"I remembered my position and role in life. I was a bush wife and mother, and had to learn to be a good one. I chopped kindling wood, carried heavy pails of water, used a galvanized steel wash tub and scrub board to wash clothes and diapers by hand. The wash and rinse water was ice cold, especially in the winter time." The Late E. Dolores Wawia, Gull Bay First Nation.

Welcome.

The opening of each day will start with a page reading of my late Grandmother's unpublished life story, E. Dolores Wawia. It was through her perseverance, her strength and determination to never give up that I am here today. My Grandmother was a trailblazer and long-time advocate for Indigenous education.

Day 1: Building Strong Foundations

Lateral Kindness & Conflict De-escalation

Focuses on transforming workplace dynamics and strengthening interpersonal communication. Participants will examine how lateral violence shows up in daily operations and learn practical frameworks to replace gossip and conflict with lateral kindness.

Key Takeaways:

• Identifying the root causes and signs of lateral violence.

• Practical, trauma-informed de-escalation techniques for high-stress interactions.

• Strategies for building trust, accountability, and psychological safety at work.

Day 2: Sustaining the Frontline

Self-Care, Burnout, Compassion Fatigue & Mental Health in the North

Addresses the unique pressures faced by workers and community members operating in Northern and remote contexts. This day centers on protecting the human behind the job—offering clear strategies to recognize burnout, manage compassion fatigue, and build lasting personal resilience.

Key Takeaways:

• A deeper understanding of the challenges of mental health support in Northern communities.

• Differentiating between everyday stress, burnout, and compassion fatigue.

• Learning how to develop personalized and actionable wellness plans through self-care practices.

• Self-care manual & Mental Health in the Norther provided.

Day 3: Community Care & Critical Action

Walk With Me: A Personal Story & Human/Sex Trafficking Awareness

The final day turns outward to urgent community realities. "Walk With Me" guides participants through compassionate, non-judgmental approaches to harm reduction while providing crucial awareness on recognizing, preventing, and responding to human and sex trafficking.

Key Takeaways:

• Core principles of harm reduction and meeting individuals where they are at using the facilitators personal story.

• Spotting the indicators of human and sex trafficking in local and regional settings.

• Trauma-informed strategies for intervention, support, and collaborative community advocacy.