Embracing Life: Northern Saskatchewan Working Together

• 1. Embracing Life: Northern Saskatchewan Working Together Amanda Laboucane & Amanda Frain Ministry of Government Relations & Mamawetan Churchill River Health Region www.qualitysummit.ca #QS14

2. Northern Saskatchewan 3. Suicide in Northern Saskatchewan Rate of suicide 2 5 times higher than provincial average Majority of deaths by suicide are youth aged 15 24 Contributing factors include: living in poverty insufficient family or social supports poor mental health intergenerational trauma disconnect from culture substance abuse 4. Deaths by Suicide Canada 2000-2007 North Sask 2000-2009 5. Hospitalization for Self-Harm North Sask and Sask 2002-2010 6. Suicide in Northern Saskatchewan Impact of Suicide Youth Perspective https://vimeo.com/25224183 7. Setting the Context There have been and are ongoing efforts to address suicide in the region Embracing Life was formed as an ongoing initiative to build on existing initiatives and continue to reduce suicide in northern Saskatchewan 8. What is Embracing Life? Embracing Life is a north-wide, cross-disciplinary partnership that facilitates action to reduce suicide by sharing the strengths of communities and working together through health promotion, suicide prevention, intervention and post-vention. We all have a role to play when it comes to suicide prevention and health promotion, and Embracing Life encourages communities to take ownership by bringing ideas forward and committing to positive, on-going change in partnership with front line workers and agencies across the north. Embracing Life is a north-wide, cross-disciplinary partnership that facilitates action to reduce suicide by sharing the strengths of communities and working together through health promotion, suicide prevention, intervention and post-vention. We all have a role to play when it comes to suicide prevention and health promotion, and Embracing Life encourages communities to take ownership by bringing ideas forward and committing to positive, on-going change in partnership with front line workers and agencies across the north. 9. What is Embracing Life? Embracing Life is a north-wide, cross-disciplinary partnership that facilitates action to reduce suicide by sharing the strengths of communities and working together through health promotion, suicide prevention, intervention and post-vention. We all have a role to play when it comes to suicide prevention and health promotion, and Embracing Life encourages communities to take ownership by bringing ideas forward and committing to positive, on-going change in partnership with front line workers and agencies across the north. Embracing Life is a north-wide, cross-disciplinary partnership that facilitates action to reduce suicide by sharing the strengths of communities and working together through health promotion, suicide prevention, intervention and post-vention. We all have a role to play when it comes to suicide prevention and health promotion, and Embracing Life encourages communities to take ownership by bringing ideas forward and committing to positive, on-going change in partnership with front line workers and agencies across the north. 10. Breakout Session #1 1. Based on the description of the problem and context of suicide in northern Saskatchewan, what similarities exist between our area and yours? 2. Based on the description of the problem and context of suicide in northern Saskatchewan, what differences exist between our area and yours? 3. When it comes to working to reduce suicide, what can Embracing Life learn from you? 4. When it comes to working to reduce suicide, what can you learn from Embracing Life ? 11. Embracing Life Workshop 12. Embracing Life Workshop 13. Embracing Life Workshop 14. Embracing Life Workshop 15. Outcomes 16. Breakout Session #2 Your Activities Here! 17. Needs of Communities Needs of Communities Youth Perspective 18. Embracing Life Strategy Community engagement as continuous improvement On-going, community based At the Embracing Life Workshop At the Quality Summit Sustaining momentum Resource mapping Engage local and regional inter-agency groups Community specific suicide prevention plans 19. Sustaining Communities NORTH WIDE Northern Healthy Communities Partnership (NHCP) NHCP Youth Development Team Northern Role Model Campaign 15,000 FAR NORTH Northern Hamlet of Stony Rapids Cultural Empowerment Through the Arts 15,000 Northern Settlement of Uranium City Go Girls Mentoring Project 9,150 NORTHWEST Twin Lakes Community School (Buffalo Narrows) in Partnership with Buffalo Narrows Friendship Centre Never Give Up Workshop & Cultural Guidance Initiative 21,500 La Loche Friendship Centre Suicide is Preventable 15,000 Sipisihk Tawicihitoyahk Leadership Inc. (Beauval) Reclaiming Our Voice Youth Development 15,000 Northern Village of Green Lake Community Drug Strategy Family, Child and Youth Recreation Prevention Activity Nights 14,350 Meadow Lake Tribal Council (MLTC) Being Someone Who Cares 14,000 Northern Hamlet of Jans Bay The Northern Hamlet of Jans Bay Addictions Awareness Week 12,000 Kineepik Mtis Local #9, Pinehouse Lake Reclaiming Aboriginal Life Program 10,000 NORTHEAST Cumberland House Cree Nation (CHCN), Victoria Laliberte Memorial Health Centre CHCN Embrace Life Program Suicide Prevention and Training 15,000 Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC) Empowering Youth Action Council 15,000 Hector Thiboutot Community School (HTCS) NLSD #113 (Sandy Bay) HTCS Cultural Awareness Camp: Celebrating Life! 13,000 Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation (PBCN), Southend Southend Suicide Prevention Project 11,000 Northern Village of Sandy Bay CARE Team Sandy Bay CAREs 10,000 Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation (PBCN), Deschambault Lake Deschambault Lake Suicide Prevention Project 8,000 Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation (PBCN), Pelican Narrows Pelican Narrows Youth Suicide Prevention Project 8,000 Total 221,000 20. Working Together We all have a role to play when it comes to suicide prevention Your contributions matter Output and ideas obtained during Quality Summit You are invited to continue to be actively involved Email sign up list www.EmbracingLifeSK.com 21. Moving Forward I as an Elder and knowing that some of the teachings that were taught to me by my Elders, we value life as a people. We value the importance of our journey as the Creator wanted us to journey through life. This life is an extension of our spiritual life. The physical world and the spiritual world are both real. When we journey in life we are working towards going to the spiritual world and the Creator knows when that will be. We even value life at the very beginning of conception. Thats how valuable life is. As a young child, we feel that young people, the younger you are the closer you are to the Creator, because your spirit is bigger than ours as adults. However, I know that sometimes life does have its challenges and that people do despair sometimes in their life. If that happens to you, it is very important that you connect with someone who can help you. I know that people have thought about not being in this life from different age levels, from young people to Elders, its not unusual and you are not the first one. Give us one of the greatest gifts that you can give, give us the gift of your life. 22. Embracing Life Committee Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations First Nations University of Canada Health Canada Keewatin Yatth Health Region Mamawetan Churchill River Health Region Ministry of Government Relations Ministry of Justice New North SANC Services Inc. Northern Human Services Partnership Northern Inter-Tribal Health Authority Northern Lights School Division Population Health Unit Prince Albert Grand Council 23. Acknowledgements & References Irvine J, Quinn B, Stockdale D. Northern Saskatchewan Health Indicators Report 2011. Athabasca Health Authority and Keewatin Yatth and Mamawetan Churchill River Regional Health Authorities. Population Health Unit, La Ronge, 2011 Photos from Embracing Life Workshop, October 2013. Used with permission. Elders Wisdom: Elder Julie Pitzel, Prince Albert Youth Videos: Naomi Corrigal, Beauval Francis Laliberte, Beauval 24. Questions? Contact Me: Amanda Laboucane Senior Policy Analyst, Ministry of Government Relations [email protected] www.qualitysummit.ca #QS14