Gerald Kiesman is giving workshops for Victoria Police Victim Services about grieving as it relates to First Nations culture.
Don Denton/News staff
Spurred by the bravery of NHL hockey player Sheldon Kennedy in announcing he had been sexually abused, Gerald Kiesman confronted his own secrets.
Kiesman, too, had experienced such mistreatment. A year after Kennedy’s proclamation, which helped lead to the arrest and conviction of junior hockey coach Graham James, Kiesman decided he needed to do something about his ordeal.
It was the beginning of a nine-year process that led him to a counselling profession in which he incorporates his culture – Haida Nation traditions. “Understanding grieving and trauma (practices) is different for different nations,” he said.
Kiesman’s knowledge of North Coast traditional healing methods and First Nations cultures will be shared during volunteer recruitment for Greater Victoria Police Victim Services. The agency invited him to be a part of its workshops on helping people deal with trauma and grief.
It’s the first time the service has focused on First Nations culture, victim services executive director Geraldine Glattstein said. The move is part of a push to widen accessibility to and diversity of its services.”With all communities, it’s about developing a relationship,” she said.
As a way to encourage more people to use the service and to recruit volunteers with varying backgrounds, Glattstein said, Victim Services is looking at providing transportation, food and child-care subsidies for clients and volunteers.
“If you are serious about access and diversity you have to put your money where your mouth is.” The agency needs roughly 60 volunteers to maintain its operations. Currently, it has 30.
Training for positions consists of 70 hours over 12 weeks. Once completed, a volunteer works approximately three hours a week in the centre’s office and is on call once a month.
For more information, please visit www.gvpvs.org.
raldous@vicnews.com