Family Violence Initiative
COMPENDIUM OF PROMISING PRACTICES TO REDUCE VIOLENCE AND INCREASE SAFETY OF ABORIGINAL WOMEN IN CANADA – COMPENDIUM ANNEX: DETAILED PRACTICE DESCRIPTIONS
INTERACTIONS WITHIN COMMUNITIES
Family Violence Interventions
- Program name:
Community Wellness Worker Program
- Organization:
Métis Nation of Ontario
- Location:
Ottawa, Ontario / Serving 18 Ontario locations, rural/urban, off reserve.
- Target Group:
Everyone.
- Contact Name:
Jason Jamieson, Community Wellness Worker Supervisor
- Phone:
N/A
- Email:
- Website:
Program Overview
- History:
The program has been offered since 2000. During that time, it has expanded and been refined. Goals, deliverables, and processes have all been streamlined.
Program Description
- Goals & Objectives:
To reduce the incidence and impact of family violence and to promote healthy decision making toward the facilitation of Aboriginal Health.
- Traditional/Indigenous ways:
The program is offered from a Métis cultural perspective. Every client has their own unique plan that suits their cultural beliefs, learning styles, and other preferences.
- Components of program:
Direct interventions based on client-driven supports including wellness planning, assistance with form completion, referrals, advocacy, assisting clients to gain access to existing services and programs, peer counselling, crisis intervention and traditional cultural support. Targeted, culturally appropriate community education gatherings are convened in order to enhance capacity/knowledge, change attitudes/behaviours and promote awareness for participants. Developed and maintained ongoing community relationships to share resources/knowledge, streamline services, support mutual goals and facilitate a Métis cultural perspective across the community at large.
- Services/How they work:
Services are provided on site at the facility.
- Funding:
Funding is provided by the Ontario Ministry for Community and Social Services Aboriginal Healing and Wellness Strategy
Relationships and Stakeholders
- Involvement of Target Groups:
Every level of community has a say in developing programming. This is accomplished through consultation with different community stakeholders using mail-outs, sharing circles and other means of consultation.
- Partners:
Children's Aid Society; local schools; crisis shelters; hospitals; other in-house programs; and the Providence Continuing Care Centre in Kingston.
- Other relationships:
N/A
Details of Program Evaluation
- Evaluation:
An evaluation has been completed.
- Highlights of Evaluation Findings:
The report was not made available publicly, and no specific results can be provided.
Program Outcomes
- Measures of Success:
N/A
- Achievements:
Community Wellness Workers are seeing families making healthy and informed decisions, families staying together free of violence, and people asking for, and receiving, help. There has also been an increase in awareness throughout the community at large. and the matter is brought to the table with increasing frequency.
- Challenges:
Transportation for clients to and from the program has been a challenge. There is a need for more specialized resources in the area of mental wellness.
Things to Know to Replicate
- Replication Advice:
The program is considered replicable. A program needs to stay focused on covering the areas of intervention, education and building partnerships.
- Resources:
Adequate funding, properly trained staff and facility space for the programming would be necessary to ensure the program's success.
- Date modified: