Creating Safe and Inclusive Spaces

Priority Icons with Safe and Inclusive Spaces highlighted

The CSWP recognizes the need to create new and support existing culturally safe and accessible spaces within the community and existing institutions.  Safe and Inclusive spaces ensure safety and equity for community groups representing and expressing diverse value systems to come together without fear.

Current Initiatives

Completing an Indigenous Space Needs Assessment

Increasing Access to culturally safe spaces for Indigenous Residents (parks, gardens, healing lodges, etc.) Examples include: 

  • The Region of Waterloo has partnered with Crow Shield Lodge to have their second healing lodge at the Ken Seiling Regional museum.
  • A partnership between Conestoga Collage, White Owl Native Ancestry, Wisahkotewinowak – an urban Indigenous garden collective and City of Kitchener is creating welcoming spaces through a two-eyed seeing approach.
  • Region provided space for Land Back Camp to host a community garden at the Joseph Schneider Haus Regional museum.
  • The Township of North Dumfries is building a new park – playground, splash pad, ball diamond, etc. The park will be named Skén:nen park. This is a Mohawk word for peace. Future plans for Skén:nen  park will include Indigenous art and educational signage.

    • Bringing community partners together to identify private and public resources to expand access to culturally safe community spaces  

    Next Steps

    • Creation of an Action Table for Safe and Inclusive Spaces
    • Identification of available spaces and matching with community needs
    • Identification of gaps and opportunities for collaboration
    • Continued Indigenous-specific initiatives to address gaps identified in the Indigenous Space Needs Assessment

    Other Priorities for Action

    Addressing mental health and addictions needs, together

    Combatting hate

    Addressing Intimate Partner Violence, Gender Based Violence and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women

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