Northern Ont. First Nation prioritizes trauma resolution in new social services push

A recruitment drive is being held for social service workers in M’Chigeeng First Nation. The roles focus on trauma-informed care to reduce child apprehensions.

M’Chigeeng First Nation on Manitoulin Island is hiring for 20 new social services positions and held a recruitment event at the N’Swakamok Native Friendship Centre in Sudbury on Wednesday.

The initiative, led by M’Chigeeng Health and Wellness, is part of a new model focused on addressing trauma as a primary step in supporting families.

“The point of today’s event is to really recruit people into a brand new way of helping and supporting our families,” said Floyd Ense, M’Chigeeng Health Services director.

“What we want to do is really focus on the trauma first. We want to take care of that root cause of what has been plaguing our communities.”

The approach aims to reduce the number of children entering care by providing wraparound supports to families involved with – or at risk of entering – the child welfare system.

“The ideal situation is that we will be in there helping the families as much as possible before children need to be apprehended,” said Amber Gaudrault, an in-home support worker with M’Chigeeng Family Resources.

“So the families will develop those skills and will be working with a whole team of people to support them.”

A second event is scheduled for Thursday at the Indigenous Friendship Centre in Sault Ste. Marie, running from noon to 5:30 p.m.