By Spencer Sterritt

Mid-island Indigenous families living off-reserve brought into the fold

Nov 23, 2018 | 11:17 AM

NANAIMO — Urban members of nine Indigenous bands across the mid-island region will now receive care from their fellow band members.

Kw’umut Lelum Child and Family Services will help roughly 60 Indigenous people who were previously being serviced by the Ministry of Child and Family Development.

Bill Yoachim, Kw’umut Lelum’s executive director, told NanaimoNewsNOW the shift from one organization to another will have major, positive ramifications for youth and families in need.

“We want to help our people with culturally appropriate work wherever they reside. Our own people should be helped by their own people.”

Under the previous arrangement, Kw’umut Lelum would provide services and assistance for families living on-reserve for nine Indigenous bands from Qualicum down to the Malahat, excluding the Cowichan area.

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Off-reserve families would be helped by the ministry, who have come under fire by watchdogs for the large amount of Indigenous youth in their care and a lack of culturally-appropriate services.

“The ministry wouldn’t provide many of the services we provide,” Yoachim said, referring to their programs developed hand-in-hand with Elders to focus on Coast Salish heritage, language and spirituality.

Any open files with the ministry, including all investigations, will now be handled by Kw’umut Lelum staff at the office being opened on Prideaux St. In coming weeks, more staff will be hired to manage the roughly 60 files coming in.

“There’s way too many children in care,” Yoachim said. “At the end of the day, our goal is to have less children coming into care and returning them back to their community and families. When there is a need, we keep the children with family and get the parents where they need to be.”

Though unusual, the shift in service providers is not unheard of. Usma in Port Alberni also handles off-reserve files in the area for the Nuu-chah-nulth Nations.

It’s hoped Kw’umut Lelum will also assist Cowichan Tribes bring their own band members into the fold in the near future.

spencer@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit