What I learned working with The Butterfly Program at Kanikanichihk…

By Alex Cote-O’Brien (They/Them), 1st year MDP student

Working with a program that helps support the younger Indigenous generations was an enlightening experience. The program focuses on developing skills within the age group of 9 to 13-year-old Indigenous children through activities. Working with this group helped me become a better ally to the Indigenous community of all ages. Ally-ship means helping provide opportunities and a voice to those who need it, using my privilege where it counts. In this case, I used my time to work with an amazing program to help support the children, the future of our planet. Giving children opportunities to grow and develop in a safe and fun space will help create independence and confidence that will help them in the future. Strong, educated, well-rounded children will only benefit our society.

Indigenous youth statistically have fewer opportunities than children of other backgrounds in Canada. The support provided for children in this program will help give them the confidence they need to follow their own paths, and hopefully, provide the tools to thrive. Supporting a community should start at supporting the youth. Without them, there would be no future. Kanikanichihk also provides traditional teachings, such as the Strawberry teachings provided to the Butterfly Program. Traditional Indigenous knowledge is important to pass on as these teachings are very beneficial to the environment and are vital to keeping the culture alive. I am very proud to have bore witness to these teachings.

Children deserve all the support that we can provide, and that is what this program aims to do. The Butterfly Program has given me a new outlook on how important all forms of education are, both formal (in school) and experience or cultural-based. It has enforced how being an ally is more than providing support for adults in the forms of protests, education of the oppressors’ community, or providing resources for the adults within the community needing support. It is important to tailor the support for different groups within the community in need.

Connecting with community through a Pandemic

By Alex Cote-O’Brien (They/Them), 1st year MDP student

I finished up my placement with KaniKanichihk at the end of July! It was definitely a bittersweet moment! After living in Winnipeg for almost a year I was never fully able to embrace the community and all the opportunities that Winnipeg had to offer due to the hands of the pandemic. Even though the majority of my placement was online and in a way removed from most parts of the community, I was able to connect with amazing young people, Elders, and peers who are change makers within their community.

This exchange of learning, friendship, and challenges, definitely left me with a lot of self-reflection and personal growth. At certain times in my placement I was gifted with the opportunity to go into the community to deliver program baskets, and got to interact with the family of the youth who were receiving them (at a safe and covid friendly distance though!). These interactions definitely kept my flame lit through hybrid working. Even though I didn't get to fully interact with the community like I hoped to, this placement gave me the opportunity to plant my feet into the ground, and meet various different community members to hopefully aid in my journey of community connection when the time is right and safe to do so!