New counselling service helps Native families

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A counselling service geared to help Native families has been established in the city.

The objective of the service called 'Free Spirit Counselling' is to strengthen family relations by providing counselling and practical help to parents in their own homes.

Free Spirit Counselling was created by two Native social workers, Brenda Thomas and Judy Lecompte, who both see a real need within Native families to strengthen communication

between members.

The Free Spirit Counselling service started in June after eight months of planning.

The medical services branch of Health and Welfare Canada funds the program, thus making the service available to clients at no extra cost.

Although it has been approved by that department, it has yet to be approved by Alberta Social Services who refuse to recognize the service until it has established itself.

The counselling service runs on the belief that the family is the most important resource in our society and that providing for a family is not always easy and sometimes information

and support or the need to talk about family problems is needed.

Thomas and Lecompte completed the two-year social worker course offered by Grant McEwan College in May 1988. Both social workers, however, decided they didn't want to work

in a system which was always working against the interest of Native people.

Thomas, a member of the Sawridge band, who lost her treaty status when she married a non-Native has been reinstated recently when her treaty rights were recognized through Bill

C-31. Lecompte is a Mohawk Indian and belongs to the Six Nations band.

Taking their field practicum with the child care service gave both the opportunity to see first hand how their own people were treated.

The structure of the social service system has the social worker working against the client, rather than with the client," Lecompte says.

"Most clients are intimidated by social workers and usually have to put a front by lying or holding back information. This is usually done unintentionally. It is a mechanical reflex," she

noted.

Being Native, says Thomas, made them more aware that social workers should not be judgmental of Native clients, which they believe has been the case in many instances.

The two find that almost all Native people on social assistance or have delt with the child welfare system have poor self-esteem.

They noted that native families that lacked self-esteem found it very difficult to ask for help for fear of being intimidated.

Because of that, they decided to offer a counselling service that would work with the family and extended family as a unit in their own homes.

The past history of Native children who were placed in residential boarding schools has created a whole generation of people who lack parenting skills, according to both workers.

While in boarding schools, Native children did not receive the nurturing they required or given the responsibility that would have come naturally in there family unit.

Thomas and Lecompte would like to see more Native people get into the social work field.

"Who else but Native people themselves could identify the needs of Native people. With training Native people, and their experiences, have the ability in becoming the most effective

social workers to work with our people." Lecompte said.

The Free Spirit Counselling is a confidential family support service for status families with Lecompte serving Edmonton. Thomas works with status families on the reserves through

Yellowhead Tribal Council.

Since being in service, both Thomas and Lecompte have received favorable response. They found most clients hunger for help and the chance to relate to their own.

Knowing that their service will need to expand in the near future they will be looking at hiring Native social workers. "Our people working with our people," Lecompte said.

Because services are provided at no cost as a benefit from the Medical Services branch of Health and Welfare Canada, a writen referral from a doctor is required.

Thomas and Lecompte are interested in preventative work, before the intervention of child services in apprehending native children.

Working with clients they set up individual programs depending on need, providing information and counseling on budgeting skills, parenting skills, homemaking and shipping skills,

health and nutrition , child development, problem-solving, child welfare problems and children's safety.

They also provide counseling and support for families with school children who have attendance and social problems.

In addition, they provide resource help through health units, housing agencies and transportation services.

They also make referrals to appropriate agencies for education upgrading, vocational training, drug and alcohol programs, family violence, sexual abuse, and suicide prevention.

For more information call 428-8829.