For Darcy Belanger, Wednesday’s Faculty of Education Convocation ceremony, was his first graduation.<\/p>\n
When others his age were graduating from high school, he was on what he calls his ‘first journey.’<\/p>\n
Belanger is of Ojibwe descent and a member of Little Black River Reserve Southeast Manitoba. At just two years old, he was removed from his family and adopted into a non-Indigenous home during the Sixties Scoop.<\/p>\n
The aftermath of that trauma included struggles with mental health issues, incarceration, addiction, suicide attempts and homelessness.<\/p>\n
A decade ago, Belanger began a new journey at the Southridge Shelter in St. Catharines. He worked through his trauma and found a passion for tackling poverty and problems in the community.<\/p>\n
At the same time, Belanger started learning about his culture. As a Sixties Scoop adoptee, he knew little about his heritage.<\/p>\n
\u201cI actually started learning about First Nations here in Canada. I never knew about residential schools or anything,\u201d said Belanger, whose grandparents were sent to residential schools.<\/p>\n
He was struck by the challenges Indigenous communities face.<\/p>\n
\u201cI knew I wanted to do something,” he said. “I was already volunteering four days a week at the shelter. I was involved in leadership programs as well as putting together charity events. I just wanted to do more.\u201d<\/p>\n
But his Grade 9 education was a barrier.<\/p>\n
With help from a literacy program at the Niagara Regional Native Centre, Belanger completed his GED. His teacher encouraged him to explore the options offered at Brock.<\/p>\n
First, he completed a Certificate in Aboriginal Adult Education offered by the Tecumseh Centre for Aboriginal Research and Education. Then he enrolled full-time to complete his BEd.<\/p>\n
Through courses in his program, he learned more about the First Nations in this area and topics such as the residential schools.<\/p>\n
Not surprisingly, Belanger was an active member of the Brock community, working with Aboriginal Student Services and organizing a successful Sixties Scoop talk in his second year. In 2017, he received the Aboriginal Achievement Award.<\/p>\n
Convocation marks the start of Belanger’s next journey.<\/p>\n
His ultimate goal is to create a healing centre to help Indigenous men cope with the lifelong impacts of trauma, whether intergenerational or from direct experience.<\/p>\n
It would fill the gap in resources for Indigenous men in Niagara, offering\u00a0support from on-site doctors and social workers, as well as opportunities for men to learn from Indigenous community members and Elders. Loss of identity, especially through cross-cultural adoptions or foster care placements, is a significant challenge for the men Belanger aims to help.<\/p>\n
Belanger hopes to break the cycles of addiction, incarceration and other challenges faced by those who have experienced trauma.<\/p>\n
\u201cHaving this centre is to stop all that. Stop that cycle. Bring back the fathers, the brothers, the sons, the uncles, the grandfathers,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
His group of advisors for the project includes Brian Hutchings, Brock’s Vice-President, Administration, who hooded Belanger during Wednesday morning’s ceremony.<\/p>\n
Over the past decade, Belanger has made a significant impact on his community. He has volunteered with the NRNC for several years, currently serving as Vice-President of the Board of Directors. He is a Council member of the Three Fires Community Justice Program and a member of the Niagara Regional Pow Wow committee.<\/p>\n
He also volunteers with the Southridge Shelter, where he took his first steps to the life he lives today.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been about 10 years since I’ve started my new journey,” he said. “Education was a big part of turning around and helping others that have gone through what I\u2019ve gone through.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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