(Men of the North/Facebook)

By Derek Craddock

MEN OF THE NORTH

Northern Sask. group hoping to expand to other communities

Nov 22, 2023 | 2:00 PM

A Lac La Ronge-based group that helps support and equip men and youth in northern Saskatchewan is looking to expand and a new grant will help them along the way.

The Men of the North recently received nearly $40,000 in grant money from the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Community Response Fund, through the province’s Indigenous and Northern Relations department.

According to Program Director Christopher Merasty, the funds will help them reach men through their different programs.

“We will be delivering communication programs (and) workshops in regards to couples coping strategies and as well as respectful communications workshops,” he said. “There’s funding in place to extend and expand our cultural ceremonies and practices.”

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That’s not the only good news that Merasty shared with larongeNOW. The success of Men of the North has caught the attention of other northern communities wanting a similar program in their borders.

In recent weeks, Île-à-la-Crosse, Cumberland House and Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation leaders have reached out to establish a Men of the North program there.

“It’s something that we are working diligently on to deliver this program to more and more communities and extend our reach as I think it’s one of the most important pieces in initiating ongoing support and healthy opportunities for men within the community and involving them, their families, and the community as a whole,” he said.

Merasty added there are also talks of helping men released from correctional institutes reintegrate into their communities as well as developing a gang exit strategy.

Down the road, he expects the organization will keep growing, which he’s happy with.

“It’s a new, unique authentic program that’s really structured around the basis of the root causes of many of the issues we see in our communities,” said Merasty. “We hope that maybe within five years, we are in multiple communities in northern and other parts of Saskatchewan.”

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derek.craddock@pattisonmedia.com