ONECA conference helps make what matters, happen

By Rick Garrick

THUNDER BAY—A Nipissing District Developmental Screen (NDDS) checklist for children from birth to six years of age was featured at the 34th Annual Ontario Native Education Counselling Association (ONECA) Make it Happen Make it Matter Conference.

“The idea is to provide a guide to parents so they have a better idea of what to expect their child to be able to do at those various ages,” says Fran Couchie, founding board member with NDDS and former director of education for Nipissing First Nation, about her Guides on a Childs Journey workshop. “We know from all of the work that has been done in early brain research that the early years are very important, so we want to make sure that children have the best start possible. And if they are requiring extra help in an area, the sooner that is understood or recognized and that help can be provided, the better it is, the better the outcomes.”

Information about the NDDS checklist is available online.

The conference, held May 28-30 at the Valhalla Inn in Thunder Bay, featured a keynote presentation by Niigaan Sinclair on Responding to Our Children’s Injustice: Activism and Action in the Age of Reconciliation, presentations by staff from the Assembly of First Nations, Chiefs of Ontario and Indigenous Service Canada and a range of workshops.

“We created a forum to give updates on what is really happening out there in Indigenous education,” says Roxane Manitowabi, ONECA’s executive director. “We had a lot of workshops that meet the needs of our counsellors to help them do their work in the communities.”

Garden River artist Phil Jones shared his soapstone carving techniques during his Inner Spirit Native Art and Design workshop.

“It’s very relaxing because you’re working with your hands and not focused on anything else and just having a good time,” Jones says. “I just walked them through it step-by-step and about midway through they begin seeing the bear evolve, and as it is evolving they begin to get excited because they are getting close to the end. When they are done and they start polishing it, that is when the colours come out. And then they just start loving the colours and the different things that pop out of it.”

Red Rock Indian Band’s Ron Kanutski emphasized the Four Roots of Wellness during his Understanding and Working w/Children who have Anxiety and Depression workshop.

“A key point is investment — we need to start spending more quality time with our children,” Kanutski says. “We need to increase our communication, we need to build routines with our family and as workers, just create stability and opportunity.”

Wiikwemkoong’s Susan Manitowabi shared information on what lateral violence is and where it comes from during her Lateral Violence in First Nations workshop.

“We also talked about shifting the talk from lateral violence to something called sweetness for life and going back to foundational teachings,” Susan says. “Those foundational teachings provide us guidance for how we are supposed to live our life.”

Conference emcee Dave Jones, from Garden River, also delivered a workshop on Creating a Healthy Work Environment.

“Don’t be afraid to be a leader in the workplace,” Jones says. “Don’t be afraid to be innovative, don’t be afraid to be creative, don’t be afraid to be led by example because leaders do need followers and followers do need leaders and we tried to create the safe space for that today in our session.”