Head Start Sharing Circle Stories - Indian Brook

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Transcript - Head Start Sharing Circle Stories - Indian Brook

(In Mi'kmaq, repeated in English:)

Welcome. I'm glad you're here at Indian Brook.

Patsy Michael
Coordinator - Aboriginal Head Start Program - Indian Brook First Nation

We're here at Indian Brook First Nation with the Aboriginal Head Start Program.

[Children and fathers walking to the centre]

We have 6 components in the Aboriginal Head Start Program... education, culture and language, health promotion, nutrition and social services.

We also have our parent and family involvement component and this is where our Dads Day program comes in.

They don't have to be a dad to attend the program... it's geared for the child to have a male role model in their life... this includes the grandfathers, godfathers and uncles...
so long as we have that focus with the parent and family involvement to come in
and share.

The Dads Program is volunteer. They come in once a month in our program and do the theme or activity we have planned for that week. This week our program is focused on Mi'Kmaq History month.

Our dads come in with their skills and special talents... it may be drumming, chanting, carpentry... we have cooks out there... we have dads that fish and hunt... and we also have computer program workers. It's just wonderful all their skills and knowledge that they can use here.

Alan Knockwood
Parent/foster parent - Indian Brook First Nation

The value of our being there is that the kids realize from the get go that we're a part of that... that partnership in taking care and raising our children... and it works really well.

Earl Sack
Indian Brook Band Councillor and Elder

The parenting skills for our people here today is very important because during the residential school time they lost all that being with their mothers and their fathers... you know, that bond was broken... and they lost the way of living... they lost the way of how to teach their children what to do...

[Children eating]

...our children today they're starting to learn things, you know, from their parents... we have to build this bond back up and show the parents and show the kids how when they grow up how to act with their children... cause there was the love taken out of their life... and this program here is the best thing that can happen.

[Children playing]

Marie Francis
Elder

In our community, and I've noticed that in all First Nation communities that there's always a Grammy and Grandfather there... and to have an older person around... some of the children... they need that security blanket.

I teach Mi'kmaq... I teach them how to say words in Mi'Kmaq and... I'll drop a few words here and there or I'll speak Mi'Kmaq to them... and it's so important to keep your language because it's dying out... it's dying out and we don't want that to go.

Alan Knockwood

Unfortunately some of the kids come through with some very traumatic times... and for them to have an opportunity for people to give unconditional love and that kind of care is a big transition... it helps them a lot... this is a great thing for the whole community... you know, here father's day is every month... not just once a year.

Earl Sack

This program.... it's something that we needed for a long time... and it's just going to develop... it's just going to grow more and more... it's going to bring more children, more fathers together.

[Children and fathers leaving the centre]

Andrew Syliboy
Uncle - Indian Brook First Nation

You keep interested in the kids and they'll remember... they'll remember when they grow up that... you know... they came to my school when I was a little kid... you know... and it's good memories... good bonding... and it shows that the fathers are there for their kids.

Patsy Michael

We have an open door policy... any time a parent or family would like to come, they come in and join our day. Our parent and family involvement is one of our top successes that we have here at Indian Brook and I'm proud of that.

Alan Knockwood

Any time one raises a child you learn everyday... the learning process never stops and that's the most amazing part of being a foster parent and parent... is that you never stop learning... you think you're teaching... but you learn too...

[Children running]