Family Violence Initiative

COMPENDIUM OF PROMISING PRACTICES TO REDUCE VIOLENCE AND INCREASE SAFETY OF ABORIGINAL WOMEN IN CANADA

Program Name:: Nah Dah Mah Dah Win – Moving Forward Together Residential School Healing and Reconciliation Project
Organization/Community:: At^lohsa Native Family Healing Centre Inc.
Location:: Southwold, Ontario
Website:: www.atlohsa.com
Goals and Objectives:: To assist in healing and to address the root causes of continued cycles of violence in residential school survivors.
Target Group Description:: All male and female survivors of residential schools.
Program Description:: The program seeks to provide a safe space in which survivors of the residential schools can tell their stories. Through talking sessions that seek to acknowledge and validate the clients' pain the program strives to encourage healing and positive choice making. Cultural elements are utilized to encourage clients on their path to living a good life. Ceremonies and activities to assist with this are: sweat lodge ceremonies, water ceremonies, sunrise ceremonies, naming ceremonies, smudging, pipe ceremonies and community feasts. Every two years the organization holds a conference open to Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples. This conference increases public awareness of the programs and services offered by the organization.
Program Successes/Impact:: Maintaining the program. Growth of the organization.
Key Lessons/Challenges:: Obtaining funding. Limitations of the program to support clients.
Program in operation since:: 2005.
Program:: Ongoing.