Program for 10-12 years old and their parents

IMPROVING WELL-BEING OF INDIGENOUS FAMILIES

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Funded by PHAC (2011-2015)

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PROGRAMGOALS:• Youth social & life skills• Parenting skills• Family relationship

14 weekly sessions (2½ hours):• Welcoming words; last session follow-up • Ice breaker game • Dinner • Breaking out session: youth / parents• Practicing skills together• Gifts / home task

Program delivery: Facilitators autonomously follow a guiding manual

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INVOLVEMENTLocal collaborators:• Advisory committee to culturally adapt the manual• Elders (may assist facilitators)• 2 trained facilitators (or +)• 1 coordinator • 1 cook

Participants (max 10 families):• 10-12 years old youth• With their parents or care takers

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MAIN GOAL: INCREASING PROTECTIVE FACTORS

for mental health promotion

• Positive relationships between child and his parents foster healthy families and communities.

• Learning skills for managing daily life stressors prevent or delay the use of unhealthy social behaviors (smoking).

• Cultural continuity factors (language, health services provided by local members) enhance well-being among communities and prevent suicide.

• Training local facilitators for autonomous delivery of the program encourage community empowerment.

WEEKLY THEMES1- Welcome Feast

2- Cultural History

3- My Family

4- A Good Way of Life

5- Help Seeking / Giving

6- Stress and Anger Management

7- Healthy self, healthy relationship

8- Problem Solving

9- Being Different

10- Peer Communication

11- Refusal Skills

12- Building Social Support I

13- Building Social Support II

14- Celebration Feast / Blanket ceremony

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Weekly ObjectivesTHEME FAMILIES YOUTH CARE TAKERS

1- Welcome Feast To feel welcome; to learn about the program; to think about family values

Ex: values through Sacred tree story

Discuss healthy /traditional family values

2- Cultural History To gain a sense of pride.Ex: traditional ways of life as told by Elders

Learn about historical events and traditions; ask questions

Discuss importance of language and traditions; their link to health

3- My Family To communicate in respectful ways

Developing skills:Ex: listen with the heart

Discuss and practice the Family Talking Circle

4- A Good Way of Life To identify good ways of life at each age

Developing skills: Ex: Learn from mistakes

Identify stage of life and positive things coming up

5- Help Seeking / Giving To learn skills and practices (offer tobacco)

Developing skills:4 Steps to solve problems

Write a list of family goals; know resources

6- Stress and Anger Management

To view anger as a natural / normal emotion

Temper gauge; reaction to anger

Identify own emotions and those of children

7- Healthy self, healthy relationship

To identify signs of depression

To recognize the consequences of bullying

Discuss monitoring internet and phone use

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Weekly Objectives – Cont’dTHEME FAMILIES YOUTH CARE TAKERS

8- Problem Solving To take STEPS as a solving method for problems…

Such as: Peer pressure, following the rules

Such as: Time management, conflicts

9- Being Different To see differences as unique (not unequal)

To be more sensitive to others with differences

Identify ways to combat discrimination

10- Peer Communication To learn skills for having trusting relationships

Discuss qualities needed of a good friendship

Prepare children for success; quality time

11- Refusal Skills To learn different ways to say no.

Discuss peer pressure; learn refusal techniques

Monitoring children: traditional VS new ways

12- Building Social Support I

To identify the positive influences (interactions)

Large group discussion: who can help with stress?

Trust building actions; traditional teachings

13- Building Social Support II

To talk on the strengths of the community

Think of own role for a better community

To discuss community empowerment: goals / barriers / collective skills

14- Celebration Feast / Blanket ceremony

To recognize everyone’s hard work and effort

To share memories and celebrate

Elders will conduct the Blanket ceremony

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How much does the program cost?

ACTION RESEARCH

« A disciplined process of inquiry conducted by and for those taking the action. The

primary reason for engaging in action research is to assist the “actor” in improving and/or refining his or

her actions » (Sagor, 2000).

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ACTION RESEARCHProviding evidence-based data to evaluate the efficiency of a program that was

culturally-adapted by different Indigenous Nations

Action

Participants

Research

Cultural Adaptation Program Improvement

Qualitative & Quantitative data Collected

Facilitators team & +/- 10 youth with a caretaker

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Adapting the Materials:• Undertaken by the workers.

• Informal validation is preferred for any questioning on adapting (ex.: language).

Recruiting Participants:• Using public events to promote the upcoming

program among the youth and parents is a good strategy.

Main Lessons Learned from the FNQLHSSC

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Main Lessons Learned from the FNQLHSSC - Cont’d

Program Offer:• The program (14 sessions) is long: demanding for

both workers and participants.

• The program offer must be added to the workers’ work plan (additional time).

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RESULTS WILL BE PUBLISHED IN 2015

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Thank!

Audrey Vézina, Mental health adviser, FNQLHSSC

Patricia Montambault, Research agent, FNQLHSSC