Present the Findings by Delivering a Workshop

From Stilettos to Moccasins: A Guide for Group Discussion©

A half day health intervention workshop that accompanies the music video From Stilettos to Moccasins© is now available at no cost to intersted groups. The workshop raises awareness of the role that identity and stigma have in the healing journeys of First Nations, Metis and Inuit women in treatment for drug abuse and offers hope to individuals on their healing journeys. It is designed to be facilitated by community members for community members.

The workshop is based on the key finding of the project, which is, to heal from drug abuse, there is a need for women to re-claim, and for some to claim for the first time, a healthy self-identity as an Aboriginal woman. This includes understanding the negative impacts of stigma.

The workshop has three goals, and was pilot tested in addictions treatment centres, community-based agencies and a correctional facility with very positive results.

1. To discuss the role of identity and stigma in the healing journeys of Aboriginal women in treatment for drug abuse.
2. To offer hope and inspiration, gathered from over 100 Aboriginal women in substance abuse treatment who shared their healing journeys.
3. To reflect on your understanding of identity, stigma, and the healing journey and learn from one another.

The workshop comes with a 30-minute training video and all required materials.

With funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, fourteen Project Ambassadors were hired from across Canada to assist with distributing over 200 workshop kits.  Some of the Ambassadors are original participants interviewed for the project (See listing below). Over the summer of 2012, with funding from the national Drug Treatment Funding Program, administered by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health, the workshops were offered on a trial basis to front-line service providers to gather feedback for Saskatchewan to build its cultural knowledge base.

With all of the workshop kits now distributed, the  workshop materials are available on-line. If you are interested in accessing the on-line version, titled “From Stilettos to Moccasins: A Guide for Group Discussion – Addressing Identity and Stigma in the Healing Journeys of Criminalized Aboriginal Women from Illicit Drug Abuse”, please contact the project coordinator, Alicia Husband at 306 966-6950 (fax) 306 966-6017 (phone) or alicia.husband@usask.ca You will be asked to fill out a request and agreement form (available in Word and PDF) and will then be provided with the secure internet infomation to access the  materials. All you will be responsible for is the mini dream catchers and pearls for the closing exercise (at a cost of approximately $3 per participant). Instructions for ordering them are made available on-line. Or you can choose a no-cost alternative.

The From Stilettos to Moccasins workshop kit consists of the following items:

1 – Briefcase that includes all the necessary materials for facilitating the workshop, excluding pens/pencils

1 – Facilitator’s manual taking you step-by-step through the workshop

1 – DVD case, which holds two DVDs: a facilitator’s training video & the workshop video presentation (including a chapter legend – blue paper)

20 – Participant workbooks

20 – Participant completion certificates

20 – Mini dream catchers

20 – Pearls to attach to the dream catchers as a closing exercise

Thread to attach the pearls to the dream catchers

When you run out of materials, the workbooks can be photocopied or we may be able to provide more, depending on if supplies are available.  Please contact Alicia Husband at 306 966-6950 (fax) 966-6017 (phone) or alicia.husband@usask.ca .

The Worshop Kit evaluation forms are at the back of the Facilitator’s manual,  and are also available here: Evaluation Form Participant-Paper Copy  and  Evaluation Form Facilitator – Paper Copy.  They can also be filled out on-line at:  Evaluation Form Participant – On-line Survey  and  Evaluation Form Facilitator – On-line Survey.

Project Ambassadors

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