To support the ongoing development of holistic and restorative approaches to criminal justice in Canada, Indigenous Perspectives Society offers Gladue Writer Training in collaboration with Dr. Jane Dickson, Associate Professor of Law and Legal Studies at Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario.

“Indigenous peoples are over-represented in Canada’s criminal justice system due to socio-economic factors arising from intergenerational trauma caused by colonization, including being displaced from their lands, their resources, and the residential school system. Gladue Writer Training provides the opportunity for writers to help tell the stories of why and how people become involved with the system. Using the Gladue Report process, sentences can be improved, with courts understanding the root causes of behavior.”

– Rachelle Dallaire, Indigenous Perspectives Society Executive Director

The next Gladue Writer Training will be offered August 10-October 18, 2020. For more information and to register please click here. 

The new Gladue Writer Training for Probation Officers was developed specifically to support the learning and practical needs of probation officers who are actively preparing reports and working within the Canadian criminal justice system. Participants will develop an understanding of the importance of story-telling as healing, the role of historic trauma, historic trauma responses, and intergenerational effects as they relate to the over-representation of Indigenous people in the criminal justice system. Other important learning outcomes include:

• Trauma informed approaches to life history interviewing
• The expectations of the courts with regard to the form, content and substance of the Gladue information included in presentence reports
• The legal foundations of the Gladue requirements
• Understanding and managing the tension between standardized, actuarial risk assessments and the respectful communication of Indigenous life histories in presentence reports

Course is delivered completely online and starts September 21st, 2020. Registrations are now open. For more information.

IPS encourages all members of the community to learn and build their knowledge about the distinct histories and cultures of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples. Only by engaging with different cultures, histories, truths and perspectives are we able to consider and reflect on the impacts of colonization, cultural differences and intersections, strength, resilience, and our current shared challenges. At a time when we are all being called upon to expand our understandings of systemic inequities and violence, it is important we remember our shared human needs for respect, safety and freedom. IPS recognizes that this is an ongoing process. It can be overwhelming and exhausting, particularly for those most directly affected by systems of oppression. We support you in undertaking this work and invite you to learn with us.

This August IPS will be offering a new ‘C-92 Training: Federal Act for First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families’. The online training introduces the new federal legislation, An Act Respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families, which came into effect on January 1, 2020. The focus of this course will be on familiarizing participants with the new federal legislation. The training will also help participants to think through jurisdictional implications, necessary changes to their practices and ways to successfully interpret and implement the new legislation.This training is highly recommended for anyone wanting to understand the new Act, how it affects child and family services provision, Nationally and Provincially, and how it can be applied to improve and increase supports to Indigenous children, families and communities.

Background: The intention of the Act is to set minimum national standards for First Nations, Inuit and Métis child and family services provision.  It is significant that this is the first time the federal government has exercised its jurisdiction to legislate in the area of Indigenous child welfare. For this reason, all agencies across Canada are required to familiarize themselves with the Act and make the appropriate changes to their policies, practices and standards to be in alignment with the Act.

The Act also recognizes the inherent jurisdiction of Indigenous governing bodies to be self-determining in the area of child and family services.  As such, agencies may need to adapt existing or create new governance models in the future, as Indigenous groups, communities and people start to act on their inherent authority.

Course Learning Outcomes:

• Understand the framework of An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families
• Best Interests of the Indigenous Child Test
• Substantive Equality in provision of Child and Family services to Indigenous families
• Jurisdiction & Concurrent law model
• Continuum of Care (Preventive; Early (including pre-natal); Protection)
• Notice and Party Status
• Indigenous Laws

If you would like more information or if you are interested in bringing this training to your community, please contact: Karman: karmanl@ipsociety.ca

IPS is pleased to be offering online training in June 2020. Family Support Worker Training will be offered June 16th-18th. Designated Representative Training has been RESCHEDULED for October 14th-15th. And there will be a three hour Recruitment and Retention of Indigenous People webinar offered June 30th. Please click below to learn more.

• Family Support Worker Training – June 16th-18th 

Family Support Worker (FSW) Training provides Indigenous Child and Family Service Agencies the knowledge and skills needed for FSW to establish respectful, collaborative relationships with community members. This 3 day online training experience explores both personal and professional values along with understanding the elements of a collaborative practice. For more information or to register click here.

• Designated Representative Training – RESCHEDULED (next session offered October 14 & 15, 2020)

Designated Representative Training offers an opportunity to learn about and explore the important role of the Designated Representative. Participants will be encouraged to consider how their function may be utilized to promote the safety and well-being of children and to ensure that the rights of children to culture and community are respected and upheld by the court. For more information or to register click here.

• Recruitment and Retention of Indigenous Staff – June 30th

Attend this 3 hour Recruitment and Retention Webinar to learn:

• Best practices to support Indigenous staff
• Improve Indigenous employment practices and outcomes
• Develop an understanding of job postings that attract Indigenous
  people and ‘screening in’ as opposed to ‘screening out’
• Understand the interview process and learn successful approaches
• Explore how to build capacity of Indigenous peoples at work
• How to Incorporate cultural reflections in the workplace

For more information or to register please click here.