International Indigenous Community Safety Seminar Organized by the International Centre for the Prevention of Crime (ICPC), with support from the National Crime Prevention Centre, Public Safety Canada

Background paper PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Dates : March 27-29, 2011 Location: Montreal, Canada (Hotel name and address) Format: The Seminar will be organized into Panel and Roundtable Discussions

1. Panel Discussions Session I : Urban Indigenous Populations Session II : Children and young people Session III : Film and Discussion : Third World Canada Session IV & V: Holistic approaches to safety (2 sessions) Session VI : Evaluation frameworks Session VII : Wrap – Up and Review

2. Roundtable Discussions Following each session, participants will take part in roundtable discussions in order to reflect on the presentations and/or engage in activities to help participants think about the following points: Are there similarities in these models and methodologies that reflect emerging or existing trends and developments in your community/institution? What can we learn from the presentations and the processes involved – the challenges and opportunities? What can we take back from the presentations? Can these models and methodologies be a good basis for collaboration across communities, cities, regions or between countries? Reflecting on the past 5-10 years, what makes a model or project work (ex. Participatory involvement, sustained funding, cross-over of disciplines, multi-sector partnerships, cross-government involvement)? International Indigenous Community Safety Seminar- Draft program

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DESCRIPTION OF THE SEMINAR ICPC has an extensive history of work relating to community safety and Indigenous communities. This has included international comparative analysis of policies and practice1, organization of workshops on Indigenous themes2, the establishment of a Virtual Network of stakeholders, and the production of online Bulletins of initiatives and practice. For example, ICPC organized two international workshops in the context of the Aboriginal Research and Policy Conference in Ottawa March 9-12th in 2009. Over the past 10 years, the organization has established contacts with many partners across Canada, in Australia, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, Peru and the United States, including Indigenous and non-indigenous groups and organizations and policy makers, researchers and practitioners working on prevention initiatives with and for Indigenous communities. Given this experience, ICPC plans to organize an international seminar to consider recent progress, obstacles and current and emerging approaches relating to community safety among Indigenous populations.3 Key indigenous and non-Indigenous stakeholders from seven countries (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, South Africa and the United States) will be invited to take part in the seminar (about 50 people in total). They will include representatives of government and nongovernment organizations, practitioners, researchers, policy makers, health and police services and local authorities. The seminar will provide a space to exchange and reflect on developments over the past 5 to 10 years and to identify some of the key issues, trends and developments to inform future policy and practice. The seminar will thus bring together Canadian and international partners for a series of focused discussions and debate. It is hoped that the seminar will be able to benefit from, and build on, the outcomes of the National Research Conference on Urban Aboriginal Peoples4 taking place in Toronto on February 22-24th, as well as from the outcomes of the Knowledge Interchange Conference, Winnipeg, Manitoba on February 1516th.

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Crime Prevention and Indigenous Communities: Current International Strategies and Programmes (ICPC, 2003), Community Safety Partnerships by and with Indigenous Peoples (ICPC, 2006), Community Safety and Indigenous Peoples: Sharing Knowledge, Insights and Action (ICPC, 2009). 2 th ICPC’s 6 Colloquium in Canberra, Australia, the 2009 Aboriginal Policy and Research Conference in Ottawa, Canada, ICPC’s th 15 Anniversary Colloquium in Montreal, Canada - Workshop 11. 3 With the financial support of the National Crime Prevention Centre, Public Safety Canada… 44 Being hosted by the National Association of Friendship Centres and the Universities of Trent and Sudbury. International Indigenous Community Safety Seminar- Draft program

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IMPORTANCE AND OBJECTIVES OF THE SEMINAR

The seminar will be a unique opportunity to develop knowledge across cultures and countries on existing trends and interventions, and which brings together research, policy and practice. It will include good prevention practice and participatory interventions that have shown positive results in improving safety in Indigenous communities – both in terms of communities of people and of place. The seminar is intended to: 1. Draw attention to the marginalization and victimization of Indigenous peoples and the impact of safety issues on Indigenous communities across the world, including children, youth and women, and their intersection with cultural practices, health and livelihoods 2. Provide an opportunity and a space for the expertise-sharing and encourage exchange of diverse knowledge and tools 3. Increase the capacity of key stakeholders to better inform the current state and future planning of knowledge on indigenous well-being and community safety 4. Highlight and identify innovative practice models and methodologies from different settings, regions and countries, and identify models of intervention, information activities that reduce and/or prevent incarceration and victimization of Indigenous peoples 5. Highlight challenges and trends and identify options to address the issues that Indigenous people face to help inform future strategies 6. Identify opportunities across and between countries and fields of knowledge for Indigenous and non-Indigenous institutions and groups to work in partnership and positive collaboration to address the issues 7. Produce the proceedings of the seminar that reflects the inputs and outcomes of the seminar to aid future strategies

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TARGET PARTICIPANTS The seminar will involve a group of invited participants who are key actors in the field in their countries. They will include Indigenous and non-Indigenous practitioners, researchers, policy makers and representatives of non-government organizations, as well as those from urban local authorities. All will be actively involved in initiatives with Indigenous populations, and working on issues relating to community safety. They could work in the field of community development, support services, youth services, policing, housing and health, etc.

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DAY I Innovative prevention models and methodologies from different regions and communities SESSION I: Urban Indigenous Populations In a number of countries, urban indigenous populations have been growing very fast in the past few years. In Canada, for example, urban indigenous populations almost equal the rural indigenous population. The session on urban indigenous peoples will explore the following questions: What does a safe city look like for Indigenous peoples? What role does the governance of cities play in ensuring community safety and well-being? To what extent have partnerships by and with indigenous groups, in the context of urban crime prevention and community safety initiatives, and attempted to improve well-being? What kind of dialogue has occurred in sharing strategies? How do the experiences of urban-dwelling Indigenous people compare with other socioeconomically disadvantaged groups living in urban environments and what can we learn from these similarities or differences and from approaches taken to working with these other groups on crime and safety issues? What are the implications of the jurisdictional complexities on urban Indigenous people in terms of well-being, crime and safety? How can cities themselves be made more inclusive, proactive and accountable in the services they provide to indigenous peoples? How can existing crime prevention approaches and tools (used in urban settings) be applied? How has the city become a ‘space of opportunity’ in which to build equality, inclusion and safer spaces? Focus on - Women’s safety : What are the complexities related to sexual exploitation and human trafficking that indigenous women and girls face in cities, and what are some collaborative, innovative solutions and preventative measures to support sustainable change? What are some approaches and tools that can assist in efforts to prevent violence, in general, against Indigenous women and girls?

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SESSION II: Children and young people Indigenous populations are relatively young compared to non-Indigenous populations. Indigenous youth are often subjected to discrimination by the wider community and denied equal opportunities in employment and education, and maybe have been forced into child care. They face significant and disproportionate levels of risks in areas such as youth justice, health and poverty. At the same time, young people are actively engaging in urban areas to make their communities safer places. The session on children and young people will explore the following questions: Given the high proportion of children and young people among Indigenous populations (in rural and urban areas), how are their voices being heard, and positive energy be harnessed? What is being done to respond to the needs of growing numbers of children and youth? What are the main issues regarding child care, and its relation to victimization and offending among indigenous youth, and poor well-being (health) outcomes of young indigenous individuals? What can we learn about the prevention of youth gang involvement or exit strategies for youth already involved in gangs? What is being done to increase the safety of girls and young women in Indigenous communities? What is the role of education in the prevention of future disadvantage of indigenous youth? What is being done to reform the way how on-reserve children are being educated? What kinds of prevention approaches and projects are being developed by young people? How can positive youth development be promoted and what initiatives can strengthen and improve the range of protective factors among Indigenous youth?

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SESSION III: Film and Discussion : Third World Canada, Andrée Cazabon Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (the people of the lake) is a remote Native community bound by reserve laws in the forgotten North of Ontario. This Nation dates back to 7,000 years where bones of their ancestors were discovered on the shores of Big Trout Lake. Today this proud Nation is deeply impoverished in 3rd World conditions bound by Treaty laws signed, by their non-English speaking ancestors. Set in the backdrop of the aftermath of the suicide of three parents, the documentary explores the impact of 3rd world conditions on the children left behind and a community’s courage in looking after them. In her fifth film, Gemini-nominee, Andrée Cazabon brings to light the impact of reserve conditions through the poignant testimonies of community, children and youth. Filmed with the participation of the Nation of Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug, Ontario and funded by the Ontario Arts Council, Laidlaw Foundation, The Law Foundation, the Atkinson Charitable Foundation and Wasaya Airways. Executive Producer, Writer and Director: Andrée Cazabon Cinematographer and Editor: Peter Shatalow All rights reserved - Productions Cazabon Running time: 46 minutes

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Day 2 Models, methodologies and evaluation frameworks SESSION IV & V: Holistic approaches to safety (2 sessions) Community safety relates to almost every aspect of policy making and service delivery to indigenous communities, as well as well-being. The seminar will provide a contemporary venue in which to examine holistic approaches to reduce and prevent crime and violence, critically assess current practice, and share lessons from initiatives that aim to enhance the safety and well-being of indigenous populations. Community safety can be understood as working on multiple levels and through broader approach – this is very similar to the holistic concept which is the basis of most Indigenous cultures. The session on holistic approaches to safety will explore the following questions: How have Indigenous people overcome fundamental challenges and power imbalances in developing effective partnerships for developing community safety initiatives? How can governments help Indigenous people to have strong voices within the realities of government policy mechanisms? How can we work on different levels with a participatory approach within government (different levels of government, local authorities, police services, justice system, healthcare institutions, educational services, social services provision) to address safety issues? What different approaches to community-led Aboriginal policing have been taken in different countries? What impact have they had on prevention of crime and violence, and improving community well-being? In what ways do other institutional actors (community development, private sector) participate in community safety aimed at indigenous populations living in urban, rural and remote areas? For indigenous organizations and communities, how can prevention programs be more responsive to the perspectives of indigenous peoples? How are indigenous peoples engaged in addressing community safety challenges in urban areas, reserve and remote areas, including evaluation and the communication of successes? How do we ensure that the specificities of local community dynamics and contexts are built into crime prevention models adapted to different urban and rural settings? What are some fundamental models for achieving good governance both within Indigenous communities and in their relationship with the wider society, what are some forms of governance arrangements that can ensure sustainability and effectiveness?

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SESSION VI: Evaluation frameworks It is clear in many previous reviews of community safety or crime prevention programmes, that there is an absence of evaluated crime prevention and community safety programmes focusing on indigenous populations. What are some evaluative frameworks that have been developed in crime prevention? How do such frameworks capture the needs and aspirations of indigenous peoples? Are the research methods appropriate?

Session VII : Wrap – Up and Review Two facilitators will provide an overview of the Seminar and discussions. This presentation will be followed by a discussion with the participants on thinking about the outcomes of the event, and the ‘way forward’. Some of possible outcomes are suggested: International collaboration and exchange between participants Production of a virtual network, linking urban indigenous communities with rural ones, and connecting indigenous persons and organizations in different countries Development of a publication that outlines all the presentations at the Seminar (programmes, tools, discussions, etc.) to advertise work going on in Canada and abroad International comparative analysis of indigenous community safety programmes by and with indigenous groups in different countries A second international seminar

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