Working together to help communities heal

Ideas to deal with gambling, alcohol and drug abuse issues were shared between workers of the National Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program (NNADAP) during a three-day Creating Opportunities for Change staff retreat in Thunder Bay.
“We’re just basically sharing our own ideas about what works for our communities and what might work in other communities,” said Cecil Mendowagon, an addictions worker from Ginoogaming. “It was mainly meant as a retreat for NNADAP workers and mental health workers and frontline staff. There’s a lot of overwork and stress that comes with your job and what you do to try to help out community members.”
Diane Andrews, a NNADAP worker from Constance Lake who has been a frontline worker since 1998, said many of the NNADAP employees are worn out due to the prescription drug abuse issues going on in their communities.
“We’re here to share ideas about land-based healing and healing through arts,” Andrews said. “Some of our NNADAP workers are new to the field. A lot of times we have funding restraints so I’ve come up with a lot of creative ideas that we can do in our communities that cost next to nothing, just being creative through our land base and nature.”
Andrews loved the laid-back environment at the retreat, noting that the work environment back home often involves people dealing with traumas, addictions and other issues.
“This retreat gives us time to ourselves to share ideas, talk to one another and support each other,” Andrews said. “The work we do is very hard.”
Mendowagon was also impressed with some of the therapeutic techniques he learned during the retreat, such as EFT.
“We learned something new every day,” Mendowagon said. “It was a good experience.”
Long Lake #58 Chief Allen Towegishig, who previously worked with NNADAP for about 35 years, attended the retreat as an instructor to share knowledge he picked up over the years on a variety of topics, including the Seven Grandfather teachings and the Creation story.
“I came here to teach what I know,” Towegishig said. “Maybe they’ll teach other people how to cope with life and how to help their brothers and sisters at home.”
Towegishig said the retreat also provided an opportunity for the workers to support each other.
“You have to help yourself to help your community and to be able to help your family,” Towegishig said. “If there is a lot of stress in your life, it is pretty hard to work on yourself.”
Towegishig enjoyed meeting some of the workers he has known for many years, such as a worker from Muskrat Dam he met 25-30 years ago.
“You could see him and the new workers being able to share their stories with each other,” Towegishig said. “When I used to be a NNADAP worker, it was like I was working all alone. But when you see other people, our load becomes lighter to help other people.”