Transcript Signs of Safety Making a Culturally Friendly Model More Culturally Appropriate •WHAT IS “SIGNS OF SAFETY”?

Signs of Safety
Making a Culturally Friendly
Model More Culturally
Appropriate
•WHAT IS
“SIGNS
OF SAFETY”?
Signs of Safety
• A model developed in Australia by Andrew
Turnell, who is a therapist, and Steve Edwards, a
social worker who has been in the child
protection field for many years. The model is
based on Solution Focused Brief Therapy,
founded by Insoo Kim Berg and Steve de Shazer
• Signs of Safety is outlined in a book by the same
name and they have a website at
www.signsofsafety.net
Signs of Safety
The roots of this model began in the early 90s and
has been developed to it’s present form.
It is now being implemented in the country’s of
Canada, (including the Ktunaxa Kinbasket Child
and Family Services in British Columbia), U.S.A.,
Denmark, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden,
And the United Kingdom
Signs of Safety
In Minnesota: Many counties such as Anoka and
Carver have been involved with Signs of Safety.
In 2009 the state began a program of Virtual
Training sessions for those interested Tribes and
counties, providing grants of $3000 for expenses.
Counties include Hennepin, Carver, Scott, Anoka,
Stearns, Sherburne, Crow Wing, Otter tail, and
Polk and our staff facilitate the Minnesota DHS
Virtual training sessions.
Signs of Safety
Mille Lacs was the only Reservation
who applied to this program.
Currently Leech Lake, Red Lake, and
White Earth have begun negotiations
to receive training from Connected
Families
Connected Families is the training
entity for the VPC
Solution Focused Brief Therapy
Solution focused brief therapy (SFBT), often
referred to as simply 'solution focused therapy'
or 'brief therapy', is a type of talking therapy
that is based upon social constructionist
philosophy. It focuses on what clients want to
achieve through therapy rather than on the
problem(s) that made them to seek help. The
approach does not focus on the past, but
instead, focuses on the present and future.
Solution Focused Therapy (Con’t)
• The therapist/counselor uses respectful curiosity to invite
the client to envision their preferred future and then the
therapist and client start attending to any moves towards it
whether these are small increments or large changes. To
support this, questions are asked about the client’s story,
strengths and resources, and about exceptions to the
problem. Solution focused therapists believe that change is
constant. By helping people identify the things that they
wish to have changed in their life and also to attend to
those things that are currently happening that they wish to
continue to have happen, SFBT therapists help their clients
to construct a concrete vision of a preferred future for
themselves.
Solution Focused Therapy (Con’t)
• The SFBT therapist then helps the client to identify times in
their current life that are closer to this future, and examines
what is different on these occasions. By bringing these small
successes to their awareness, and helping them to repeat
these successful things they do when the problem is not there
or less severe, the therapists helps the client move towards
the preferred future they have identified.
• Solution focused work can be seen as a way of working that
focuses exclusively or predominantly at two things. 1)
Supporting people to explore their preferred futures. 2)
Exploring when, where, with whom and how pieces of that
preferred future are already happening. While this is often
done using a social constructionist perspective the approach
is practical and can be achieved with no specific theoretical
framework beyond the intention to keep as close as possible
to these two things. Wikipedia
Crossing the Bridge
• How can this model, which has
many Native American points of
view, be further adapted to the
way of the Anishinaabe?
Loss of Traditional Perspectives
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Language
Worldview
Faith and Belief Systems
Practices
Language
• The language is the culture.
• The Maori of New Zealand went from 7% to
100% fluency in their school system and made
Maoritanga one of their official languages.
• Native Hawaiian speakers went from 500 to
15,000 speakers.
The Language is the Culture
• Both groups have not only enjoyed a
revitalization of their traditional languages
and cultures but also a major boost in
community cohesion, pride, and solidarity.
• They have also seen the first meaningful
declines in gang activity and drug and alcohol
abuse in their histories. Anton Treuer: Ojibwe in
Minnesota pg 78
Language
• Patricia Ningewance wrote in 'Talking Gookom's Language,' "There
are also words in the language that refer to how Anishinaabe
people should behave towards each other and outsiders. There's
the notion of leaving each person their personal space. In the old
days, people had to live in close quarters. It was thought that as
long as there was enough space on the floor (inside the wigwam or
tepee) to fit sleeping figures, there was sufficient room in one's
home. A home, after all, was precious shelter from the hostile
weather. So in living closely together, it was considered rude or
strange to look too frequently or too long at someone. The
expression was, "Ginibaazaab!" Keep your eyes to yourself. Another
was to not talk to someone too long or too often. "Gego
nibaazomaaken!" you were told. "Don't bother him/her with your
talking." These rules of behaviour gave us some social insulation.
Language
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ABINOUJI
• Imbedded in the ancient and archaic language of Ancient
Ojibways is what the Elders, who still know the true meaning of
the word that we use to describe “baby.” The roots of the word,
when strung together, form the meaning, “SACRED SPIRIT,
COMING IN, WHO HAS A VOICE.” It describes the new life who is
coming in directly from the side of the Creator, from the spirit
world, a pure spirit. On loan to us from the Creator of all Things.
Not ours to abuse and do with what we will. A very sacred being,
one who must be celebrated, honored, valued and taught to
celebrate themselves. When there is no one there to celebrate
their birth, their accomplishments, or their life, they do not feel
that we love them. A “Sacred Spirit, Coming In, Who Has a
Voice,” was never harshly disciplined, never beaten or slapped
around. To do this would have incurred the wrath of the spirit
world. Or the “Sacred Spirit, Coming In, Who Has a Voice”, may
possibly return to the spirit world. Rosemary Debungie
Worldview
• “The Ojibwe have great respect for all living things,” he
said. “It’s in the words. Animals and plants aren’t
natural resources to be exploited. They aren’t treated
just as things. Everything alive has a spirit. It’s
fundamental to Ojibwe culture and it comes out over
and over in Ojibwe stories.”
• Many Ojibwe legends demonstrate complicated rituals
involved in killing and eating an animal. They point to a
larger worldview that includes give-and-take and
balance. “Making an offering to the spirits before
taking anything from the environment is part of that
give-and-take,” David Aubid, Ojibwe Teacher at UMD
Faith and Belief Systems
• ANISHINAABE SEVEN GRANDFATHERS (ANISHINAABE)
• The First Elder was handed seven gifts of knowledge that he received from the
Seven Grandfathers when he was just a small boy:
• Wisdom (Nbwaakaawin) - He learned to use wisdom for his people
• Love (Zaagidwin) - He learned to love his Brother and Sister and share with
them.
• Respect (Mnaadendmowin) - He learned to respect everyone, all human
persons and all other living things.
• Bravery (Aakdeewin) - He learned to do the right things even in the most
difficult of times.
• Honesty (Gwekwaadziwin) - He learned to be honest in every action and
provide good feelings in his heart.
• Humility (Dbaadendizin) - He learned to know that he was equal to everyone
else, no better or no less, simply equal.
• Truth (Debwewin) - He learned to be true in everything that he did and by
being true to himself and all other living beings. He always spoke the truth.
• The First Elder was told that the seven teachings had to be used together, they
could not be used in isolation. To leave out anyone of them was to embrace the
opposite of what that teaching was about. If honesty is not practiced then we
cheat; if we do not love we will hate; if we do not tell the truth we will lie.
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Practices
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Using Asemaa
Ceremonies
Clan System
Fasting
Midewiwin
Big Drums
Teachings
Pine Ridge Reservation
• The people of Pine Ridge have faced similar
cultural and spiritual losses. With the help of
Casey Family Programs and with the Pine
Ridge community and Tribal leaders taking the
lead, Lakota Oyate Wakanyeja Owicakiyapi
(LOWO) (People Working Together for the
Family) was developed as a child welfare
department.
A Cultural Model
• LOWO is based on their language, their seven
spiritual/natural laws of wocekiye (prayer),
Wowaunshila (generosity), Woksape
(wisdom), Wowacintanka (fortitude), Wanagi
ksapi (strong/healthy spirit), Wacanteognake
(Keep people in your heart) Wauonihan
(Respect and Honor)
A Cultural Model
• LOWO operates by a Code of Ethics that is
cultural and in their language. For example the
first ethic is: Lakota ta woope ki hena slolwaye
na ecel waun kte: I have the knowledge of the
seven Lakota laws (values) and will honor
them, and be a reflection of them, as I
represent the organization
A Cultural Model
• Teachings are used such as the Tipi: It represents
the family.
• Poles represent the Woman nation.
• Covering is the male/fatherhood role
• Stakes are the children-the foundation
• Smoke flaps are grandparents-teachings\
• Circle of dwelling-all relations-for guests and
proper place for male and female
• Tipi pointing upward- represents star knowledge
• Tipi pointing downward-sacred time on earth