Photo: Jean, ICCS resident
September 30th marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada. This day commemorates the survivors of residential schools, the children who never returned home, and the families and communities still impacted by the devastation of the schools. ICCS supports many individuals who have been directly or intergenerationally impacted by the horror of residential schools. This month we want to direct attention to the truth and resilience of staff and clients at ICCS.
The Stories of the Indigenous Peoples Within ICCS
Elder Daniel – Volunteer mentor
Daniel is a Coast Salish Elder who volunteers his time and wisdom to ICCS residents. In his journey to becoming an Elder, Daniel has assumed various roles. For 25 years he was a commercial fisherman and during the off season would teach art to elementary aged children with behavioural issues. Daniel recalls using art as a child himself to create alternate states of consciousness; a safe place. Daniel earned a diploma from Tillicum Lelum Aboriginal Friendship Centre in Sexual abuse and family trauma counselling.
Elder Daniel facilitates talking circles where conversations of sweat lodge traditions and rights of passage. One resident recalled their first sweat lodge experience, “Leaving my first sweat and rolling around in the snow, I felt like a child, I felt reborn.”
Jean – ICCS Resident
The vibrant resilience of Indigenous individuals is celebrated at ICCS as we honor the stories of our Indigenous clients. Jean was previously a resident at Newcastle. After experiencing a stroke, she found the collaborative care provided by Island health workers at Samaritan Place to be a better fit for her needs. Jean has been at Samaritan Place since its opening and has been a client of ICCS for over 3.5 years, during which time she has built a strong foundation within the program.
As an ICCS resident, Jean is able to practice her independence by prioritizing and enjoying her valued alone time. Jean is passionate about the intrinsic relationship between humans and animals, thus utilizing her alone time to learn more about this relationship through various television programs and films.
When asked, “What is the most significant change in your life since becoming a client of ICCS?” Jean expressed that she has regained the ability to shift her mindset and develop new ways of thinking things through. With the help of staff, she has been able to become a strong self-advocate, identifying her emotions and finding productive ways to express them.
With this newfound perspective, Jean hopes to apply her emotional literacy learnings to help others. Her goal is to enhance the lives of those close to her by embracing a renewed way of thinking and acting on emotions.
Mae – ICCS Resident
Mae, a resident at Samaritan Place and a member of the Shuswap Nation, grew up alongside her two brothers and three sisters. From a young age Mae’s world was tainted by trauma as her father and grandfather were both survivors of residential schools, inevitably impacting the environment in which she lived. As the youngest of six learned the role of pseudo-parent at the age of eleven when she began working to help her mother provide for her family. After her mother’s passing, Mae turned to alcohol to manage her grief. Today, she is the sole surviving member of her five siblings.
Mae’s journey with ICCS started when she moved to Newcastle about four years ago, and she has been residing at Samaritan Place for the past two years. Mae’s illness with alcoholism does not diminish the humanity within her; she is more than an alcoholic. She is a mother of four, she is a lover of writing, she was a traditional dancer for over 20 years, she was a fisher, she aspired to be a lawyer as she “Loves to tell the truth.”
Despite the challenges she has faced, Mae is committed to helping others by sharing her truths and experiences. Mae finds that Native individuals are often pushed out,
whether that be from reservations or the broader community – and ICCS’ commitment to creating a safe space for these individuals is essential. Further, she emphasizes the importance of overcoming prejudice, stating, “Do not be prejudiced… People come from different experiences, and I get to live and learn from them.”
Jerry – Resident at Samaritan Place
Resilience is exemplified by the great challenges Jerry has overcome throughout his life. Jerry’s life story revolves around themes of love and the richness that stemmed from the deep bond he shared with his late wife. Jerry and his wife Victoria, whom he describes as his “childhood sweetheart,” first met when they were in elementary school.
Jerry’s wife had been facing health challenges for some time before they became homeless three years ago. Unfortunately, Victoria’s health declined, and Jerry was faced with heartbreaking responsibility of taking her off life support. Jerry’s love for his wife has not waivered despite her passing, he affirms “I talk to her every day. I say good morning and I say good night. On her birthdays, I set a plate for her. And on Christmas I set a plate for her. Things like that. Keeps me going.” Jerry recounts the experience of losing his beloved wife as the turning point in which he became dependent on alcohol, “I turned to alcohol to try and mend the grief.”
When Jerry turned to ICCS support workers for guidance to become sober he was met with treatment options and immediate support to help him reach his goal of sobriety, “I wouldn’t be sitting here if not for them.” Jerry has been sober for two years now, attributing his decision to hearing whispers of his wife’s voice telling him “It’s time to be done.” Upon reaching the two-year mark of his sobriety, the staff at Samaritan Place honoured his achievement by throwing him a party. This act of kindness and recognition reaffirmed Jerry’s respect for ICCS workers.
Jerry has recently become an Elder within his community as he belongs to the Huu-ay-aht First Nation. With the knowledge and wisdom he has gathered throughout his live combined with the support given to him – by ICCS – he now hopes to channel his learnings and focus on helping neighbouring residents recognize the difference between a want and a need for sobriety; one must want to better themselves to achieve it.
Victoria was an incredible artist and Jerry keeps her tradition alive, he enjoys showing other residents her art which lives in his room at Samaritan Place. With this, the Creating Hope art gala gave Jerry the opportunity to create art with the theme of courage in mind and continue the craft his wife mastered.
Ruby – ICCS Support Worker
Ruby is from the unceded territory associated with the Chippewas of Saugeen Ojibway First Nation. Ruby has worked as a support worker at ICCS for three and a half years. As a survivor of the residential schools and day schools, Ruby finds a renewed strength in helping improve the lives of others. Prior to working with ICCS, she worked as a Registered Nurse (RN) specializing in palliative care and combatting the HIV/Aids epidemic (1998 – 2014). For Ruby, her career in Nursing was with the intention of “Being a part of a better structure of care.”
After her nearly two-decade long career in the healthcare industry, Ruby set her horizons on a career that would allow her to “Bring people back to their culture” as she bared witness to the impacts of the generational trauma ensued by residential and day schools – separating Indigenous Peoples from their culture and community through the attempted processes of assimilation.
Ruby believes the optimal solutions or support systems to combat housing challenges for Indigenous Peoples are grounded in a full recovery model of treatment that includes housing. Further, more supportive communities equate informed decision making while sobering centers could provide unhoused peoples a substance free environment to reside. Moreover, Ruby conveys that an inclusive and non-judgmental environment such as ICCS is pertinent to the success of Indigenous residents.
Written by Aleeya Middleton, ICCS Intern