Women get some R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

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Close to150 women, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal, gathered in North Bay at the end of March to explore the physical, spiritual, mental, emotional and economic aspects of wellness and leadership.

The women took part in a wellness leadership conference held March 22 to 24 as part of the Amelia Rising Sexual Assault Centre's R.E.S.P.E.C.T. project, which works to improve the personal security of women and girls in Northeastern Ontario. (R.E.S.P.E.C.T. stands for Resources for Empowerment to create Safety and Prevention techniques to Education provided for Community-building and to utilize the Training gained for self and family.)

"Our intention in developing the conference was to try to provide a safe place for Aboriginal women, Metis women and non-Aboriginal women in the North to come together and to develop a dialogue so we can walk forward together.," said Amelia Rising executive director Donna Lee.

"And I think ... we made some progress with that intention."

"I was, like, walking on air just listening to the women and what they did and what they accomplished at the conference for themselves ... My heart was just full," said Roberta Oshkawbewisens Martin, the R.E.S.P.E.C.T. project coordinator.

Oshkawbewisens Martin attributes part of the success of the conference to the nine grandmothers-Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal-who participated in the event and offered their support to the women. The grandmothers provided healing circles, drum and smudge ceremonies, gave prayers and acted as counsellors.

"It was good to have the grandmothers there ... for the support and the teachings that they have, the life they have lived, what they have seen. And the safety and security of the grandmothers, their presence was inspiring and they created safety for the participants," said Oshkawbewisens Martin. "They were very supportive ... of the participants that were there. They made themselves available all hours."

The conference also offered three workshops geared specifically to young women, designed around the theme of youth empowerment. No adults were allowed in the youth workshops, giving the young women the opportunity to freely express themselves, Oshkawbewisens Martin said.

The assault centre has undertaken a three-year strategy aimed at improving the lives of women in the North and is now in the second year of implementation. Oshkawbewisens Martin has been busy leading retreats for parents and children, community healing circles and sessions on recovery from abuse and on building self-esteem as part of the strategy. It was the participants in these programs who urged Amelia Rising to co-ordinate a wellness conference. Those participants also played a role in determining the focus of the conference.

"When we said we were doing a conference on wellness, it became clear to us in consulting with the people that they were defining wellness in a much broader way than simply physical or mental health ... it also included economic security and leadership. That women become well when we can assume leadership roles, when we can move forward in our families and our communities, when we can understand how to use money, how to get money, how to provide for our families and our communities," said Lee.

In addition to the workshops, three guest speakers took part in the conference. Brenda Scott, executive director of the Women's Own Resource Centre, spoke about managing your life and finances and about setting goals and reaching them. Jean McIsaac-Wiitala of McIsaac Simple Solutions spoke of how she learned about leadership from others and then applied what she'd learned to her own life.

Keynote speaker Josephine Mandamin, director of the Ontario Native Women's Association, took the meaning of wellness to another level, talking about how women can take the nurturing elements of fire, earth and water and use them to achieve wellness.