$75,000 OTF Seed Grant to Strengthen Collaboration of Indigenous Families and Child Welfare
Recently, the Windsor-Essex Children’s Aid Society (WECAS) and the Can Am Indian Friendship Centre (CAIFC) welcomed dignitaries and guests to a special announcement of a $75,000 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF). Local MPP Lisa Gretzky and OTF Grant Review Team member Sushil Jain were on hand to congratulate WECAS and hear more about the impact this OTF Seed grant will have on community.
“This collaboration between the Windsor-Essex Children’s Aid Society and the Can Am Indian Friendship Centre is an essential step towards improving outcomes for Indigenous families under stress,” said MPP Gretzky. “The grant of this Ontario Trillium Foundation award will have a direct and positive impact on a community which has been underserved and disrespected for far too long. I congratulate everyone involved, and I am sure that this step toward reconciliation will not be the last.”
The collaborative grant will decrease the trauma experienced by Indigenous families in relation to child welfare and provide them with an opportunity to have a place to heal and learn through Indigenous teachings. It will provide a safe environment for children that increases their emotional skills and strengthens their communities through the guidance of peers.
The grant will align with six primary goals;
1. To decrease the amount of trauma experienced by Indigenous families interacting with the Child Welfare System
2. To further identify and reduce the harm on the Indigenous family unit caused by the systematic/decades long evidence of significant gaps in co-ordination by entities like WECAS for Indigenous people
3. To attempt to repair the reputation and relationship of entities like WECAS with Indigenous people
4. To provide an environment that promotes positive learning/support through Indigenous parenting and teachings
5. To promote reunification of Indigenous families
6. To assist Indigenous families and children in developing strong emotional and social skills
Derrick Drouillard, Executive Director of WECAS comments, “We are most appreciative to OTF for supporting this collaboration between WECAS & CAIFC. We are committed to righting the wrongs of the past, as well as respecting and honouring the culture and identity of Indigenous families in order to assure environments where children can be safe and thrive.”
A Children’s Aid Society (CAS) works in each community to provide help & support to children and their families. It is mandated to uphold Child, Youth & Family Services Act, 2017 (CYFSA) and is funded through the Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services. The Windsor-Essex Children’s Aid Society is responsible for investigating all allegations of child abuse, including neglect, while also providing protection services to children, youth and their families residing in Essex county
The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada’s leading granting Foundations. OTF awarded 108 million to 629 projects last year to build healthy and vibrant communities in Ontario.
