CHIPPEWAS OF THE THAMES COMMUNITY STORY - Cottfn

a. Family healing and development has to become a high priority. We specifically need
to address the challenge that 150 of 260 of our families on reserves have been ―red
flagged‖ by child protective services as being families ―at risk‖ in terms of child safety
and well being, and that an estimated 80% of the community‘s children are living in
homes where alcohol and drug abuse poses a serious risk to their safety and well
being. Parent training and support, family healing, and many other elements need to
be built into such a venture.
b. The community needs to arise from the grassroots to support a broad range of
recreational, social, and cultural activities that effectively engage the full spectrum of
interests and needs (sports, music, culture, art, travel, computers, etc.) for children of
all ages, with special attention to the gap that now exists for younger children.
c. The school program needs to be expanded to address the social, healing and
personal development needs of children. School needs to become a safe place to
learn and to heal
d. Also through the school, as well as through other avenues, children need to be
exposed to their own cultural history, Ojibwe language, traditional knowledge (i.e.,
medicine, traditional foods, etc.), stories, and wisdom teachings, with a focus on
securing a strong identity foundation.
e. An intervention is needed to address the low academic achievement; poor school
success, and high drop out rates.
f. Some children are living in families that are either extremely poor or too unhealthy to
ensure that their basic needs (food, clothing, shelter, medicine, etc.) are being met. A
systematic initiative is needed to ensure that every Chippewas child has their basic
needs met so they have a choice to grow up healthy. This should be a clan and
community based initiative and not one that is left to a few program workers.
g. Bullying needs to be targeted as ―totally unacceptable‖ behaviour. Both victims and
bullies need healing, and a community campaign to end bullying will need the active
involvement and support of everyone to ensure success.
Chippewas of the Thames Community Story
October 2011
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