Page 27 - Walking_The_Red_Road

The CAC met four times, each time breaking
into smaller focus groups to address particular questions and issues. As well, working groups were formed representing particular sectors of the community, such as the Labour Working Group. These groups met more often to carry out specific tasks and then report back to the larger CAC.
While we initially expected the Elders Action Circle would function in a similar way, we soon recognized that the Elders offered guidance on their own terms, often informally and individually, seemingly popping by the office right at the moment when we had questions for them. One elder regularly led opening prayers at meetings, another shared knowledge of ethical protocols in research, and another shared stories and jokes during visits.
Sharing their gifts in meetings, in hallway visits or over tea, the Elders advised on ethical, historical and cultural matters. But they also did much more. The Elders played valuable roles in building and/or strengthening relationships within the Aboriginal community and between the Aboriginal community and the Friendship Centre. They also offered much-needed ‘balance’ to every aspect of the project—they were the ‘ying’ to every ‘yang,’ so to speak. The Elders helped us keep the project on a steady course, ensuring that we never pursued any one direction at the cost of another. Finally, they helped increase the confidence and professional and personal development of the researchers and other community participants, particularly the youth.
The Youth Action Circle was created to engage and empower youth to participate and to help ensure their perspectives, ideas, concerns and priorities were included. The YAC was also the link to the broader youth community, organizing its own events and initiatives. As the Elders created their own ways to participate, so did the youth. They created a formal leadership structure with members voting to fill five community member positions along with the leadership roles of chair, co-chair, secretary and events co-ordinator. This approach meant that every member had a role; as the leaders taught and mentored, the group members learned, and all participated in planning and organizing activities and events.
Key to all of this was the ‘mentoring’ model that the youth adopted, both within the formal leadership structure and the informal activities they organized. Youth participation also helped to ensure balance: just as the Elders provided balance, youth helped ensure that the project remained inclusive and connected to the community at a level and in ways that other members, such as service providers or city officials, could not.
Walking the Red Road | REPORT OF THE URBAN ABORIGINAL COMMUNITIES THRIVE PROJECT | 27
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I guess my inspiration would be
my grandfather. He was the one that taught me a lot, helped me understand about who we are and to never forget who we are.
Richard Assinewai
Honoured at Shine-A Light Gala
What motivates me? Meeting people. I love meeting new people, especially the youth. I’ve studied at the university for many years and I think I only went there because of the young people. They inspire me so much. They give you so much energy. They don’t know what they give.
Georgina Pelletier Honoured at Shine-A Light Gala