Wellness Sharing Circles now available to Indigenous Defence Team employees and Canadian Armed Forces
October 3, 2023 – Defence Stories
The Knowledge Circle for Indigenous Inclusion (KCII), Indigenous Wellness Resource Center (IWRC) is now offering monthly virtual Wellness Sharing Circles for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis employees. All indigenous public service and military personnel are welcome. Intended to provide further support for Indigenous employees on their wellness journeys, these Circles are an opportunity to connect, build kinship with each other and share from the heart about any topic.
The Wellness Sharing Circles will be held via MS Teams on the last Wednesday of each month. Registration for each Circle will be limited to 20 participants and a waiting list will be created, should the need arise. Registrations will happen by invitation. Those wishing to participate are asked to reach out to the Indigenous Wellness Resource Center by emailing: CRBA-IWRC@pch.gc.ca.
As confidentiality is fundamental to the Talking Circle process, meetings will follow the Circle Principles aiming to provide a safe, inclusive, fair, and non-judgmental environment where all feel guided and supported.
Talking Circle Principles:
- Share on issues, principles, challenges, not personalities.
- Only one person speaks at a time.
- Share things your own way.
- Silence is an acceptable response.
- Everyone is welcome and everyone is equal in the Circle.
- No judgement – we all participate with humility and respect.
- No one speaks twice until everyone in the circle has been given the opportunity to speak once.
- Talking circle leaders are non-judgmental and are there to guide and support.
- Actively listen with love and compassion.
- Share time equally and justly.