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Wharerātā Updates

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Leadership Exchanges IIMHL2011

International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership 2011 in San Francisco

Leadership Exchanges on September 12-13, 2011

There were about 40 Leadership Exchanges across North America on September 12-13 before the Networking Event.  Indigenous-hosted Exchanges were held in Canada and the US.  

Historic and Contemporary Trauma and Healing in Indigenous Populations

A special Leadership Exchange hosted in partnership by the Friendship House in San Francisco, California, and the·Wharerātā·Group, the objectives were:

  • Share successes from the host site and participants on the theme(s) of historic and current trauma and healing, Indigenous populations, and wise practices in combining cultural/Indigenous ways of healing with mainstream/clinical interventions.
  • Build knowledge about Indigenous mental health healing practices, and successes in partnering with mainstream services and practices, as described in the Wharerātā Declaration.

 

Relevant Documents:

 

Leadership and Culturally-based Governance in Mental Health & Addictions, hosted in partnership by the Nimkee Nupigawagn Healing Centre and the National Native Addictions Partnership Foundation, in Ontario, Canada.· IIMHL Match #6.

Governance structures from mainstream approaches reflect underlying values of hierarchy and timely decision-making. First Nations approaches to governance and leadership reflect the values of inclusion and highest priority of well-being. This exchange will focus on examples of highly successful culturally-based structures of governance in community-based mental health organizations. National Native Addictions Partnership Foundation is the national voice in Canada advocating for Inuit and First Nations culturally-based addictions services, with the vision to “cultivating and empowering relationships that connect us to our cultural strengths and identity within holistic and healthy communities.” Nozhem (“Mother Wolf”), of the Wolf Clan, is from the Delaware First Nation of Moraviantown, Ontario. She is the Co-Chair, First Nations Addictions Advisory Panel whose mandate is to develop evidence based recommendations and a framework for the renewal of the First Nations addictions system within Canada. This panel is a partnership between the Assembly of First Nations, National Native Addictions Partnership Foundation, and First Nations and Inuit Health Branch of Health Canada.· Nimkee is a residential place of healing for First Nation youth from 12 to 17 years old who are challenged with solvent addiction. With a philosophy of traditional Native teachings and healing practices, the culturally based program, assessments and counselling focus upon the strengths of Native Youth, Family and community. Mary Deleary is an Algonquian Anishinabe mother and grandmother. Mary’s primary work has been in culturally based education and the acquisition of indigenous knowledge. She has also done much work in the area of culturally based healing practices. Mary is a Three Fires Midewiwin.

Trauma and Mental Health in Indigenous Populations, hosted by TsowTunLeLum Society in British Columbia, Canada.· IIMHL Match #7.

This exchange will focus on the Qul-aun Program and its successful practices addressing the special needs of people who have suffered, or who are experiencing trauma in their lives, including emotional, mental, physical and spiritual health issues that stem from: the effects of the residential school experience, past substance abuse, violence – domestic or physical, unresolved grief, and issues that are often passed from generation to generation unless the cycle is broken. Tsow-Tun Le Lum means "helping house”, which provides programs that address the issues of addictions and substance abuse, and that support survivors of trauma and residential schools. The mission is to strengthen the ability of First Nations people to live healthy, happy lives and to have pride in their native identity. Yvonne was born into the gifts that duality bring to life. Her mother was Snuneymuxw First Nation, her Dad first generation born in this country. Yvonne has had the privilege of working with many Teaching Elders whose gifts helped shaped the healing work. Tsow-Tun Le Lum became her career almost 25 years ago. Working with a Board of Directors who live culture, tradition and recovery has allowed creativity and pioneering of many projects over the years. The Residential School Healing programs have been a high point as multi generations of families attend treatment and go on to create balance and freedom in their lives.

Culture Heals, hosted the White Raven Healing Centre in All Nations Healing Hospital in Saskatchewan, Canada.  IIMHL Match #8.

A mental wellness team approach to integrating culture, mental health and primary care. The vision of the White Raven Healing Centre is to provide client-centered mental health and addictions services that integrates the best of mainstream therapeutic techniques with traditional First Nation healing practices to provide a holistic approach to heal from past traumatic experiences and current psychological issues. The centre was built using culturally sensitive design elements incorporated into the facility accommodate an approach to health care that recognizes the relationship between mind, spirit, body and community.


LIME Network highlights Wharerātā

LIME Network Newsletter highlights Wharerātā

The March 2011 newsletter of the LIME Network includes a story about Wharerātā.  See the full newsletter on their website. 

The aim of the LIME Network is to be a dynamic network dedicated to ensuring the quality and effectiveness of teaching and learning of Indigenous health in medical education, as well as best practice in the recruitment and retention of Indigenous medical students.  The LIME Network Project seeks to establish a continuing national presence that encourages and supports collaboration within and between medical schools in Australia and New Zealand to support the development, delivery and evaluation of quality Indigenous health content in medical education with the aid of the CDAMS Indigenous Health Curriculum Framework and the Critical Reflection Tool (CRT). It also seeks to build multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral linkages and to provide quality review, professional development, capacity-building and advocacy functions. The LIME Network recognises and promotes the primacy of Indigenous leadership and knowledge.

2010 Year in Review

2010 - The Year in Review

Since the first meeting in which the name Wharerātā was applied to the network in Feburary 2009, tremendous progress has been made.  The Wharerātā Group has grown in size, visibility and influence; built up its website with resources and successful practices on mental health, leadership and community development, completed its logo; and is in the midst of writing its Terms of Reference.  

It all started with the Declaration.  The Wharerātā Declaration documented a framework in 2009 to achieve our vision of "healthy Indigenous individuals, families and communities through Indigenous leadership". It advocates for culturally competent mental health and addictions services, and supports for the development of Indigenous leaders in mental health. While currently focussed on mental health, Indigenous health leaders have also shown support and interest.

WG_Logo_smallWharerātā is Māori and one translation is "house of wisdom and understanding, shelter and protection". The new Wharerātā logo is representative of Indigenous leadership. The Māori word for the posts that hold up a meeting house is pou, and there are similar words for house posts in many Indigenous cultures. Pou also translates to "support, sustenance, elevate, establish", and additionally is used to describe the "person who is strength of group, who leads discussion".

The Wharerātā Group has grown in size and visibility in mental health and health fields from communities, the NGO sector and governments. Activities in 2010 included:

  • Presentation and discussion on the Wharerātā Declaration to:
    • USA: Indian Health Service-Behavioral Health senior leadership, Indian Health Service-Behavioral Health conference in Sacramento, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration senior leadership; Indigenous Research and Evaluation Summit hosted by the Native American Centre for Excellence in Substance Abuse Prevention in Honolulu.
    • New Zealand: Ministry of Health senior leadership; Institute of Health Management.
    • Canada: Health Canada senior leadership.
    • International: World Conference of the World Federation for Mental Health in Washington, DC; International Union for Health Promotion conference in Geneva; and Healing our Spirit Worldwide in Honolulu (largest Indigenous mental health and healing event in the world).
    • Wharerātā members presented workshops and keynotes at a number of additional conferences and meetings around the world.
  • Wharerātā Declaration published in the International Journal of Leadership in Public Services, Vol.6(1), February 2010, and supporting Key Concepts available online.  
  • Discussions and meetings with IIMHL senior leadership on Wharerātā contribution and involvement in planning for the IIMHL 2011 network meeting.
  • Two Group meetings to discuss how to manage momentum while strategically building domestic and international support for the Wharerātā vision.
  • Re-launch of the website
    • Over 300 resources and growing, on Indigenous mental health and leadership in the Online Library, mostly written by Indigenous authors
    • New feature on homepage highlighting selection of resources authored by Wharerātā members
    • New blog on the homepage, from DJ Eagle Bear Vanus from the USA - a motivational storyteller, leadership expert, author and warrior
    • New events listing of Indigenous mental health, health and leadership events across the world
    • New Practice Recommendations section, with the first draft recommendation on Indigenous inclusion in mainstream conferences

 

The future priorities of the Group are currently under discussion and likely will be: strengthen the influence and contribution of Indigenous intelligence and cultures in mental health and addictions services, programs and policy; network and share successful Indigenous practices; and support Indigenous leaders and communities to work towards the vision of Indigenous well-being.

The Wharerātā Group is an international network of Indigenous leaders working in mental health and addictions, who share a vision of the near future in which Indigenous peoples sustain their optimal health and wellbeing. We contribute to that vision through strategic use of our Indigenous leadership influence and knowledge on mental health and addictions systems.

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