BearPaw Legal Education & Resource Centre

Funding provided by Alberta Law Foundation 

The BearPaw Legal Education & Resource Centre (formerly the Alberta Aboriginal Legal Education Centre) represents the next step in the evolution of legal education services in Alberta by NCSA. BearPaw Legal Education was created to promote awareness of the legal rights and obligations of Aboriginal people living in Alberta and to enhance Aboriginal peoples’ connection and access to justice. Our goals are to contribute to the legal education and knowledge of the Aboriginal people of Alberta and provide programs and facilities for these purposes; to increase NCSA’s capacity for the collection, translation, facilitation and distribution of legal information; to create a central clearinghouse of accessible, user-friendly legal education resources for Aboriginal people in Alberta; and to increase the legal resources available to Aboriginal people in Alberta through a targeted, multi method distribution strategy.

BearPaw Legal Education offers public legal education and information specifically designed by and for Aboriginal people, focusing on areas of the law that are of special significance to Aboriginal people. We offer workshops and a website with links to legal information and resources, audio/video podcasts, downloads, legal education videos, informational brochures and fact sheets, and research and publications on pertinent legal topics.

Visit the BearPaw Legal Education website at http://www.bearpaweducation.ca/ for further information.

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Pimatisiwin: A Journal of Aboriginal and Indigenous Community Health

Pimatisiwin: A Journal of Aboriginal and Indigenous Community Health is a peer reviewed, web-based journal published twice each year by Native Counselling Services of Alberta, in partnership with the CRCAH in Australia, Papa Ola Lokahi in Hawaii, and the International Indigenous Council for Healing Our Spirit Worldwide. The articles are multidisciplinary, and of interest to a wide range of readers, including both community and academic researchers. Our peer review process includes an academic and a community-based reviewers for each article.

Mandate

The goal of the Pimatisiwin Journal is to promote the sharing of knowledge and research experience between researchers, health professionals, and Aboriginal leaders and community members. The journal provides a forum for this diverse population to publish on research process and findings in a cross-disciplinary, cross-cultural setting. The primary focus is on health and health research in Indigenous communities, broadly defined. Articles can be of interest to many fields, including sociological, psychological, medical, anthropological, experiential, methodological, both qualitative and quantitative in nature.

History

As of June, 2009 we have seven volumes and 14 issues published. Pimatisiwin has been accessed widely during this time, as well as adopted by colleges, communities and universities as a curriculum and training resource.

All Access Policy

Our all access policy ensures that the articles published in Pimatisiwin are available to everyone interested in this area, free of charge. The benefits of this format include the expansion our readership and our increased ability to attract new contributors from communities in other countries. It has strengthened the network of communities and health researchers sharing their strategies with each other. Of course, this system is much more economic to publish, which reduces the cost of the journal, ensuring the sustainability of Pimatisiwin.

For more information, or to view a copy of the journal, please visit:
http://pimatisiwin.com/ 

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Research Ethics Policy

Research Integrity Policy

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Legal Education Needs Survey 2006-2007

The Community Solution to Gang Violence: A Collaborative Community Process and Evaluation Framework

Biidaaban: The Mnjikaning Community Healing Model

An Investigation into the Formation and Recruitment Processes of Aboriginal Gangs in Western Canada: "When You Have Nothing to Live For, You Have Nothing to Die For"

A Cost-Benefit Analysis of Hollow Water's Community Holistic Circle Healing Process

LINKS Cultural Exchange Program - Outcome Evaluation

Tracking Our Youth

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NCSA continues to work on the evaluation of the Community Solution to Gang Violence in the Greater Edmonton Area in partnership with Dr. Jana Grekul from the University of Alberta. To date, the evaluation team has three publications completed:

1.      "Aboriginal Gangs and their (Dis)placement: Contextualizing Recruitment, Membership, and Status" (Published in Canadian Journal of Criminology and Criminal Justice)

2.      “When you have nothing to live for, you have nothing to die for”: An investigation into the formation and recruitment of Aboriginal gangs in Canada. (Published in Aboriginal Peoples Collection: Public Safety and Community Preparedness Canada http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/res/cor/apc/_fl/apc25-e.pdf) 

3.      "The Community Solution to Gang Violence: A Collaborative Community Process and Evaluation Framework" (Published in Aboriginal Peoples Collection: Public Safety Canada)

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Core funding provided by the Alberta Law Foundation

We’ve been sharing Aboriginal stories with a worldwide audience for over 30 years.  A full video and DVD production facility for award-winning multimedia resources, BearPaw Media Productions operates with state of the art digital technology. BearPaw Media produced four legal education videos during the 2008-09 fiscal year.

Family Group Conferencing (FGC) - This project was completed in partnership with Alberta Children and Family Services, Region 7. The purpose of this video is to explore the process of Family Group Conferencing as it is used within the Child and Family Enhancement Act in Alberta for Aboriginal families who are in crisis. The video will highlight FGC as an alternative process to the court procedure that includes aspects of family self-determination.

Kids Having Kids - This 28 minute video was produced in partnership with the Alberta Maintenance Enforcement Program and was completed in October 2008. The idea behind this video was to increase youth awareness of what their legal obligations are in regards to becoming a parent, and discusses issues of paternity/maternity and the extent of maintenance enforcement, the length of time a parent is responsible for providing for a child, and what is expected of parents financially (regardless of age).    A 10-minute version of the video has been re-edited for use in the Parenting Workshop currently being delivered by the BearPaw Legal Education & Resource Centre.

Alternative Measures - The  purpose of this video is to increase Aboriginal people’s understanding of the consequences of receiving Administration of Justice Charges, specifically Failure to Appear. Statistics for the Aboriginal Court Work (ACW) program point to an overwhelming number of charges against the administration of justice for both youth and adults alike.  This video is scheduled to be completed in January 2009 and is a key part of the BearPaw Legal Education & Resource Centre's Administration of Justice workshop.

Out in the Cold - Matrimonial Real Property - The  purpose of this video is to assist Aboriginal communities, and in particular Aboriginal women on-reserve to have a better understanding of the implications of matrimonial property laws on First Nations, as well as what rights women have within the law.

BearPaw Legal Education has also produced The Bang You Feel – a video funded by Public Safety Canada that explores the challenges experienced by Aboriginal women offenders when reintegrating into society after incarceration.

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Funding provided by the Alberta Law Foundation and a partnernship with the Nechi Training, Research and Health Promotion Institute. 

The Aboriginal Resource Centre (ARC) is made possible through a partnership with Nechi Training, Research, and Health Promotions Institute. The purpose of the ARC is to make readily available a comprehensive collection of Aboriginal research and literature on legal, justice, and health issues that are currently and historically pertinent to Aboriginal people. With its range of materials, the ARC strives to be a one-stop location for staff, students, members of the Aboriginal and post-secondary communities, as well as any other interested parties. 

During 2008-09, the Aboriginal Resource Centre recorded its highest usership to date, circulating nearly 1000 resources and serving over 1100 users.  The ARC also established an Inter-Library Loan program with Yellowhead Tribal College to help service patrons of both libraries. Throughout this fiscal year, the ARC has been focusing on gathering new resources related to public legal education, Aboriginal health (broadly defined) and Aboriginal law, as well as the increasingly important issue of gangs and gang research. The ARC has also extended its news clippings service to many other members of the Aboriginal community.

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Campaign funding provided by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada

The National Day of Healing and Reconciliation (NDHR) is a movement of people committed to growing together within our families, communities and across Canada, towards healing and reconciliation. The launch of the National Campaign takes place every year on May 26, with the objectives of:

(1) celebrating a positive, collective healing and reconciliation movement within our families, communities, churches and government on May 26th of each year;

(2) educating ourselves and other Canadians about our collective history of government policies which impacted Aboriginal communities and other ethnic groups; and 

(3) developing commemoration sites and to encourage communities to join in the National Day of Healing and Reconciliation.

This year the National Campaign office distributed 1000 information booklets about the NDHR campaign in December 2008 – which included a copy of the NCSA Lateral Violence DVD.  These booklets were sent to municipalities, First Nations, Friendship Centres and Treatment Centres throughout Canada.  Further, the NDHR campaign office, in  partnership with the Legacy of Hope, launched the 1000 Conversations on Reconciliation Campaign. For more information on this campaign, go to http://www.1000conversations.ca/ .  The 2009 gathering report notes the following:

· Sioux Lookout, Ontario was awarded $3500 to host the national launch.The  Sioux Lookout’s NDHR committee included their Anti-Racism Committee, the Community Coalition, Lac Seul First Nation and the United Catholic Church.

· Over 12,100 individuals participated in NDHR 2009 events across Canada.

· 15,340 pieces of promotional items were circulated for the 2009 campaign.

For more information, please visit the NDHR website at http://www.ndhr.ca/.

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Funding Provided by Edmonton Public Schools

This special project, to be delivered by Edmonton Public High Schools, had students examine the historical sources of pain that have caused the rifts between cultural groups co-existing in the country that we now call Canada. The focus was on historical wrongs put upon the First peoples of the land as well as the mistreatment of those who came to this land seeking solace from the difficult circumstances that drove them to leave their own homelands.

Students (both of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal immigrant background) from Ross Shepherd High School and Jasper Place High School participated in this special project. Students were assigned to groups including Aboriginal students and non-Aboriginal students. Groups explored, examined and documented their family trees and the experiences of their own families/peoples and then share this analysis with their fellow group members.

The final phase of the project for each group was to develop a project, activity or process to facilitate healing and reconciliation between two cultural groups, between their people and the government of Canada or between their people and Canadian society as a whole. The focus of their project was to narrow the grout and bring the tiles of a potentially beautiful cultural picture closer together.

Leadership development was a natural outcome of this special project. Students developed a personal understanding of their own heritage, a stronger sense of the true history of this land, an understanding, appreciation and respect of other cultures and a confidence in their stature as valuable individuals. Students also strengthened their abilities to develop and deliver presentations to various audiences.

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Funding Provided by First Nations and Inuit Health Branch
 
NCSA began leading the National Aboriginal Addictions Awareness Week (NAAAW) in September, 2008. We envision the NAAAW celebration every year that is grounded on the empowerment and capacity building of First Nation and Inuit families, individuals, communities and organizations that will contribute to the creation of positive, safe, healthy environments.

During NAAAW communities and organizations are encouraged to enhance their relationships with others through partnership, planning and development of community-based activities that bring people together in positive and affirming ways. Community-specific activities will be designed to encourage community people to “live the good life”- one that embraces addiction-free and responsible lifestyles through the building of positive family and community relationships.
The purpose of NAAAW is to promote addiction free lifestyles for communities, families and individuals by enabling communities to develop activities which increase knowledge and awareness of addictions and how addictions can be addressed. At each celebration we visualize an opportunity for honoring a positive individual, family or organization that role models building good relationships and responsible lifestyles.

In 2008, 397 First Nations and Inuit communities received resource and promotional materials via 202 individuals who were in direct contact with the NAAAW office for the purposes of accessing these materials. An impressive 44% of community contacts responded to the 202 evaluation surveys that were distributed. Highlights of the results included the following:

• Six First Nations communities and one Inuit community received sponsorship in the amount of $2,500 each to support their NAAW 2008 events and celebrations.

• Over 20,000 First Nations and Inuit community members participated in NAAAW 2008 events across Canada.

• 95% of community organizers and 95% of community events participants surveyed reported that they viewed their community NAAAW events and celebrations as successful.

• 90% of responding community organizers reported having incorporated the unique culture of their community in to their 2008 NAAAW events and celebrations.

• 99% of respondents indicated that promotional items for the 2008 NAAAW campaign were appealing, effective in promoting NAAAW values and appropriate for their purposes within the community.

Check out www.NAAAW.net for more information.

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