High costs swamp children's aid societies in north

Tanya Talaga
QUEEN'S PARK BUREAU

MOOSONEE, Ont.–The children's aid society in Moosonee on the shores of James Bay is swamped by a teen suicide epidemic and it's penniless.

Money has always been a problem for children's aid societies serving First Nations communities, which face higher costs in remote areas of northern Ontario.

At Payukotayno, the executive director Ernest Beck issued pink slips to all 120 employees including himself, effective this week, as the agency struggled under a $2.3 million debt load that meant it could no longer afford to meet its payroll.

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Nipissing offers new bursaries for aboriginal students

Nipissing University's Office of Aboriginal Initiatives distributed more than $40,000 in new bursaries to 34 students in a special ceremony on December 16.

The Aboriginal Post-Secondary Education and Training Bursaries are part of the funding strategy outlined by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities for First Nation, Inuit and Metis post-secondary students. The bursary is meant to provide financial assistance and to help increase participation and retention rates in post-secondary education

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Inuit Mental Wellness Action Plan A Tool For Arctic Regions

National Inuit Leader Mary Simon, president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, called for increased support for culturally relevant mental wellness programs and recognition of communities as the best resources for addressing mental wellness, as part of the launch today of the Alianait Inuit Mental Wellness Action Plan.

“We all have a responsibility for mental wellness. This plan provides solutions that work for Inuit. If we are to build healthy communities, we must work together, building partnerships among families, elders, youth, governments, health organizations and Inuit organizations with the ultimate goal of empowering Inuit to take control of their health and well-being,” said Simon.

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National suicide policy pushed

Association prez optimistic

By JENNY YUEN, QMI Agency

The Toronto Sun

The president of the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention is optimistic the federal government will implement a national policy to help reduce the number of fatalities.

The "don't say, don't tell" rule of talking about suicides was tossed out the window Friday as the CASP met with Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq to discuss the feasibility of a national strategy.

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2 Children's Aid Societies in N.Ont. get $4.4M lifeline, will stay open for now

December, 11, 2009 - 06:22 pm Maurino, Romina - (THE CANADIAN PRESS) TORONTO -

Two struggling Children's Aid Societies in northern Ontario will be able to keep their doors open for at least a few more months after getting $4.4 million in emergency funding.

The provincial government had been trying to find a way to keep the Payukotayno James and Hudson Bay Family Services office open after that office sent layoff notices to its 120 staff and warned it would close down next week unless it received operating funds.

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Dragging suicide from the shadows

By JENNY YUEN, SUN MEDIA
Don't ask, don't tell.

That's how it has always been with suicides.

It stems from discomfort and out the fear that talking about suicide will drive copycats to harm themselves.

But some groups say that keeping quiet and ignoring the despair kills more people than the silence saves.

"There are many people who have thoughts of suicide, but don't act on it because they get the support that they need. And we could be saving a lot more lives if we were all working together and talking publicly about it," Tim Wall of the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention (CASP) recently told the Sun.

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Want a chance to win an iPod Touch and other great prizes?

The Honouring Life Network (HLN) is looking for those working with First Nations and/or Inuit youth to complete a survey for a new suicide prevention toolkit that is currently being developed as part of the National Aboriginal Youth Suicide Prevention Strategy.

Each participant who completes the survey - which will take less than a half hour to complete - will be entered into a draw for an iPod Touch and other great prizes from the HLN!

There are four toolkits in total:

-First Nations (English)
-First Nations (French)
-Inuit (English)
-Inuit (Inuktitut)

You are only asked to complete the survey that is relevant to the demographic of youth that you work with. In other words, you do not have to complete all four surveys. If you speak English and work with First Nations youth, you are only asked to complete that ONE survey.

Your feedback is invaluable to advancing the health and well being of First Nations and Inuit youth in the area of suicide prevention. Please demonstrate your support by completing this survey.

To complete the survey(s), simply click on the corresponding link(s) below.

Click here to take the First Nations - English survey>>


Click here to take the First Nations - French survey>>

Click here to take the Inuit - English survey>>

Inuit - Inuktitut (coming soon)

Thank you,
The Honouring Life Network Team