Direct Services Department

Brokenhead Unit

Location

Brokenhead Ojibway Nation (BON) is located 85 kilometers north of Winnipeg on Highway 59. The community boundary extends north to the shores of Lake Winnipeg and includes part of the Netley Creek Marsh area, with the Brokenhead River running through the core of the community.

Population

The on-reserve population is 792 and the off-reserve population is 1,337 for a total of 2,129 members (as of December 2020).

Chief and CFS Portfolio Councillors

Chief is Gordon Bluesky and the CFS Portfolio Councillors are Chris Kent and Wendell Sinclair Jr (Ogimaa).

Brokenhead Ojibway Nation

Brokenhead Ojibway Nation is a progressive community that includes the following infrastructure: Band Office; Entertainment Centre; South Beach Casino Hotel; Wavers Gas Station; Chicken Delight; Brokenhead Grocery Store; Pharmacy and Health Centre; Daycare and Head-Start; Round House Meeting Centre; Private Matthew Sinclair's Elders Lodge; Water Treatment Plant; Recreational Centre; Brokenhead EAST Resource Training and Employment Program; Community Store and Gas Station; Brokenhead Wetlands Trail; Jordan's Principle Program; SECFS Office; and Shawenim Abinoojii Homes.

The Sergeant Tommy Prince School operates nursery to grade 9 and is under the jurisdiction of Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre. Grade 10 to 12 students attend the Lord Selkirk Comprehensive Secondary School in Selkirk, Manitoba.

The Brokenhead Unit is unique in that both on and off-reserve children in care and families are served by a single unit located at Brokenhead Ojibway Nation due to its proximity to Winnipeg.

There are currently six foster homes and one Place of Safety home in the Brokenhead Ojibway Nation community, and 10 off-reserve POS homes.

Staff

Director of Services - Serena Marsden
Supervisor - (Vacant)
Administrative Assistant - Cheryl McTavish
Direct Service Workers - Jessica Boyle, Marcy Raven, Marlene Smith, Michael Gibson, Stephanie Strong, Tracy Houle, Abby Merrick
Early Intervention Worker - Wesley Kent
Service Assistant - Alyssa Fournier

Highlights and Activities

Due to the COVID 19 pandemic, the BON CFS unit staff alternated between working at home and at the office, Staff are conducting home visits during screening questions, wearing the required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and maintaining social distancing, and conducting virtual visits with families and children.

SECFS staff are provided with PPE and this stock is replenished frequently.
Families have been provided with PPE kits.
Many families and children were provided with laptops to support children and youth with their remote schooling or virtual therapy.
Staff encouraged families to participate in the Agency's virtual programs.
The Unit recently hired a Cultural Worker who will offer cultural therapy using land-based concepts, ceremonies and activities for the community's children and families. The Cultural Worker will work closely with the Jordan's Principle Program and the community's leadership to develop programs and services to support the community's well-being.
The Intake Prevention Worker is delivering individual parenting, family violence, and anger management workshops to protect case families.
A Case Aide was hired to provide support to the Direct Service Workers.
Christmas hampers were provided to each Agency involved family.
Emergency funds are available to assist families with food, diapers, etc.
Shawenim Abinoojii currently has two homes to provide community-based homes for children in need of placement.