Seeking citizens to join CYFS Implementation Planning
Over the past couple of years, the MNO’s Métis Child, Youth and Family Services (CYFS) Project Team has engaged with citizens across Ontario to develop a vision for, and start the design of, a CYFS program that would be available to Métis across Ontario.
“Métis children and youth across Ontario will grow up in a stable, safe and loving environment where their voices are heard, and they are connected to their unique history, values, culture, languages, traditions and expressions of spirituality. Métis communities will exercise their inherent rights to make decisions about the care and placement of their children and Region and community-specific goals will guide solutions”.
Based on citizen feedback, the MNO is now beginning the implementation phase and it is important to continue to gather insight and perspectives from citizens as we move forward. We are looking to identify a consistent group of participants from across the province that would meet several times over the next 12-18 months to give advice related to each of the implementation topics. In each session, participants will review early drafts prepared by the CYFS project team and provide suggestions and input to them. Some examples of the discussion topics might include “embracing and supporting children, youth and families through Métis culture and community”, “draft agreements with CASs/Indigenous Agencies”, “draft protocols for responding to notifications by the Agencies”, “draft directory to improve access to prevention services”.
This citizen engagement process will help to ensure that the new MNO program will be responsive to local context and needs, recognising the diversity of Métis communities and the variability of the multiple child welfare agencies in Ontario.
We invite you to put your name forward to join our implementation planning. Each Community Council will name two people per community to participate.
The MNO is seeking citizens who can provide tangible insight and feedback, and who:
- Have a demonstrated interest in this area of work and/or have participated in earlier phases of this project
- Have worked in or been involved with an organization or system that works with families such as health, education, child welfare, counselling or recreation
- Understand their community and its needs
- Can commit to participating in a few meetings over the next 12-18 months
We will also be ensuring that the participants include representatives from PCMNO and the existing MNO Women’s Council, Veteran’s Council Youth Council and 2 Spirit working group.
Completed Expression of Interest should be sent by email to Alisha Kaba, Métis Nation of Ontario at alishak@metisnation.org.
Click here for a PDF version of the Expression of Interest form.
The deadline for submissions is January 22nd 2023.