Organizers capped the recent Leaving Here workshop at 55 participants but said many more wanted to attended.
The subject of family violence struck a cord with many professionals as well as ordinary citizens.
“It was a good mix of people, some from as far away as Prince Rupert and 100 Mile House,” Const. Jenny Collins said.
Nazko First Nations’ Brenda Gardiner said the guest list included anyone with a connection to violent situations and that included individuals as well as professionals.
“We were pleased to see even a judge attended,” she said.
With the subject matter, family violence, Gardiner added it was important to include men and she said many attended.
The weekend workshop began Feb. 25 with an introduction by Patrol Sergeant Cecil Sveinson. Saturday kicked off with a smudge ceremony, prayers and drumming, followed by sessions with Sveinson who addressed the root causes of family violence.
“These causes transcend cultural barriers and non-aboriginal people can also heal with aboriginal methods,” RCMP Victim Services’ Cindy Osip said.
Organizers conducted a survey before the workshop to assess community attitudes towards family violence.
One of the overwhelming realities they discovered was community acceptance of family violence.
“The workshop discussed the importance of promoting good role models to counteract all the negative images available, especially to youth, they become desensitized,” Gardiner said.
“This training can begin at the grass roots level and deliver the message ‘violence isn’t right or acceptable’.”
Osip said the momentum kept building throughout the workshop with the Saturday session ending well into the evening around 9 p.m.
During Saturday’s dinner session Marlene Swift and Trisha Baptie, both Courage to Come Back award recipients, delivered a moving address.
“The real life stories were very revealing, eye-opening,” Collins said.
Osip added it was a powerful day.
“Everyone was so energized,” she added.
Natalie McBride from the Gignoo Transition House in Fredericton, NB presented the Healing Journey toolkit she developed to help address the issues surrounding family violence.
“We’re modifying the workbook as a training tool for future workshops,” Gardiner said.
Once the workbook is complete, they plan to meet with anyone who attended the workshop and is interested in taking the message forward.
The toolkit can be delivered anywhere and be effective, at virtually no cost as one of the goals of the workshop was to create a self-sustaining program.
Gardiner added it’s important to have a strong cultural component.
“So much of what was delivered at the workshop can’t be taught at university,” she said.
“It’s a cultural, practical understanding of the issue of family violence.”
She summed up the workshop this way.
“It was a magical combination of the right people, the right message and the right energy,” Gardiner said.
April 10 – 16 is National Victims of Crime Awareness Week and Osip plans to be in the community with the newly revised toolkit.
Gardiner and Collins are attending the Women’s Resource Centre’s Clothesline Project which is a tribute to women and children who’ve suffered from violence. Gardiner plans to paint her own special T-shirt based on violence in her own life.
