Editor’s Note: Last March, Roberto Kus, a Maya youth from Belize, took part in a three-week exchange to Winnipeg. Roberto was particularly moved by Meet Me at the Bell Tower, a weekly gathering where he saw Indigenous youth come together to voice their concerns and take action to better their communities.

Roberto returned to Belize excited to work with his peers and create an opportunity for Maya youth to embrace their cultural identity, build their Indigenous leadership and envision a future for their communities. The following article is what Roberto Kus and Seferina Miss, two youth members of the JCS Planning Team, had to share about Sounding of the Conch Shell and the five-day youth camp that they are planning in Belize.

It is often said, “The youth are our future.”

But is that statement a true reflection of the actions of communities? Do communities take into consideration how the choices they make today will affect youth tomorrow? In most villages, youth participation is minimal or nonexistent. Yet, it is said they are our future. Young people are the greatest factor to consider when developing one’s community in a way that meets the needs of the present generation and also assists future generations in meeting their own needs. 

Sounding of the Conch Shell is a one of a kind initiative that seeks to build courage and unity amongst Maya youth — created by Maya youth, for Maya youth.

Customarily, when the Alcalde (Traditional Leader) of a Maya village wishes to convene a community meeting, he has a designated individual that will sound a conch shell. The authoritative echoes of the conch shell serve as the Alcalde’s call to attend a community meeting. The meeting is the ultimate decision-making body for the village; it serves as a space where  villagers may voice their concerns and express their approval or denial of any public decision.

Sounding of the Conch Shell draws on the analogy of the Alcalde and the conch shell, calling Maya youth together and creating a space where they can embrace their cultural identity, engage in dialogue about issues affecting their communities, develop capacity in indigenous leadership, envision their future and promote community engagement.

As the Maya people say: Komonil (together), we are united, peaceful, hard-working and self-governing communities.

The JCS Planning Team is particularly cognizant of the role of women in governance. In traditional Maya culture, women have little involvement in decision-making processes and even less involvement in governance. However, women are starting to become more actively involved, including attending village meetings to voice their concerns. There is also a female Alcalde for the first time ever who holds a seat at the executive level in the Assembly of Alcaldes. This has been the biggest achievement for women; it lets Maya people see that women can execute decisions at the highest level. 

“As a feminist, one of my greatest criticisms of the Maya Tradition is that women are not seen as equal to men,” shared Seferina Miss, a youth member of the JCS Planning Team. “Women are the backbone of dedication, hard work, and commitment. It’s important for young women to voice their struggles, become leaders, advocate for equality — to be at the forefront of decision making.”

We hope the Conch Shell will call Maya youth to come together in solidarity, not only to say ‘We love our culture’ but to show that we are willing to defend our culture.

Fifteen Maya youth, eight girls and seven boys coming from different Maya communities across Toledo District, will take part in a weeklong camp packed with tons of excitement, fun and learning. Some of the activities include field trips, a photovoice project, keynote presentations and a mini cultural fair — all leading to the development of a youth action plan.

“The most alluring moment I hope to experience this June is to listen to the perspectives of the various youth from across Toledo,” shared Roberto. “Knowledge-sharing is always a moment to be treasured; I hope to listen to them and learn from them what I may not know about the communities of Toledo, while simultaneously sharing my knowledge with them.”

Julian Cho Society

Sounding of the Conch Shell was developed by Maya youth who are part of the Julian Cho Society, a Maya organization devoted to indigenous rights through research, education, and advocacy in southern Belize. JCS provides scholarships for Maya youth that enable them to pursue high school outside of their villages. Mentored by their adult allies, including Elodio Rash, and supported by JCS, these young scholars have led the planning of this camp and the vision for this youth movement.

Community Service-Learning

Community Service-Learning helps you develop the knowledge, attitudes and skills needed for community work through immersive programming and hands-on projects. For more information on our programs, visit our website, call 204-474-6992 or email anny.chen@umanitoba.ca.

CSL is honoured to take part in this Maya youth-led initiative as helpers and participants, and grateful for the opportunity to learn from indigenous communities throughout Manitoba, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Applications for Belize: Indigenous Youth Movements close on April 10. Apply online today!

Imagine that you come home one day and discover an eviction notice in your mailbox. Your landlord has ordered you to vacate your apartment in five days. Despite being a responsible renter, this will be the third time you have moved this year, and you recognize a pattern of discrimination that has followed you all of your life as an Anishinaabe woman and single mother of three boys. You feel defeated.

What would you do?

Unfortunately, securing affordable, long-term housing is an all-too-common challenge faced by many people living in poverty. The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) notes in their April 2018 report, Winnipeg Without Poverty, that some people are at greater risk for poverty – women, single parents, LGBT2SQ+ communities, Indigenous people, newcomers and people with physical and mental disabilities. People from these groups all experience poverty at disproportionately higher rates in Winnipeg.

Importantly, the CCPA goes on to discuss how people experiencing higher rates of poverty may have multiple and intersecting identities that result in unique lived experiences of poverty. In the housing scenario above, for example, the woman is disadvantaged by sexism and racism, in addition to her socioeconomic status.

“One of the major things I have learned from coordinating the Poverty Awareness & Community Action workshop this past year is how the experiences of people who live in poverty can really vary,” reflected Juliana Coughlin, a Masters candidate in Peace and Conflict Studies. “I have also learned how systems, like housing and the job market, can very much work against some of the most vulnerable in our society.”

Focused on day-to-day survival, people living in poverty may lack the time, power and knowledge about systems to advocate for themselves in situations like an eviction. Luckily, people can reach out to a community advocate to get information about their rights and available resources. For example, did you know that the Residential Tenancies Act requires that the notice be delivered in person, or that a landlord can only give you five days’ notice for three reasons – non-payment of rent, major damage or being a threat?

As members of the PACA Workshop Facilitation Team, students have the unique opportunity to work directly with community advocates and people with lived experiences of poverty. The PACA workshop is an experiential learning activity that uses role play and discussion to deepen awareness of the impacts of poverty and social welfare systems. Workshop participants take on the roles of family members, while members of the Workshop Facilitation Team role play as service-providers, such as police officers and social workers, or assist with facilitation. Before and after the workshop, team members also develop skills in workshop coordination, community engagement and more.

“The PACA Workshop is greatly needed for students,” said Shelley Stevenson, a community volunteer from North Point Douglas Women’s Centre, “for another viewpoint and just to get them aware of what’s happening on the streets and in the communities they will be working with in the future. Students get to know the people firsthand. There are lots of stereotypes out there. Working with the people can give you a better understanding of how society actually runs.”

“I was in my sixth year of postsecondary education,” recalled Dale Lui, an alumnus from the Department of Political Studies. “I thought I had gained the ‘right’ knowledge through my studies to be in a position to help people, but I realized I had a lot of prejudice against the very communities to which I was dedicating my studies: people living in a low-income situation or below the poverty line. Being a part of PACA really changed my views on poverty.”

Last year, Juliana, Shelley and dozens of other university students and community volunteers helped Community Service-Learning to facilitate eight workshops for nearly 400 future social workers, doctors, nurses, occupational therapists, lawyers and recreation workers.

“It’s such a dynamic and fast-paced work environment,” said Juliana. “I’ve really developed my critical thinking, problem-solving and organizational skills in taking on the interesting roles and responsibilities of workshop coordination. I also had the chance to work closely with community and student volunteers, and it’s the relationships I have built with community volunteers that I really value. Being part of the PACA Workshop Facilitation Team has allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of poverty than through almost anything else I have participated in before.”

For more information about the Poverty Awareness & Community Action Workshop Facilitation Team, or to apply, visit: umanitoba.ca/servicelearning

The deadline to apply is July 31. Late applications will be considered until September 30.

Faculty members interested in booking a workshop can contact:

Anny [dot] Chen [at] umanitoba [dot] ca

204.474.6992

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Community Service-Learning, a part of Student Engagement and Success, facilitates student programs and provides faculty support for the University of Manitoba community. CSL works with local and international communities to offer experiential learning opportunities that help students connect with communities, develop their capacity for community and social justice work, and learn about their role in social change.

U of M students who participated in Alternative Reading Week Belize will be sharing food and stories from their recent trip, and Food Not Bombs will share information about their philosophy and history. Also learn about two new research projects from U of M faculty members. Dr. Joyce Slater, associate professor in the departments of food and human nutritional sciences and community health sciences, will speak about building evidence to inform policies and programs for food and nutrition security in Manitoba youth. Dr. Natalie Riediger, assistant professor in the department of community health sciences at the Manitoba First Nations Centre for Aboriginal Health Research, will introduce a proposal for a pop beverage tax to combat diabetes.

The North End Bell Tower 
Friday, March 16, 2018

4:30 pm                      Meet-up and Q&A with Community Service-Learning staff,
                                       203 Fitzgerald, Fort Garry Campus

5:15 pm                      Travel to the Bell Tower on Selkirk Avenue

6:00 pm                      Meet Me @ The Bell Tower: Food as Resistance event

8:00 pm                      Debrief and reflection with Community Service-Learning staff

Please sign up on the Community Link- https://communitylink.umanitoba.ca/submitter/form/start/11626

North Meets South: Truth, Healing, and Relations-Building is a program offered by Community Service-Learning that provides U of M students with monthly excursions, events and intercultural workshops to learn about our community, cultures and roles in reconciliation. Learn more.

Here’s what student project teams worked on this Reading Week:

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Winnipeg Inc.
Students led group mentoring workshops for elementary school-aged children. The workshops focused on building self-confidence and self-esteem through activities and games. This short-term program serves children who don’t typically qualify for the agency’s community-based programs.

Circle of Life Thunderbird House
Students designed a new winter initiative for youth that includes a winter teaching lodge and land-based programming. While the winter initiative still needs to secure funding, it provides an important opportunity for urban young people to connect with the land in winter.

Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre
Students worked out of the agency’s Community Care Sites, serving coffee, getting to know community members, and having difficult conversations with people about how to tackle an emerging community priority: crystal meth.

Check out Nina Lam’s Instagram Takeover on February 21.

Manitoba Association of Rights and Liberties (MARL)
Students worked on communications for MARL’s public education initiatives, helping to produce creative content such as infographics and factsheets. Students also had the opportunity to attend a workshop at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights with executive director Michael Barkman.

Check out Tishad Ahamed’s Instagram Takeover on February 20.

Mount Carmel Clinic
Students researched potential program funders and opportunity timelines for Mount Carmel Clinic’s Indigenous Wellness program– the first of its kind in a western clinic setting. This placement provided students with a snapshot into the constant drive for funding required to run a non-profit organization.

N.E.E.D.S. Inc.
This placement team helped supervise newcomer and refugee students in classes, as well as provided tutoring and homework support in a variety of subjects. ARW students gained some understanding of the challenges faced by English-language learners who are studying new subjects in a new language.

West Broadway Youth Outreach (WBYO)
Students worked on a tight schedule to clean up storage spaces at WBYO in need of tidying and organizing before youth arrived for the after-school programming. Students learned about the positive cascade that an organized space can provide: staff can grab needed resources, spend less time searching for supplies, and quickly redirect their attention back to youth, which improves their overall relationship and rapport with the young people.

Winnipeg Harvest
Following the Reading Week placements, students were treated to a tour of Winnipeg Harvest and a chance to get their hands dirty, literally, in the warehouse sorting food for distribution – a drop in the more than 13 million pounds of food that Harvest distributes annually. Students also participated in an oppression workshop, which provided an opportunity to understand power and oppression in the context of community organizing, and witnessed a ‘living library,’ a powerful and emotional ‘lived experience panel’ consisting of Winnipeg Harvest clients, volunteers and employees.

Check out some of the photos that ARW students captured during Reading Week.

Community Service-Learning offers free local programs for students interested in applying their knowledge outside the classroom and gaining relevant hands-on experience in the community. ARW Winnipeg is offered in partnership with the University of Manitoba Student Union.

Students involved in the international program travelled to Belize or Ecuador, while those who participated in the local program visited community organizations such as Manitoba Association for Rights and Liberties, Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre and Winnipeg Harvest.

Here’s a look at some of their experiences captured using #AltReadingWeek on Instagram.

For more information contact, Community Service-Learning.

Community Service-Learning offers a six-week program where students live and volunteer in Leaf Rapids, Manitoba, a former mining town of 500 people located three hours northwest of Thompson.

Through Leaf Rapids Service-Learning Experience, students gain hands-on experience in gardening and greenhouse management by volunteering with the boreal gardening project. Students will also develop valuable skills through managing a house and group living, project planning, and building relationships with local community members.

“Leaf Rapids may seem like a faraway place, but Winnipeg is intricately connected to northern communities who depend on food deliveries and postal service from the south, or have community members travelling to Winnipeg for health care or to see family,” says Anny Chen. “We may be separated by thousands of kilometres, but it’s invaluable for southerners to have a firsthand appreciation of northern experiences. After all, a U of M student may become a nurse attending to a mom who has flown in to deliver her baby, or a teacher with a class of northern youth displaced by flooding. It makes a huge difference to start from a place of compassion and understanding.”

This year’s program will be the U of M’s fourth year in Leaf Rapids. Students can look forward to working with children at the Leaf Rapids Education Centre, getting to know local youth, and learning from Elder Keith Anderson. New this year, regional gardening coordinator Chuck Stensgard will share his knowledge of the boreal forest region, giving students insight into local ecosystems, the impacts of climate change and the opportunity to explore the beautiful land surrounding Leaf Rapids.

This program is offered in partnership by Community Service-Learning and Frontier School Division.

Program Details:
Dates: May 1 to June 12, 2018 (exact dates may vary)
All-inclusive program fee: $1000 (includes round-trip drive, housing, meals, activities, and supplies)
Student Team: 4-6, Interdisciplinary

The program deadline has been extended to March 9. The program is open to all students of the University of Manitoba.

For more info, visit the Community Service-Learning website or email anny.chen@umanitoba.ca, or apply online now!

Join North Meets South, a Community Service-Learning program, for a visit to the Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery and the Buddha Meditation Centre of Winnipeg.

Bhante Dhammasen, a Buddhist monk, will lead U of M students in a discussion around the basic tenants and guiding values of Therevada Buddhism. Dialogue will explore how Buddhists see themselves in the work of building relationships and reconciling with diverse people and groups, particularly the Indigenous community. The group will also discuss how Buddhist teachings can contribute to the healing of relationships with Indigenous peoples.

Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery Winnipeg*
Monday, February 12, 2018

3:30pm            Meet-up and Q&A with Community Service-Learning staff, CSL Office at 203 Fitzgerald

4:00-6:00pm    Discussion with Bhante Dhammasen at Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery

6:00-6:45pm    Debrief and reflection with Community Service-Learning staff

7:00pm            Return to U of M Fort Garry Campus

*Community Service-Learning will help arrange student transportation. Public transportation to the monastery is not available.

 Please sign up on UMCommunityLink.

North Meets South: Truth, Healing, and Relations-Building is a program offered by Community Service-Learning that provides U of M students with monthly excursions, events and intercultural workshops to learn about our community, cultures and roles in reconciliation. Learn more!

This event is offered in collaboration with the Spiritual Care Coordinator.

Chile Service-Learning experience offers a six-week, project-based program where students will participate in community work on the Island of Chiloé, Chile. By working with the community, students will gain a hands-on opportunity to investigate Indigenous health promotion for future generations.

This year, U of M students will help the Wekimün Foundation with the planning and coordination of Encounters of Intercultural Health – a series of weekend events that aims to bring together local Indigenous youth with Indigenous health practices and practitioners.

“This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for U of M students to develop first-hand experience in a number of key areas for today’s job-market: from project management within an intercultural and international context, to more specialized competencies such as intercultural health promotion and education,” says Gerardo Villagrán, Community Service-Learning coordinator. “Moreover, it is an opportunity for them to practice or learn Spanish as they experience the very rich culture and breathtaking beauty of the Chilean Patagonia.”

In addition to working on this project, students will have the opportunity to explore the region, immerse themselves in the local culture and participate in facilitated learning activities onsustainable land-use, Williche history, language and Cosmo-vision (way of looking at life and the world through Williche teachings), Indigenous rights in Latin-America and many other

This program is offered in partnership by Community Service-Learning and the Wekimün Foundation.

Bursaries of up to $1,000 are available to support student’s financial needs.

Program Details:

Summer Program in Chile: Indigenous Health for Future Generations

Location:
Island of Chiloé, Chile (time-lapse of Chiloé)

Dates:
May 1 to June 12, 2018 (exact dates may vary)

All-inclusive program fee:
$4,000 (Airfare, accommodations, meals, transportation, travel insurance, community contribution, program supplies, etc).

Student Team: 
6-8, Interdisciplinary

The program deadline has been extended to March 9. The program is open to all students of the University of Manitoba.

For more info, visit the Community Service-Learning website or email Gerardo.villagran@umanitoba.ca 

Or apply online now!

This workshop uses role-play and discussion to sensitize students to the impacts of poverty on families and reflect on their roles in alleviating poverty in our communities. Through a focus on issues like financial hardship and racism, the workshop shows how many families do not have the means to deal with the challenges of living on a lower income in Winnipeg.

Student volunteers will be assigned a role as a service-provider, such as a teacher or store clerk. As service-providers, volunteers will help create the conditions of discrimination and lack of accessibility often faced by families living on a low-income. Community volunteers who have lived experience with poverty will join the student volunteers as part of the facilitation team.

Juliana Coughlin, a graduate student in peace and conflict studies, says the workshop is valuable because it allows students to not only experience the implications of poverty but also learn what they can do about it. “It’s important for students to learn about these issues because they will be on the frontlines providing critical services for individuals and families,” she says.

Volunteer service-providers often find the workshop beneficial for their own professional development as well explains Anny Chen, Community Service-Learning coordinator. “Volunteer service-providers are reminded about the importance of structural change as they experience how the role play parameters limit their ability to help the families.”

Who can volunteer? Students, staff or faculty! Students enrolled in the University of Manitoba Volunteer Program will receive hours for their Co-Curricular Record.

To sign up as a volunteer, complete this form on Community Link by Friday, Jan. 26.

Date: Thursday Feb. 1, 2018

Time: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Location: 200 Education Building, University of Manitoba, Fort Garry Campus

Pastries, fruit and coffee will be generously provided by UMSU.

University of Winnipeg, Room 2M70, 515 Portage Avenue
January 18, 2018

3:30pm            Meet-up and Q&A with Community Service-Learning staff

4:00-6:00pm    Event

6:00-7:00pm    Debrief and reflection with Community Service-Learning staff

 Please sign up on UMCommunityLink.

“In 2016, Canada’s newly elected federal government publically committed to reconciling the social and material deprivation of Indigenous communities across the country. Does this outward shift in the Canadian state’s approach to longstanding injustices facing Indigenous peoples reflect a “transformation with teeth,” or is it merely a reconstructed attempt at colonial Indigenous-settler relations?”

“Jaskiran Dhillon uncovers how various groups including state agents, youth workers, and community organizations utilize participatory politics in order to intervene in the lives of Indigenous youth living under conditions of colonial occupation and marginality. In doing so, this accessibly written book sheds light on the changing forms of settler governance and the interlocking systems of education, child welfare, and criminal justice that sustain it. Dhillon’s nuanced and fine-grained analysis exposes how the push for inclusionary governance ultimately reinstates colonial settler authority and raises startling questions about the federal government’s commitment to justice and political empowerment for Indigenous Nations, particularly within the context of the everyday realities facing Indigenous youth.” –  Institute for Women’s and Gender Studies 

This talk is presented by the Institute for Women’s and Gender Studies (IWGS), with generous support from Urban and Inner-City Studies (UWinnipeg), Indigenous Studies (UWinnipeg), the Centre for Research in Young People’s Texts and Cultures (CRYTC), and the Critical Race Network (UWinnipeg).

 North Meets South: Truth, Healing, and Relations-Building is a program offered by Community Service- Learning that provides U of M students with monthly excursions, events and intercultural workshops to learn about our community. Learn more!