Community members from Meadow Lake and Flying Dust First Nation gathered on Aug. 6 to bring awareness to the local suicide crisis. (Nicole Reis/meadowlakeNOW)

By Nicole Reis

#YOUMATTER

#Youmatter awareness walk draws community gathering and healing

Aug 6, 2020 | 6:19 PM

Flying Dust First Nation hosted #Youmatter suicide awareness walk Thursday afternoon in partnership with the City of Meadow Lake, RCMP, Northern Inter Tribal Health Agency (NITHA) and Roots of Hope in Meadow Lake.

Dozens of community and band members gathered and walked together to bring awareness to the crisis affecting the community.

Organizer, Tara Sinclair is a social worker and mental therapist with Flying Dust First Nation Health. She says the topic affects everyone and is calling for reform in RCMP handling distress calls, and for federal and provincial governments, chiefs and council to implement consistent and ongoing mental health support for First Nation youth and adults.

#Youmatter walk organizer, Tara Sinclair (left) and survivor, Sahara Ben (Nicole Reis/ meadowlakeNOW Staff)

“We want to create awareness about suicide and to connect our communities of Meadow Lake and Flying Dust First Nation because we are closely connected,” Sinclair said. “It’s not just a First Nations issue, it affects all people regardless of race, religion, ethnicity or background; it affects all of us.”

Contraband

Meth, THC concentrate, smartphone accessories seized at Saskatchewan Penitentiary

14m ago

first in Canada

Quantum computer at U of S could be 'real game-changer' for vaccines

3h ago

Trip to the moon

'Be in that moment': Astronaut Jeremy Hansen's wife prepares for his lunar mission

3h ago

Sinclair added as a community, we can provide hope, support and allow people to feel they are not alone in their struggle and give a voice to those who are struggling with the direct or indirect effects of suicide. The community of Flying Dust recently experienced a suicide of one of their members.

“We need the support right now, we need the prayers and we need uplifting spirit of people,” she said.

Passing on knowledge and empowering youth

Sinclair is seeking a greater investment in training of First Nation adults to deal with mental health issues to pass along knowledge to youth so they can provide peer to peer support.

“Lots of times, youth are not coming to adults or authority figures, they’ll go to their friends who don’t have the knowledge or skills in what to do with that information,” she said. “If we could empower youth, I think it will make more of a difference in how a crisis is dealt with.”

Sinclair said the community can expect more discussions surrounding mental health in the coming year. Flying Dust Health is planning a number of events from workshops, training and camps to ensure community members have ongoing education and support.

Glenda Wuttunee, a frontline worker with Flying Dust Health, was among procession members and she said with the recent suicides in the community, public awareness and a community voice is needed.

“As far as I know, it has never plagued a community as it has now,” she said. “I would like to see both Flying Dust and Meadow Lake come together to be more vocal and to question how we can help our youth more on Flying Dust.”

Wuttunee explained some families are suffering without any form of assistance or resources which breeds hopelessness.

Survivor, Sahara Ben said her participation at the walk will allow her some healing and community support.

“I think it’s important to create awareness for people living on and off reserve,” Ben said. “I think it will bring healing.”

Seline Merasty has been directly affected by suicide after losing members of her family. She says she wished people realized their lives matter and hopes people understand there is always someone who cares and willing to talk.

If you or someone you know is struggling, there is hope. Flying Dust Health can offer counseling support. More information can be found here.

According to the Saskatchewan Health Authority, HealthLine 811 is a confidential, 24-hour health and mental health and addictions advice, education and support telephone line available to the people of Saskatchewan. It is staffed by experienced and specially trained registered nurses, registered psychiatric nurses and registered social workers.

—

nicole.reis@jpbg.ca

Twitter:@nicolereis7722