammsa.com/ content/ 2013-review-inconvenient-indian

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LinksLegend

O- organization R – reports I – individual V – videos

Organizations Chiefs of Ontario – www.chiefs-of-ontario.org

The Chiefs of Ontario is a political forum and secretariat for collective decision-making, action, advocacy for the 133 First Nation communities located in Ontario.

The basic purpose of the Chiefs of Ontario office is to enable the political leadership to discuss and to decide on regional, provincial and national priorities affecting First Nation people in Ontario and to provide a unified voice on these issues.

The main objective of the Chiefs of Ontario office is to facilitate the discussion, planning, implementation and evaluation of all local, regional and national matters affecting the First Nation people of Ontario. The central office is based in Toronto to maintain a presence for First Nations in Ontario that is non-government and non-political in order to communicate with government officials on an urgent basis.

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Partnerships

One Laptop/ChildElephant ThoughtsOthers – other clubs – North

South, The Martin Aboriginal Educational Initiative, Frontier College, Third World

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Success Stories:The Rotary Club of Collingwood Georgian

Bay is partnering with Elephant Thoughts – a Collingwood-based charitable organization- to deliver science-based programs in several fly-in communities in northwestern Ontario including Attawapiskat, Kichenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug and Fort Albany. The project includes providing teacher kits and volunteer teachers. Elephant Thoughts has received a number of awards for its innovative educational work. Contact Lorne Kenney, HIP Board Member or Lisa Farano.

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Success Stories:The Rotary Club of Toronto, in partnership

with Toronto’s First Nations Public School, has organized several Career Days. Rotarians from a number of areas including chiropractic medicine, investment, hotel, catering and communications spoke with the children about career possibilities that they probably had not considered. The club also answered an urgent call for backpacks for the school’s students, donating more than 100 within 48 hours.

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Success Stories:The Rotary Club of Toronto is partnering

with Native Child and Family Services of Toronto in developing and finalizing a high school equivalency GED program in Scarborough. This program helps young people who have dropped out of school obtain an equivalent to secondary school education.

The Club in the past year has invited Mr. Justice Murray Sinclair, John Ralston Saul and Tom Sanderson to address us on indigenous peoples’ issues.

Native Child & Family Services of Toronto

SCARBOORUGH CHILD & SCARBOORUGH CHILD & FAMILY LIFE CENTER FAMILY LIFE CENTER 156 GALLOWAY ROAD156 GALLOWAY ROAD

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What You Can Do To Be A Success Story?

Educate yourself and others about current and past history through books, links and this website.

Attend a PowWow.Take time to seek out, speak with, listen to

and understand an indigenous person. Everyone has a story.

Invite an indigenous person to speak to your Rotary club – bring guests, better still, invite indigenous people to become members.

Create a committee in your club and district, and partner in a project.

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What You Can Do To Be A Success Story?

Visit a reserve or Native Child and Family Services Centre in your area

Try to dispel myths about the indigenous people.Visit a Native Friendship Centre in your

community.Talk to others about indigenous people. Invite

them to visit the website.Get involved politically if you are so inclined.

Take a stand on an issue.Host a forum in your community.

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Become a Member/Make a DonationMoney is needed for administration,

communicationand projects.Becoming a Member

HIP offers an opportunity and a place for those who want to be part of creating a different future for Canada and who believe now is the time. HIP creates the space for this to happen.

Charter Memberships for $100 will be offered until June 30, 2015.

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MembershipHIP members will be able to participate in activities that are important to the well-

being of our country. Membership offers:

Access to current and existing programs Information about other education programs

you can join An opportunity to obtain partners(other

Rotary clubs or outside partnerships) Guidelines on how to work with the

indigenous community

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MembershipAwareness, ideas and materials on our

“go-to” websitePartnership with Rotary in providing

educational opportunities for indigenous people

Access to ready-made PowerPoint presentations

Updates on current activitiesA facility for providing charitable tax

receipts

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Making a DonationFor individuals, Rotary clubs, Rotary districts, corporations and foundations there are different donation support levels:

Bronze for an annual gift of $250 Silver for an annual gift of $500

Gold for an annual gift of $1,000 Platinum for an annual gift of $2,500

Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum members will be recognized, unless requested otherwise, on the HIP website.

Donors will receive charitable tax receipts when charitable status is approved by Canada Revenue Agency.

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Why Is HIP A Good Thing?EducationAwarenessFocus – powerfulCreate understandingA better country

Come walk the path with HIP

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Questions, AnswersSuggestions &

Comments

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HIPHonouring Indigenous People