Family Violence Initiative

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

HISTORICAL LEGACY

Healing and Renewal of Family Roles and Responsibilities

Program Name:

The Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre (Spirit of Peace Program)

Organization/Community:

Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre

Location:

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Website:

www.mamawi.com

Goals and Objectives:

To help in the healing of the individual by providing a safe and supportive space for individual and family healing, reducing vulnerability to violence and abuse.

Target Group Description:

Everyone.

Program Description:

The Program provides open and closed groups that are specific to Aboriginal women, as well as men and children. The open groups are open to anyone's attendance while the closed group requires pre-registration and acceptance. The program provides counselling, advocacy, referrals, cultural and spiritual healing practices which allow examination of the reasons behind violence in the family and against Aboriginal women. The program uses a sharing circle format for interactions and also employs the Medicine Wheel as a tool of understanding. There are also other programs offered by the centre that are not operated separately but rather as part of the larger whole. For instance, there are ceremonies performed and there are sweat lodges and medicine picking opportunities that are open to the participants of the program, as part of the larger offerings of the centre.

Program Successes/Impact:

The building of positive relationships within families, and helping clients access needed resources.

Key Lesson/Challenge:

The challenge of having to operate within standardized reporting mechanisms makes it difficult for the program to create programming to better respond to the needs of specific individuals or communities.

Program in operation since:

1984.

Program:

Ongoing.