December 2002-January 2003 Great Update


	In 1995, Grand River Employment And Training was given the authority to design and develop their own training programs according to the needs of Six Nations members. Since that time, each year GREAT reviews all of their programs to identify any program gaps, to delete any programs no longer required, to enhance and improve existing programs and to develop new programs to meet member's needs. As a result of this review and based on requests received from community organizations and individuals who requested assistance but did not fit into the current programming, GREAT staff developed a new program called Community Capacity Building. The intent of this program is to support holistic, integrated and common solutions to facilitate employment, economic development and organizational growth. The range of activities includes, but is not limited to, the development of plans to restructure and streamline, the establishment of strategic partnering to achieve common goals and establish linkages, and to long- term community planning.	goals and establish linkages, and to long- term community planning. "Our task is to help the community help themselves….to work with individuals, organizations and the community to achieve self reliance while taking back their responsibilities as they become well enough to do so" explains Elvera Garlow. Funding through the program is available to organizations and individuals that have a project or business plan that will be responsive to community needs, benefit the community and make a difference. One such recipient is Awehaode Communication. Founded in 1998, Awehaode provides cultural education and support to Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal groups. Norma General, co-founder of Awehaode relates that she and another individual approached GREAT with a business plan and a request for support under the Community Capacity Building program. Norma believes "one of the basis' of our tradition is to be cooperative with our people" through GREAT's cooperation and Awehaode desire to build sustainability in our community, she emphasizes that we should use this cooperation in our governments, social systems, economy and environment.

	Community health is essential to capacity building. GREAT recognized this in 1998 and accepted the proposal of Awehaode Communication in an effort to help heal and educate people inside and outside the Six Nations community. GREAT looked at different ways to support the community through the Community Capacity Building program. Norma General, co-founder of Awehaode, explains that "healing was a big focus at that time and when looking at different healing programs I said 'we have our own healing mechanisms here so lets develop that and lets deliver that to our community' … We have healing in our ceremonies and in our language. We have healing in our political systems we have lots of breathing systems that we're able to use. Let's develop this and deliver this. This is our model as Onkwehonwe people." Norma believes that healing our community "is a decolonization process. We're introducing our people and clarifying our language and ceremonies. We're also looking at the losses that our people have endured over time. We are trying to re-educate from our perspective as Onkwehonwe people and we're presenting to them that we have this great model of healing of wellness, of words, and of encouragement."
		Awehaode services are not only requested by Aboriginal people, they are often asked to visit institutions such as universities to offer their perspective on healing, relationships, and parenting. In this capacity, representatives of the organization operate as ambassadors of the Aboriginal community to educate the mainstream population about our traditions and culture. Norma explains that the "whole process is just to talk about our ceremonies and what they mean to develop our thinking because that's what the Creator gave us. To be able to think and to evaluate things and see beyond just what is today but to look back at yesterday and the past to see where we've come from so that we know what we're here for today." Awehaode is co-sponsored by the Aboriginal Healing Foundation and Grand River Employment and Training. One of their current projects is to bring workshops to youth over the March break. One of their goals through these workshops is to develop awareness about the wholeness of our culture. Spiritual healing will strengthen our Aboriginal communities and help us look forward to the future as we learn from our past. Norma General says we need to use our minds and remember what "our ancestors gave us that was so powerful in this wampum belt that would carry us from that time so that we remember them and bring those words forward ... that's our basis for wellness because that message came from our Creator."