About

In 2019, Attawapiskat First Nation Education Authority submitted a three year Mental Wellness Group Project proposal to Indigenous Services Canada for Jordan’s Principle mental health group funding. AFNEA was successful in securing funding and integrated a Community and School-based Mental Health and Wellness Initiative, called, the AFNEA Wellness Initiative. The project utilizes its funding to provide mental health support services, cultural land-based programming, and community development for the schools and community. The funding for year 1 was approved in August of 2019. The funding for years 2 and 3 were approved on March 31, 2020.

Jordan’s Principle is named in memory of Jordan River Anderson. He was a young boy from Norway House Cree Nation in Manitoba. Jordan’s Principle funding ensures all First Nations children can access the products, services and supports they need, when they need them. This can help with a wide range of health, social and educational needs. The AFNEA Wellness Initiative works to provide mental health services, community-development, and culturally-based activities, that are community identified, to promote health and wellness programming for children and youth.

Community Recommendations

The People’s Inquiry Report (2015) is the result of two (2) years of public hearings and the documentation of personal stories, with the goal of identifying possible solutions to address the suicide pandemic that is severely impacting the Mushkegowuk Region. To support each of the following 16 issues, the report makes recommendations for each issue at a leadership, community and individual level. The AFNEA Wellness Initiative supports these recommendations. (View PDF) 

Goals of the Project

  • Increased engagement of students in their education

  • Reduced incidences of lateral violence/bullying amongst students

  • Increased engagement of families in school and education

  • Reduced incidences of vicarious trauma and burnout amongst education staff members

  • Increased capacity (knowledge, skills) of education staff members to work effectively with students who present struggles in their learning and challenging social determinants in their lives

  • Increased access to mental health and wellness, and educational based supports (ie. psychological assessments, counselling , etc)

  • Increased integration of support services within the community

Project Activities

Partnering with Dalton Associates

Dalton Associates is committed to working with the community in supporting the healthy development of the community’s children and adolescents, the parents/guardians supporting them, and the community-based professionals working with them. To ensure our work is culturally safe, relevant, and tailored to the needs of the community, we consider and abide by the following:

  • Shared care, equity in voice and choice, and representation among stakeholders

  • Integrated approaches to care that support whole-person wellness (Wholistic) 

  • Sustainable services

  • Focus on resilience, empowerment and capacity building

  • Culturally driven, safe, attuned and trauma-informed services

Please click here to fill out a referral form for the following services provided by Dalton Associates: psychological, developmental and learning assessments; counselling and play therapy; behaviour support and ABA; and speech and language pathology. Call 1-888-522-ATTA (2882) for more information.

Please click here to fill out a proposal to develop community and school-based mental health wellness activities such as school groups, peer to peer activities, educational support, land based activities, traditional healing. mental wellness training, or other mental wellness programs.