The remaining events planned for Indigenous Peoples Awareness Week at Brock University have been cancelled out of respect for those mourning the discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves near the site of the former Marieval Indian Residential School in Saskatchewan.
Brock’s Aboriginal Student Services had planned more than a dozen virtual events to mark the week of Indigenous Peoples Awareness.
On Wednesday, June 23, the Cowessess First Nation said it has discovered hundreds of unmarked graves at the former residential school gravesite.
Brock University’s Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) provider, LifeWorks (formerly Morneau Shepell), has opened a Crisis Support Line for anyone in need of emotional support in relation to these events. Callers do not need to be a Brock employee or an immediate family member of an employee to access this free service. The Crisis Support Line is available 24-7 and can be reached at 1-844-751-2133. By calling, individuals will receive professional emotional support from LifeWorks’ traumatic event support team and/or referral to community resources. All Brock faculty and staff and their immediate family members can continue to access free, voluntary and confidential EFAP support services 24-7 by selecting the phone icon in the LifeWorks mobile app or calling 1-844-880-9137.
A national Indian Residential School Crisis Line has also been set up to provide support for former students and those affected. People can access emotional and crisis referral services by calling the 24-hour national crisis line: 1-866-925-4419.
