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East Prairie AHF project ends
Mac Olsen
for South Peace News
The Aboriginal Healing Foundation project in East Prairie Métis Settlement will end in March 2010, with no successor to replace it.
There was a lot of planning and development, with actual programming beginning in May 2002. Yvonne Ferens, the project team leader, started with the project in November 2003.
“We implement healing programs that are community based and held all types of workshops, but home visits are the more popular choice of assisting the people on their healing journey,” says Ferens.
“The program helps 10 residential school survivors and the community members. As healing is difficult to gauge, one does not heal by one session of any particular workshop or program, but comes from the person inner strength to stay on their healing journey.” The mandate for the project is to implement healing programs for survivors of residential schools and the inter-generationally impacted members. Programs are geared to building trust, lessening family feuds, counselling (individual, group, referrals, etc.) and parenting classes. Cultural classes are also provided because of the assimilation of the residential schools.
Ferens adds dealing with survivors who resided in the schools have “triggers” and they have to pick up where they left off with their healing.
“The abuses were terrible and some survivors stay angry at the system that put them there,” she says.
One important thing Ferens learned is the Métis people across Canada were having a difficult time receiving compensation when the Common Experience Payment was established. It was due to the fact of historical mistakes for name changes the schools made and what schools were registered, while criteria for the payment was rigid. Moreover, there was no payment for day students or children left in religious orphanages.
“These people still suffered the same as the survivors, but nothing is done for them,” Ferens says.
The project was supposed to shut down in 2007, but Ferens advocated for more funding and it received a three-year extension. She expects the project will continue in some form after it ends.
“We have created a sustainability plan for the community and we have resources for them to continue their healing, like mental health and counsellors,” she says.
Ferens will be going into another role after the project ends. Despite the cancellation, she’s pleased the project has lasted as long as it has.
“The fact we have been able to run the program for eight years is an achievement in itself,” she says.
A series of events will be held March 18-20, 2010 to celebrate the achievements of the project. A welcoming ceremony will be held March 18, which will include the survivors, service providers and other dignitaries. A dinner and karaoke contest will be held in the evening.
An Aboriginal and Métis fashion show will be held the next day, with a dance later. A round dance will be held during the third day.
Ferens invites everyone from the surrounding area to attend.
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