2022年11月1日

2022年11月1日如何構建希望?TryCycle數據係統認為答案是建立聯係的一個基礎部分,促進有意義的實時與真實的人。沒有希望一直追求超過加拿大的原住民社區。不是什麼秘密,這些往往孤立和服務不足的人口一直被推到社會的邊緣。健康問題社會決定因素在影響健康結果發揮主導作用,經常限製訪問關鍵服務。這些加劇了曆史不平等導致代際創傷及相關後果——藥物濫用和精神健康障礙患者,和普遍缺乏希望。2022年2月,聯邦土著國家主權在薩斯喀徹溫省接近TryCycle數據係統利用其技術,並構建一個應用程序來促進基層連接。加拿大政府,通過自主服務加拿大聽、認可與合作夥伴合作的機會,並響應了號召,投資於社區、文化安全倡議,立竿見影。這一承諾,說堅持是構思——第一Nations-to-First國家數字聊天平台。每個聊天是完全匿名的,它提供了安全的基礎,judgement-free對話來填補缺口,持續持續原住民之間的隔離和絕望的感覺。 “Talking Stick is not just an app; it’s a campaign,” explains John MacBeth, Founder and CEO of TryCycle. “It’s about human beings; how we identify and look after people at risk.” Talking Stick is providing options to people who are seeking support, in an environment where there has been a seemingly insurmountable chasm between need and help. Connection is key. The solution provides a secure connection between a Guest and a trained Peer Advocate, using a completely anonymous chat platform. It is free, accessible, and provides a destination that was never there before. The program aims to hire 200 Indigenous Peer Advocates, with 80 Peers already mobilized across the province. The Peers themselves are screened, trained, and supported by a team of Regional Managers who provide coaching and guidance to the group of cultural resources. The main role of the Talking Stick Peer Advocates is to listen without judgement, creating a safe environment for anonymous Guests to share feelings ranging from loneliness to anxiety, emotions related to home life, school, relationships, or struggles with mental health. James Smith Cree Nation is one of the many communities that has adopted Talking Stick. A small community which, on September 4, 2022, was devastated by one of the worst mass killings in Canadian history. The horrific events left ten people dead, while eighteen more suffered physical injuries. The community and surrounding areas continue to deal with unimaginable grief and loss that will take generations to heal. Formal systems are often paralyzed in circumstances like this, where the appropriate response is not clear. Investments are made in perceived solutions, satisfying the expectation that “something has to be done.” Unfortunately, once the acute phase of these events has passed, the tendency is to return to “business as usual.” Nothing is left behind to support the ongoing emotions and grief. That is, until now. Talking Stick Peer Advocates were ready, and still are today ensuring that someone is available to listen and support their healing journey. “Talking Stick is a means of communication, and to some, it may be their only lifeline. People use this as a safe place to unload their feelings and emotions, without judgement,” said Charlene Gardiner, TryCycle’s provincial director for Saskatchewan. One such example occurred in June 2022, when a Talking Stick Peer Advocate maintained a text-based chat for over four hours, listening to and comforting a Guest who was contemplating suicide. This event provided the Guest the space they needed to process their feelings and allowed the Peer Advocate to offer phone numbers to professional health resources. After this chat, the Guest connected with the same Peer Advocate, to let them know they were okay. Mostly, this person wanted to say thank you for listening. The challenges being faced by Canada’s Indigenous peoples are longstanding, and consequently they are complex. There are layers of trauma that have transcended generations and will continue to fester until hope is established in a sustained and consistent way. Further, the importance of Indigenous ownership of and participation in solutions like the Talking Stick app, cannot be understated. TryCycle is proud and honoured to be a trusted partner in the campaign to bring hope and increase cultural connections between real people, offering real support, to real problems.