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Building Capacity

BUILT ON A STRONG CULTURAL FOUNDATION

Land-based Programming

 

In connecting and caring for the lands, we learn to care for ourselves. Mother Earth helps us to heal, she helps us to know who we are. In knowing who we are in relation to the land, we become the medicine.

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Niibin Camping

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Community Development builds on a strong cultural foundation and delivers education and awareness programs across the province to empower communities on issues that affect Indigenous women and their families.

 

Programs are delivered in two ways: the first being knowledge and information exchange through a Program Coordinator that utilizes a service delivery model to encompass a combination of workshops, education campaigns, and regional activities. The second is by way of a flow-through funding model that delivers direct community member services through ONWA sites, Chapters and partnering organizations based on community need and organizational expertise. ONWA has developed our service structure to reflect the reality of Indigenous women’s lives and works with community to ensure that their needs are being met through capacity building.

Our Community Development Programs

OUR PROGRAMS & SERVICES

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DELIVERY SITES

PROVINCIAL | THUNDER BAY

Aboriginal Diabetes Education

This program aims to educate and support communities about the risk of diabetes and diabetes management.  This is done through the delivery of diabetes awareness and prevention presentations and workshops; to deliver presentations about gestational diabetes and proper foot and wound care management, to increase awareness of the need for physical activity; and to ensure information given out is age appropriate and culturally sensitive for Indigenous women and their families.

Services Provided: Workshops, Presentations and Training about diabetes that are designed specifically for Indigenous women and their families.

  • Prevention and management of diabetes workshops

  • Gestational Diabetes information sharing sessions and presentations

  • Educational activities about diabetes that are designed specifically for Indigenous women

  • Basic Foot Care Information Sessions

  • Nutritional educational information and sessions on traditional foods as healthy alternatives

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DELIVERY SITES

PROVINCIAL | THUNDER BAY

Aboriginal Responsible Gambling Awareness

This program provides community awareness, education, prevention, and resource development regarding responsible gambling for the benefit of all Indigenous women and their families. The programming focuses on community development using a traditional Indigenous and land-based approach to provide education, identity, self-location, and healing.

Services Provided:

  • Educational Workshops, Presentations and Training

  • Information and support

  • Training and education

  • Resource development

  • Advocacy and support

  • Referrals

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DELIVERY SITE:

PROVINCIAL

CHAPTER SITES:

FORT ERIE:  NIAGARA CHAPTER OF NATIVE WOMEN | HAMILTON: HAMILTON-WENTWORTH CHAPTER OF NATIVE WOMEN | MIDLAND: GEORGIAN BAY NATIVE WOMEN'S ASSOCIATION | SIOUX LOOKOUT: SUNSET WOMEN'S ABORIGINAL CIRCLE | THUNDER BAY: BEENDIGEN, INC | TORONTO: NATIVE WOMEN'S RESOURCE CENTRE OF TORONTO

Breaking Free from Family Violence

EDUCATION & AWARENESS

This program focuses on meeting the unique needs of Indigenous women, their children and families, who are involved with the child welfare system and violence against women sectors. The program supports women in a culturally rooted, wholistic way, so that women are better able to navigate through the complex systems encountered when experiencing violence and involvement in child welfare matters. This program is delivered via ONWA sites and Chapters to build community capacity.

Services Provided:

  • Educational Workshops, Presentations and Training

  • Crisis management and stabilization of family

  • Liaison with service providers

  • Traditional and cultural supports through activities and workshops

  • Systems navigation and advocacy support

  • Education provision for mothers on their rights and responsibilities that promote and facilitate Family Reunifications

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DELIVERY SITE:

PROVINCIAL

CHAPTER SITES:

SIOUX LOOKOUT: SUNSET WOMEN'S ABORIGINAL CIRCLE | THUNDER BAY: BEENDIGEN, INC

Community Health Outreach

EDUCATION & AWARENESS

This program is delivered through two ONWA Chapters and builds community capacity in the area of community health and wellness, with the knowledge that if Indigenous women are well, the community is well.

Services Provided:

  • Educational Workshops, Presentations and Training

  • Health Information and support

  • Resource development related to health

  • Advocacy and support to youth

  • Referrals

  • Cultural and traditional activities and workshops

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DELIVERY SITES

PROVINCIAL | THUNDER BAY

Ending Violence Against Indigenous Women

EDUCATION & AWARENESS

This program provides vital education, training and tools to empower and support Indigenous women. This program is geared to support Indigenous women’s healing through wholistic and culturally grounded presentations and workshops. The EV Training Coordinator also develops and delivers resources and training programs tailored to educate EVAIW Workers, and front-line service providers across the province with their responsibilities in advocating for Indigenous Women and their families.

Services Provided:

  • Educational Workshops, Presentations and Training

  • Resource development

  • Advocacy and support

  • Referrals

  • Cultural and traditional activities and workshops

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DELIVERY SITE:

PROVINCIAL | THUNDER BAY

CHAPTER SITES:

AKWESASNE: ABORIGINAL SHELTERS OF ONTARIO | FORT ERIE:  NIAGARA CHAPTER OF NATIVE WOMEN | FORT FRANCES: FORT FRANCES TRIBAL AREA HEALTH SERVICES | OTTAWA: METIS NATION OF ONTARIO, MINWAASHIN LODGE | TORONTO: NATIVE WOMEN'S RESOURCE CENTRE OF TORONTO

Indigenous Anti-Human Trafficking

This program supports Indigenous communities in providing survivor-focused and localized responses to end Human Trafficking. The Liaisons are located at six key partnership sites each supporting one of the five targeted regions: Greater Toronto Area and The Golden Horseshoe area, Ottawa, Akwesasne, Thunder Bay and Treaty #3. The Anti-Human Trafficking Program Lead at ONWA supports the program lead provincially through training, education, mentoring, guidance, and ensuring Indigenous survivor’s voices are central to the work.

Services Provided:

  • Build capacity in survivor, community and agency to ensure that Survivor led strategies and initiatives are developed and delivered

  • Nurture survivor resilience and strengthening Indigenous women’s leadership

  • Resource Development

  • Advocacy and Support

  • Systems navigation

  • Workshops, presentations and training across sectors in order to effect systems change

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DELIVERY SITES

PROVINCIAL | THUNDER BAY

Indigenous Women’s Leadership

This program focuses on building capacity and supporting Indigenous women as leaders in their current roles as leaders of organizations and communities. The program is responsible for maintaining relationships with ONWA’s membership. By supporting Chapters and Councils’ endeavors, the program collaborates with Indigenous women to support their cultural gatherings, educational events, demonstrations, community crises, and community celebrations.

Services Provided:

  • Educational Workshops, Presentations and Training

  • Information and support

  • Resource development

  • Advocacy and support

  • Referrals

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DELIVERY SITES

PROVINCIAL | THUNDER BAY

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Family Support

This program supports families by connecting families to trauma-informed services and provide supports and referrals in their communities. This program is structured to assist families and loved ones with the reconciliation and healing process. 

Services Provided:

  • Educational Workshops, Presentations and Training

  • Resource development

  • Advocacy and support

  • Referrals

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DELIVERY SITES

PROVINCIAL | THUNDER BAY

She is Wise

PASSING ON OUR WISDOM

This program builds Indigenous women’s leadership and capacity through a focus on Indigenous woman at the centre approach.  By increasing her individual skills and abilities, she is able to support her family and community growth.  This is completed through a comprehensive training and capacity building approach that is rooted in Indigenous knowledge and ways of knowing and being.

Services Provided:

  • Educational Workshops, Presentations and Training

  • Land-based activities and programming

  • Resource development

  • Advocacy and support

  • Referrals

  • Cultural and traditional activities and workshops

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CHAPTER SITES:

FORT ERIE:  NIAGARA CHAPTER OF NATIVE WOMEN | MIDLAND: GEORGIAN BAY NATIVE WOMEN'S ASSOCIATION

Services vary at each service delivery site

Ska-Be (Helper)

EDUCATION & AWARENESS

This program provides support services to improve the health and wellbeing of urban Indigenous elderly women and/or those with chronic illness or disabilities. This program is delivered through community partners to increase capacity for an improved quality of life, reflective of their needs and culture.

Services Provided:

  • Educational Workshops, Presentations and Training

  • Individual personal care

  • Resource development

  • Advocacy and services navigation support

  • Referrals

  • Social and cultural activities for individuals and their families to come together

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DELIVERY SITE

THUNDER BAY

Urban Aboriginal Strategy

ONWA is the sponsoring agency for the Thunder Bay Urban Aboriginal Advisory Committee (UAAC). The UAAC seeks to provide comprehensive and representative advice on urban Indigenous issues in the City of Thunder Bay. The Committee is comprised of members of the urban Indigenous community, urban Indigenous agencies, government, and other community partners in Thunder Bay.

Services Provided:

  • Building Indigenous community capacity through community collaboration

  • Partnership development

  • Educational Workshops, Presentations and Training

  • Resource development

  • Advocacy and support

  • Referrals

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DELIVERY SITES

PROVINCIAL | THUNDER BAY

Youth Life Promotion

MENTORSHIP

This program supports Indigenous youth life promotion and suicide prevention activities, including mental health and wellness supports, and clinical and land-based programming. Training provided by the program assists youth with gaining practical tools to enable them to support Indigenous youth to build a strong cultural identity to ensure Indigenous youth feel confident in their individual roles for themselves, and within their families, and communities.

Services Provided:

  • Educational Workshops, Presentations and Training

  • Land-based activities and programming

  • Resource development

  • Advocacy and support

  • Referrals

  • Cultural and traditional activities and workshops

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