The Sapaatsima'Pii Project

1.This new project will provide counselling, group workshops and community resources for 10 - 15 First Nations Women (primarily Blackfoot and Cree) over the age of 50, who are currently in or have left abusive relationships.  Our project will also enable the children of the women in the program to access our programs.  
2.Assist the women in the program to set up their own support group and the tools to continue on with the support group after the program has ended.
3.Use the culture and traditions of the Blackfoot and Cree people as we work to assist the women in the program: Sweet Grass Ceremonies, Talking Circles, Healing Circles, and Traditional Female Elders.  

In Blackfoot and Cree culture women are the pillars of the community and keepers of the traditions. The women will be dealing with their own mental and physical health issues as a result of their own abuse and they will also be trying to help their grown children as they strive to build healthy families of their own. Jo-Anne Hansen, B.ED., BSW, RSW,  the project lead, is Cree and has lived most of her life in the Blackfoot community. 

We will provide 15 workshops at 2 hours each workshop = 30 hours

Workshop preparation = 15 hours

Individual counselling at 1 hour each session   = 30 hours

Community resource referrals and support for program participants =  25 hours

TOTAL 100 HOURS

WORKSHOP TITLES: 1) HOW TO SET UP AND RUN A SUPPORT GROUP FOR OLDER WOMEN FROM ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS, 2) OLDER WOMEN, VIOLENCE AND ABUSE, 3) PROGRAMS AND SERVICES FOR OLDER WOMEN

Direct benefits will be for the 10 - 15 women over the age of 50 who are recovering from or still living in abusive relationships.

Indirect benefits  will be for the families of these women who are suffering from the affects of family abuse and struggling to create healthy families of their own.