Elder's Council

Our goal as a Métis child and family service agency is to ensure that children’s safety and family wellness services are delivered to the Métis children and families in a manner consistent with our Métis values, traditions and way of caring for and honouring one another. Our Métis Elders are our teachers who will guide us in transforming services and help us accomplish this goal.

The role of the Voices of the Michif (Métis) Elders (VME) is to provide mentor-ship to social work practice and to ensure that Social Workers, Family Support Workers and Caregivers caring for Métis children and youth are providing services to our children/youth and families consistent with our Métis values, beliefs and traditional ways of being.

Michif Board 

The Board is comprised of Directors with an elected slate of executive officers (President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer). The Executive Officers or Executive Committee are empowered to act on behalf of the Board, in a limited capacity, between board meetings. As LMO has a very small Board, you may not have the formality or the full structure of other boards.

The Board fulfills traditional functions:  

• Setting the strategic direction for the organization, 

• Reviewing the conduct of the organization’s business and 

• Providing assessment of the Executive Director, who is responsible for day-to-day operations.   

EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT

Our Michif Early Childhood Development Services consists of two programs:

1) Indigenous Supported Child Development and

2) Indigenous Infant Development. These programs are designed to help parents, service providers and family members provide the best possible start for their Métis children. In addition to providing one-to-one support LMO is also delighted to offer a variety of drop-in programs all geared towards nurturing strong, positive attachments between children and their mothers & fathers. Please contact the our office for the most current programs. 

CHILD/YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH AND FAMILY WELLNESS

Our Child and youth mental health teams utilizes a holistic approach while addressing the mental, emotional, physical and spiritual needs of children, youth and families. In addition, the program is designed to ensure life promotion for all Métis families by building meaningful connections and reminding children/youth who they are as proud Métis people.

Our Family Wellness is delivered in a manner consistent with our traditional Michif values of such as respect, compassion, and generosity. Our staff are dedicated to assisting parents achieve goals that will contribute to the safety and well-being of their children and family and remember the strength and resiliency that they carry within them as Métis People. Through a variety of support services, it is our hope to instill hope and possibility during what may be a difficult time in a one’s journey as a mother or father.

KINSHIP AND COMMUNITY CAREGIVERS

The teachings of our ancestors and contemporary research reinforce the importance of instilling within a child a sense of belonging and how doing so contributes to a child’s healthy development and serves as a profound protective factor throughout a child’s life. Our Michif Cultural Services Program is committed to providing opportunities for our children and youth, particularly those placed with a caregiver to develop positive connections to their families, community, and cultural identity as Métis People.

INDIGENOUS YOUTH  SERVICES 

A New Beginning is a center which welcomes Indigenous youth between the ages of 16 and 27, who require support to become independent. We offer one to one support as well as a safe space for youth to gather, socialize, prepare food, use wifi, access a computer, phone, common area TV and video games. We also have access to food to take home, toiletries, harm reduction products, clothing, showers and laundry. The Center is a safe, culturally friendly space that is inclusive to all Indigenous youth. They are welcome to spend time engaging with each other, the youth support workers or their own activities.