b'SAFEHOUSINGNIHDAWIN SERVICESThe Ontario Native Womens Association Nihdawin program provides a range of culturally grounded services geared to individual needs for Indigenous women in Thunder Bay who are at risk of homelessness or are already experiencing homelessness.The program will adapt specifically to what that person is experiencing, says Mandy Tait-Martens, Assistant Director of Community Services at ONWA. Not everybodys experience in homelessness is the same. We recognize that so the team will adapt how we do the work to make a unique and individualized service for that person.The services include referral, intake, assessment, goalsetting, home visit support, individualized client support, aftercare and follow-up supports, assistance with housing search and housing placement and securing and maintaining housing, relocation assistance upon eviction, budgeting and life skills, support and advocacy, and access to cultural programming, teachings and healing.Every single person we work with has access to Elders, knowledge keepers and ceremonytraditional healing is a big piece of that also, Tait-Martens says. ONWA does a lot of cultural programming. We offer that out to individuals we work with if they wanted to attend, whether that be virtual or going to a pow wow, going to a bear-fat rendering, the list goes on. We will bring the individuals we are working with into cultural spaces.Information about the Nihdawin program is posted on the ONWA website at: www.onwa.ca/nidawin.when they have a vacant unit. We can workdomestic violence or violence in any sorthave independent jobs or an income and with the landlords on rent, but the landlordsof way, human trafficking survivors andthey may not have bank accounts. Thats kind of feel a little bit more supportedyouth, Tait-Martens says. We look at whatwhere the team really comes back together. because we do that stabilization with thetheir situation is and support that personIts that creativeness around supporting individuals we work with. We work withto move forward within the system andthat person so that we can support the them for six months to a year to make suregain housing. entire family unit to remain together, to be there are no issues that arise where evictionreunified, Tait-Martens says. We really may be on the table. look to support them and help navigate a Tait-Martens says they typically do anINTERGENERATIONAL TRAUMA system that has an extreme wait time to be assessment of individuals who reach outThe issue of individuals experiencingable to access it.to them for assistance through ONWAschronic or episodic homelessness is part of central intake line at 1-800-667-0816. Wethe intergenerational trauma from the resi- An income-geared rental unit in Thunder do prioritize Indigenous women withdential schools. Thats part of colonialismBay typically has a three-year-plus wait children or who are looking to reunifythats caused this intergenerational traumatime. These women, however, dont have with their children, women who are fleeingthat continues to affect our community totime to wait. Individuals are experiencing this day, notes Tait-Martens. So that isviolence in those moments and experien-where the team is very creative in navigatingcing that homelessness on a longer-term those systems in order to push back onlevel which is why the team really works those barriers and supporting people to startaround that system and builds those rela-their healing journey. tionships with mainstream landlords so we The teams work is important becausedont have to wait. We have those relation-people cannot begin their healing withoutships in place and its a little bit easier for a home. The number one goal in socialus to navigate, Tait-Martens explains. work and the work that we do is to buildTo date, the Nihdawin program has somebody up so much that they no longercreated phenomenal successes, helping need the support and theyre independent,house 403 people during the pandemic. Tait-Martens says. Theyre able to startThat is massive success right there, Tait-to be that advocate for other individuals inMartens says. Its beautiful to watch how Proud Supporters breaking those cycles.Proud Supporters theyve learned to work and do this and of Indigenous andof Indigenous and One of the barriers for women who wantthen share that knowledge and experience First Nations CommunitiesFirst Nations Communities to leave a domestic violence situation iswith our branch sites across the province. in Northern Ontario. the difficulty of going into a shelter withSharing the model that was created by in Northern Ontario. children, given that shelters are often atthem and with the team is a best practice. maximum capacity. If the woman ends upIts a huge success. NW E homeless or living in a hotel, child welfare SNW E agencies could become involved andInformation about the Nihdawin program can be Sapprehend the children. As well, womenfound on the ONWA website at: www.onwa.ca/escaping domestic violence typically do notnidawin.42Spring/Summer 2022'