Working Together To Remember, Restore and Renew Our Traditional Roles As Indigenous People
Our outputs are (for example) the number of programs attended by people in the community, the number of people that attended each program, the number of activities that took place, the number of materials that were distributed, the number of stories that were shared, the number of meals that were made, the number of children attending and the number of people that were fed. Also the number of hours of service that were provided by the various staff is a specific output, plus the number of times that the program occurred during the week, month or year.
Our Aboriginal people tend to live in the east end of Edmonton. It is important to begin to remove the initial barriers of generational trauma by providing professional services for Aboriginal people by Aboriginal people. Through this professional Indigenous approach to programs and services, we help our people remember, restore and renew their traditional teachings and values; thereby, bringing balance and wellness back into their lifestyle. Only then, can we truly assist our people in moving forward with their lives in the sense of education and career development.
The Red Road healing is a not for profit Child and Family Resource Center that is accessible, friendly, safe, warm, welcoming and free. Wholistic wellness programming for children, youth and families is provided that utilizes a variety of Indigenous cultural perspectives, knowledge and practices. Outreach to the community occurs regularly through home visits, school liaison and special events. Role modeling is exemplified (and required in The Red Road Healing Society’s staff policies) by everyone that works at the centre. Childcare is also provided and whole families are welcomed. Through a variety of professional services designed, developed and delivered to meet the specific needs of the people in the community, the agency maintains a client driven approach that reflects wholistic wellbeing. In turn, this approach strives to balance our clients’ Earth walk, and assist our people in the community with moving forward in their lives.
In the Beverly, Rundle Abbottsfield area of Edmonton and throughout Turtle Island, there is a high population of Aboriginal children, youth, families and individuals who are still suffering from the effects of multigenerational trauma as a result of residential schools, colonization, relocation, smallpox inflicted Christianity and loss of culture. In these three communities 60% of the population is Aboriginal; and at least 75% of these people have culturally based, grassroots professional services are evident in the community.
We do this through providing professional social, educational, legal and health services through and existing cultural, grassroots, community based agency, that provides a spectrum of wholistic services for children, youth , adults and families to the Beverly-Abbottsfield-Rundle communities.
To walk with our relations on the Red Road of life by remembering, renewing and restoring our traditional roles and values that brings life; so as to continually move forward 'in a healthy way' as Indigenous People.
The Red Road Healing Society offers a variety of programs and services in the day and evening such as; addictive lifestyle workshops, adolescent programs, annual events, Baby, Think It Over, career development, children’s programs, collective kitchens, counseling, crafts, culture night, educational services, family programs, family violence workshops, grieving workshops, healing circles, health services, home support, H2O café, legal services, literacy, longhouse gathering night, parenting, prevention (in sense of abuse, anger, criminal behavior, grieving, violence etceteras), referral, seasonal events, school outreach, social services, soup and bannock, storytelling, summer kids camp, survivor workshops, tipi-making, and 12 step work. The Akicita youth program and Turtle Island Tiny Tots headstart program is also available when funding permits.
The annual events that occur throughout the year are the; Kids Halloween Party, Talent Show, Christmas Pageant, Welcoming the Light, Round Dance, Valentines Dance, Kiwani Owapi, Spring Break For Kids, Celebrating the Resurgence of the Buffalo Spirit Gathering Herbs, Ceremony and National Aboriginal Week activities.
Our inputs are a variety of programs and services along with professional and assistant staff, partners, facilities, food, equipment, knowledge, materials, office supplies, ceremonial items, musical instruments, transportation, books, videos, childcare, transportation and Elders.
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Our goals are to reduce the abuse, apathy, isolation, low self esteem, stress, grief, addiction, violence and general pain in our peoples’ lives (Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal). We strive to increase our participants’ knowledge of Indigenous peoples’ educational, health, legal, psychological and social lifeways, rights, values and beliefs through a cultural lens. We wish to stimulate our clients’ awareness of personal power and purpose in their lives.
Preamble
Primarily there is less violence, less addictive behaviors, less abuse, less teen pregnancies, less children being born with developmental delays (FASD), less children in care, less dropping out of school, less ‘failings to appear in court’, less crime, less Indigenous people in the correctional centres and less poverty, sickness and mental disorders. Simultaneously, there is more literacy, more reasoning, and generally more ‘consciousness raising’ towards what allows for life, and what shuts it down. This is witnessed (usually in staff observations and reports) by the following:
Short Term – Our people stop drinking, stop the violence and begin to practice the principles and values of our Indigenous lifeways. They become less isolated and they begin to find the direction, guidance knowledge and wisdom that they need to come into balance with Mother Earth. They begin to develop self awareness, self worth and self esteem.
Mid Term – Our people begin to become conscious of their own choices; in that, they will see how it ‘in turn’ affects their lives and the lives of those around them….their families and loved ones. And, that our people will develop creativity more and begin to realize their place in the revitalization movement of Indigenous lifeways across Turtle Island; and thus start moving forward with their lives.
Long Term – Our people continue to be guided and empowered to become everything the Creator intended them to be…and for them to actually witness their creative process within the larger hoop of Indigenous Peoples across Mother Earth
The Red Road Healing Society
Abstinence from mood-altering substances and codependent relationships
Attendance Sheets
Children out of care
Feedback forms
Infant, child, adolescent, and youth assessments Interviews and focus groups
Less Developmentally Delayed Births
Literacy Assessments
Participation in annual events
Participation in on going ceremony
Partners Reports
Pictures, Stories, Videos, DVD’s
Program Specific Assessments
Self esteem assessments
Staff observations, reports, performance reviews
Surveys