Gitlaxdax Nisga鈥檃 Terrace Society hosted a community outreach walk to raise awareness of the at risk homeless community in the downtown Terrace area Aug. 3. The walk was followed by a round table discussion about moving forward with an outreach program to help Nisga鈥檃 people who might be struggling with addictions and homelessness.
Haisla Nation outreach and peer support worker James Harry Sr. was in attendance during and after the walk, speaking from his experience working with Haisla people struggling with addictions, mental health and homelessness in Vancouver鈥檚 Downtown Eastside.
Born and raised in Kitimat, Harry Sr. founded the All Nations Outreach Society as a way of continuing that work.
鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to bring awareness that our people out there are hurting, they鈥檙e lost and they鈥檙e running from those inter-generational traumas that are still happening in our communities. Unfortunately they end up in the hubs of Terrace. Prince George, Vancouver, Victoria and Nanaimo and sadly that might be the last place they see because they fall into a life of alcohol and drugs, and we all know what鈥檚 going on with the opioid crisis.鈥�
He said the idea of the outreach is to 鈥渕eet them where they鈥檙e at鈥� and help people who are struggling with homelessness and addiction regain the hope and motivation that they need to get back on their feet.
鈥淲e go to their comfort zone and we take them out of that dark place,鈥� he said.
鈥淲e have a movement happening here with this outreach program and this outreach program is going to catch people who are falling through the cracks. The ones that don鈥檛 have a voice and the ones who are lost.鈥�
Gitlaxdax Nisga鈥檃 Terrace Society CEO Karla Frank said they鈥檙e in the process of putting together their program and how it鈥檚 going to be rolled out. Frank said they have approval for one full time and one part time peer support worker to support and advocate for at risk Nisga鈥檃 citizens in the Terrace service area.
鈥淲e鈥檙e putting together our safety plans, protocols, best practices,鈥� Frank said.
鈥淥ur peer support workers will be out in the community, boots on the ground, building relationships with our citizens who may be homeless, at risk or struggling with mental health and addictions.鈥�
She said they鈥檙e not trying to 鈥渞e-write the book on what鈥檚 out there鈥� in terms of available support and will focus on making a connection, letting people know that they are cared for.
Gitlaxdax Nisga鈥檃 Terrace Society Board of Directors Chairperson Christina Azak, representatives Keith Azak and Arthur Mercer attended the event. Also present were City of Terrace councillors Brian Downie and Dave Gordon.
Harry Sr. said it鈥檚 鈥減retty safe to say鈥� that every First Nations community in B.C. has at least one member in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver.
The Haisla were the first to initiate a program to go and find their members, offering them the option of returning home to their communities. He said people leave their communities for a variety of reasons and become lost in the bigger centres.
鈥淭here鈥檚 no better feeling than to have someone from back home, of your Nation, come look for you. And to know that you鈥檙e still loved, you鈥檙e still cared for and you matter. So the plan is to support the other Nations that are coming onboard with us,鈥� he said.
鈥淭he Gitlaxdax are putting action to their words. Gitlaxdax has stepped up now and they鈥檙e going to help their people. They鈥檙e going to bring in their culture and that friendly face鈥� Our whole focus is to let them know they鈥檙e loved, to let them know they鈥檙e not forgotten and, if they want, we鈥檒l bring them home.鈥�
Harry Sr. said that by getting to know people who are unhoused or dealing with addictions, people can also build compassion and understanding for their situation.
鈥淭he bottom line is they鈥檙e human beings and we can鈥檛 forget that. They鈥檙e our brothers and our sisters.鈥�
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michael.willcock@terracestandard.com
