cover image: Podcast: Voices from the Field 31 – Decarceration and health Part 1 - Elder John Bigstone

Podcast: Voices from the Field 31 – Decarceration and health Part 1 - Elder John Bigstone

11 Sep 2024

It explores the realities and impact of community-based justice alternatives, their connection to health, and what is needed to affect and inspire change and address the current injustices reflected in the over-incarceration of First Nations people, Inuit, and Métis people across the country. [...] What are some of the impacts on health and wellness as people move through the program? What are the effects on mental health? Elder John Bigstone: It gets a bit awkward when I'm in a community and I meet a client, and some of them are a little shy to talk to me, but some of them will just come up and shake my hand and say, “The things that I learned has a huge impact in my life, really changed my. [...] And there's not many people out there like that in the community, and a lot of them don't have the confidence, they don't have the self-esteem to do this kind of thing. [...] In addition to the Bigstone Restorative Justice Program, can you please tell us about the other roles you have in the community and the work that you do? Elder John Bigstone: Well, first and foremost I am the Ceremonial Holder at Sweat Lodges. [...] I just want to take the time to say thank you for sharing and taking time today to talk to us about this topic, and just sharing your journey and the lessons that you learned along the way, and the impact that the Restorative Justice program is having broadly across Alberta.

Authors

Teri Delaney

Pages
15
Published in
Canada

Table of Contents