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coming up in 2019 , she will be fundraising so the Society can bid on hosting the 2019 National Association of Friendship Centres ’ Annual General Meeting . She mentions that they are always looking for volunteers and work experience students .
Despite the challenges , Tanya says , “ It ’ s so important that children have that really good start in life . That they are nurtured in who they are , their cultural identity , as well as nurturing a community amongst themselves . Sometimes when you ’ re close to something , you don ’ t see the value in it until you step back and see the bigger picture . The sum of it all , the synergy that it creates in the community is 10-fold , 100-fold !”
Like many other organizations in Southern Alberta , Opokaa ’ sin and Sik-Ooh-Kotoki work towards promoting a culturally diverse and inclusive community where all residents are equal and given the same opportunities to work and play . “ It evolves , the demographic of the families , but the spirit of the families stays the same ,” says Tanya . “ I see the strength of the parents to provide for their children . The work that we do in the future , I hope it translates to these wonderful graduates coming out of high school or university , and they have a sense of who they are , and they have a good sense of connection with the community , and they have a voice ,” she continues .
The path to reconciliation will be a long and difficult one , but only through creating and cultivating these community relationships , empowering children and families , and connecting with one another will we see positive change in society and equal opportunities for all generations to come .
“ It ’ s all about connection ,” says Tanya , “ Connection within the culture and with each other . For reconciliation to happen , we need to start getting to know our neighbour .”
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