{"id":17972,"date":"2024-09-09T10:53:18","date_gmt":"2024-09-09T14:53:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.makivvik.ca\/?post_type=taqralikonline&p=17972"},"modified":"2024-09-09T10:53:21","modified_gmt":"2024-09-09T14:53:21","slug":"frontline-workers-offer-help-if-needed","status":"publish","type":"taqralikonline","link":"https:\/\/www.makivvik.ca\/fr\/article\/frontline-workers-offer-help-if-needed\/","title":{"rendered":"Frontline Workers Offer Help \u2013 if Needed"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Just outside a bustling departure gate at Montreal\u2019s Pierre Elliot Trudeau Airport, people disembark from an Ullivik van and gather their luggage. Makivvik\u2019s Director of Urban Inuit, Joey Partridge and two frontline workers are standing nearby, observing, and asking people if they need a hand. It\u2019s about 8:30 am, and an Air Inuit flight is scheduled to depart in a couple of hours. Recognizable by their bright yellow Makivvik armbands, this group of individuals is committed to addressing the complex issue of homelessness among Montreal\u2019s Inuit population.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the heart of Joey\u2019s work lies \u201cReaching Home,\u201d Canada\u2019s National Homelessness Strategy, a vital community-based program designed to prevent and alleviate homelessness across the country. With a focus on providing funding to diverse communities, including urban, Indigenous, rural, and remote areas, Reaching Home seeks to support vulnerable Canadians in maintaining safe, stable, and affordable housing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vanessa Doig, Assistant Director of Makivvik\u2019s President\u2019s Department, sheds light on the crucial role played by Joey and his team. By leveraging various provincial and federal funding sources, they bridge gaps in services for those at risk of homelessness, particularly during transitional periods, such as when individuals arrive in Montreal without lodging before or after medical treatments, or upon being released from incarceration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Makivvik\u2019s involvement underscores a commitment to decision-making autonomy, ensuring that resources are allocated effectively to meet the unique needs of Inuit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNone of this is being done with Makivvik\u2019s money, but it\u2019s being done with Makivvik\u2019s decisions. We want the money, and we want the flexibility to determine for ourselves where our priorities lie,\u201d Vanessa said. The frontline staff are funded by CIUSS Centre Sud-Quest and the City of Montreal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Frontline workers Moses Aronsen and Kautjak Qaunnaaluk at the airport in Dorval. They agree that the most pressing message to send to Nunavimmiut is to make sure to travel with appropriate identification. While it\u2019s easy in the north to fly without ID \nbecause often people know each other, it doesn\u2019t work that way in the south, and can mean not being allowed to board a flight. \u00a9 Miriam Dewar\/Makivvik<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Frontline workers like Moses Aronsen and Kautjak Qaunnaaluk, along with their supervisor Joey Partridge, are the backbone of this operation. Positioned near the airport gates, they provide invaluable support to individuals facing challenges like intoxication or missing identification documents, ensuring they can board their flights or find accommodations. As the hours pass, they travel a set path which includes a nearby mall and Ullivik residence, looking for any Inuit who may need assistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Makivvik\u2019s frontline workers can be identified by their bright yellow armbands. \u00a9 Miriam Dewar\/Makivvik<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

During the week, the day shift team operates from 8 am to 4 pm, and the evening shift from 3-11pm. The evening shifts are stationed at the airport to support individuals arriving from the north and make sure they understand the resources available. If they are not knowledgeable about the city, the team is also there to advise them. On the weekend the team works 10:30 am-6:30pm mainly assisting people on the morning flights and, like the evening shift, welcoming the arrivals and offering assistance. The teams\u2019 rapport with community members and airport staff fosters trust and cooperation, essential in navigating complex situations, including intoxication, or something as simple to rectify as a language barrier. Makivvik is advertising for six more frontline staff to focus on the downtown area, and Joey says they are hoping to have them working by mid-summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joey\u2019s leadership is pivotal in facilitating this support. He has worked alone for years, travelling the route frequented by transitory Inuit in the Dorval area, and answering calls for assistance from various organizations who are dealing with vulnerable Inuit. As Director of Makivvik\u2019s Urban Inuit Division, he works with an Advisory Board made up of individuals from other health and social service organizations, as well as with other staff, including Carlo DeAngelis, a retired SPVM police officer who worked as the Indigenous Liaison Officer in the community and is now an Advisor to the Director.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With his advising supports, meticulous planning, and hands-on training, Joey has equipped his team to handle diverse scenarios with confidence and empathy. Together, they ensure no one slips through the cracks, whether at the airport gates or on the streets of Montreal \u2013 to the extent that it fits their scope of abilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe want to make sure that Nunavimmiut also understand that we don\u2019t want anyone to be afraid of what we\u2019re trying to do here and why we\u2019re here. We want to make sure they understand that they have full support, that they have full help, and that they have full guidance from us – if they need it,\u201d he said. \u201cWe make sure that we are always there for them until we know that they are in a safe situation,\u201d Joey said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the face of a drastically rising Inuit homelessness rate in Montreal, Joey says he is driven not by monetary gain but by a genuine desire to uplift his community. Through he and his team\u2019s tireless efforts, they are not just addressing a crisis but nurturing a culture of support and resilience, one person at a time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Moses aptly puts it, \u201cIt\u2019s a very fulfilling job. Some days can be challenging, but it\u2019s nothing that we can\u2019t handle.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kautjak echoed Moses\u2019 words. \u201cAfter a day of work for me something really positive is knowing that I helped someone in need and that I\u2019m going home knowing that person is safe or knowing that someone on the streets has flown home.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Just outside a bustling departure gate at Montreal\u2019s Pierre Elliot Trudeau Airport, people disembark from an Ullivik van and gather their luggage. Makivvik\u2019s Director of Urban [\u2026]<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":17978,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"taqralik-issues":[437,123],"class_list":["post-17972","taqralikonline","type-taqralikonline","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","taqralik-issues-2024-spring","taqralik-issues-spring"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.makivvik.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/taqralikonline\/17972","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.makivvik.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/taqralikonline"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.makivvik.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/taqralikonline"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.makivvik.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/taqralikonline\/17972\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18117,"href":"https:\/\/www.makivvik.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/taqralikonline\/17972\/revisions\/18117"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.makivvik.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17978"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.makivvik.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17972"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"taqralik-issues","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.makivvik.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/taqralik-issues?post=17972"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}