When people come to see themselves – really see themselves – for who they are, and begin to recognize the tremendous potential they have within, they are absolutely capable of leading positive change within their communities, and beyond. This belief is foundational to Bridges’ Unveiling Human Potential work in which we respond to community invitations to provide training in personal leadership, community mapping, and change leadership. A critical element of this work is the creation of spaces in which people – youth leaders, community members, volunteers, and facilitators – can come together and connect, such that individual capacity can be developed and relationships can be built. Inevitably what this process results in is nothing short of amazing: individuals feel empowered as unique members of society to continue exploring and eventually realize their potential; and a sense of community spirit is fostered such that together, anything is possible.

We are so grateful for partners like the Community Spirit Program offered by the Government of Alberta, who truly understand and value this work of connecting people, and building the capacity of communities and community members. The Community Spirit Program is donor-driven in that it recognizes and encourages Albertans to support their favourite organizations by matching an amount of the total annual donations received by eligible organizations. The Community Spirit Program is all about encouraging community spirit, something that we at Bridges certainly resonate with. We know that humanity is sustained by the relationships and connections we build – both with ourselves, and with others – and that by encouraging public engagement, we turn towards partnerships that build better communities, and a better world for everyone. Building the bridge from one person to another, from one community to another, from one life to another empowers people and communities to become leaders in positive change. Bridges is honoured to be a part of this work, and grateful to those who support it.

“What we become, both individually and collectively, is a product of what we decide to do when we get out of bed in the morning. Every morning we have a choice, and what we need is the capacity of individuals to see themselves for who they truly are, and to choose the opportunities for them to contribute to making the world a better place.”

- Lindsay Mitchell, Executive Director of Bridges Social Development

I can remember the day when I first walked into the room for my first Bridges workshop. It was with a group of Muslim women, so at first I felt uncomfortable because I didn’t know anybody. However as we did the icebreaker and introduced one another, my nervousness went away, but I remained a bit quiet. As the workshop went on I realized I was in a room full of women who are on the same page as me. Being the only native women there, it opened up my eyes to realize how similar we are. Especially with respect to how the Muslium women have modesty for themselves. They wear veils to protect their hair, and to save it for only loved ones to see. In the native culture, we also respect our hair; the longer it is, the more strength you have. The males grow their hair as well and only their mother, sisters, and wife can touch their hair. So this really caught my interest and got me wanting to know more. It was like building relationships, so by the end of the day it felt like I knew everyone as though I’d known them for a very long time.

Since then, I’ve been working with Bridges on a personal note on moving forward with expressing myself through this kind of work. More or less it has meant discovering what I can unveil with my potential. I have a foot in both worlds: one in the native reserve and one in main stream culture. I’ve been confusing myself, because it is like: who’s side do I pick? Which side do I belong to?

Bridges has helped me overcome my challenges of life. They encourage people to simply to be who they are and this is who I am!

Last night I was reminded of why Bridges does the work we do. I spent the evening with a wonderful group of people sitting in a circle talking about what defines us, who we are as people, and what/who we care about. This wasn’t just an evening of wine with friends, but rather an evening as part of the Aboriginal Youth Explosion (AYE) event Bridges is organizing for March 18th, 2012. The purpose of the AYE is to celebrate the voices of young Aboriginals we often don’t hear or see.

Bridges believes in the potential of every human being to contribute something meaningful to the world. An idealistic belief perhaps, but pragmatic if you see human potential as the capacity to care for yourself and your community, and not as some grand future accomplishment in the conventional economic system.

This is why Bridges is working through invitations from various communities to help Unveil Human Potential, and most recently these invitations are coming from Aboriginal communities to engage with their youth. Since November 2011, we’ve been working with various youth groups of different ages, backgrounds and First Nations communities to explore and understand their Wisdom Story: the story of who they are, where they have come from and what patterns of meaning they see in their own journey. We will then bring the collective together on March 18th to celebrate this exploration and provide a space to share something of their story with the broader community. This will include short films, statements of Who I Am, drumming, displays of art and an elementary school group performing their own hip hop song.

And so, this is the reason I found myself sitting in a circle with a diverse group of individuals, including an elder, Bridges facilitators, a youth worker and a few youth living in an Aboriginal group home. This circle is just one example of the youth groups that will be participating in the Aboriginal Youth Explosion. Each group looks different as they are informed by the desires of the youth that participate. In this case, a Grade 12 student formed “Stepping Stones: It takes Courage to be Yourself” and Bridges was invited to co-facilitate the group. Stepping Stones meets every second Monday from 6-8:30pm to explore yourself in the form of a traditional talking circle. Each Monday begins with a First Nations prayer and smudging, a cultural tradition of cleansing with sage smoke similar to the catholic practice of cleansing with holy water. The purpose is to clean your mind, heart, body and spirit to be whole and present in whatever conversation will emerge. A feather is than passed from individual to individual, to introduce themselves and tell how they were feeling that day. The passing of the feather is a sign of respect and an invitation to listen to whoever is holding the feather. The space is honored and there is no judgment of what the person says, or how they feel. And so it continues, each round posing a question, or a comment that encourages each participant to explore and share something of who they are, and what they care about. Each round, the space becomes safer and people go deeper in sharing about themselves; releasing negative things that happened to them, and strengthening with affirming statements that encourage them to believe in themselves.

At the root of the safe space is that no matter race, religion, age, culture or background, all of us sitting in the circle are human beings. We are all on a journey to ‘find ourselves’, to feel like we have a purpose, to find meaning in what we do and who we are, and to understand our own story. Those of us that participated in the circle last night were not only different ages and cultures, but also religions: Christian, Muslim, Atheist, and First Nations spirituality. Yet despite such differences in our stories, we connected on a deeply human level of wanting to know and understand our purpose and meaning.

The reality though is that many individuals have stories that include abuse, suicide, negative statements of worth, and addictions, and this shapes how they define who they are. The work that we do with Bridges is not to help individuals tell the story of what has happened to them, but rather to help them tell the stories of “Who I Am” and to uncover the deep-rooted affirming statements of worth and value.  Last night we heard individuals for the first time say out loud “I am loved”, “I am beautiful”, but we also heard expression and release of traumatic past situations that were boundaries to believing in their own worth. The circle is a place that brings healing through honest listening and respect for others. The youth in Stepping Stones are working on a “Who I Am” poem and presenting this through a video and photomontage at the Aboriginal Youth Explosion.

I know we’ve all met individuals in whom we see light, and potential to be an amazing contributor to their family, community and world. But what is shocking is how many of us don’t even see it in ourselves. And that was my reminder – that we all need a community of support and positive relationships that encourage us to be ourselves and to reflect back our own light of potential. Some, like myself, are lucky to have this in a family unit as well as a peer community, whereas others are not so fortunate and instead are born into situations which leave them isolated, alone and vulnerable to negative definitions of their worth. It is my deepest hope that we would all see the light of the spirit in each and every single human being (including ourselves), and know that despite the situational stories, we all the have potential capacity to care for ourselves, and for our global human community.

2011 has been an extraordinary year for Bridges Social Development, marked by the beginnings of many new and meaningful relationships, the overcoming of challenges as we’ve been invited to work with communities yet unfamiliar, and excitement as we’ve grown in size and scope. Here are a few of the highlights:

• We were pleased to welcome Lindsay Mitchell, Bridges’ new Executive Director, in May. Bridges’ former Executive Director, Donna Kennedy-Glans, remains the organization’s founder and Board member.
• Bridges’ Unveiling Youth Potential program was invited by four distinct communities – two diaspora youth communities, and two Aboriginal youth communities. Several youth participants have gone on to champion initiatives that will create positive change in their communities; all youth participants have come to see themselves as natural leaders within their communities. To hear more about some of these incredible young people, click here to listen to their Wisdom Stories.
• We are absolutely honoured by the trusting relationships that have developed between Bridges and Aboriginal communities in both Northern and Southern Alberta. We are well positioned to launch our Aboriginal Youth Explosion initiative in 2012, working with numerous groups of Aboriginal youth to help them realize their true potential.
• Bridges helped launch an Aboriginal Youth Council at Morley High School.
• Suncor Energy Foundation has become a generous and important financial partner, for which we are so grateful!
• We responded to numerous invitations to speak at conferences and events, such as the Treaty 7 Conference and the Banff Centre Forum on Best Practices for Aboriginal Communities. Our expertise in youth leadership and human capacity building continues to be called upon by academic, empowerment, and leadership institutions.
• Bridges signed a Memorandum of understanding with Mount Royal University; it is our desire to work together to see the capacity of youth and young adults grow, and their natural leadership potential realized.
• We were able to facilitate many connections between people and opportunities. This is an important part of our approach as an organization: enabling people to excel by connecting them with valuable resources. Our friend Tara said it best:“Finding Bridges happened at the exact right moment for me. It’s like I’ve found the community of people to help me accomplish the things I care about in my own community.”

For these things and so many more, we thank YOU for your generous support. And in anticipation of an exciting 2012, we ask that you would consider making a financial contribution by clicking here.

On behalf of all of us at Bridges Social Development, have a joyful holiday season!

~ The Bridges Team ~

The Aboriginal Youth Explosion is all about helping Aboriginal youth realize their true potential by guiding them through an adventurous process of discovery. Meet-ups occur regularly over the course of several months, during which participants will explore, in a dynamic and in- teractive setting:

• their story (defining who I am);
• their community (understanding who/what I care about); and
• how to be a leader of positive change.

Join an existing group, or invite a facilitator in to help you start your own. Contact info@canadabridges.com to join the Youth Explosion!

Want to learn more about how Bridges engages with Aboriginal youth groups? Click here!

At the end of what seemed an extremely long week, my only wish was to spend the weekend asleep. But I’d already committed to attending part of an Unveiling Youth Potential workshop so I could get a tiny glimpse of what Bridges is all about.

So I dragged myself out of bed on Saturday, October 15 and made my way to the University of Calgary where a group of young Muslim women were gathered.

I didn’t really know what to expect, but arrived in time to learn about Wisdom Stories. The Unveiling Youth Potential program teaches that until you really know what drives you — not just the “what” of your life, but the “why” (your Wisdom Story) — it’s awfully hard to cause change in your community.

Dat Nguyen introduced the concept. (As an aside, I’d run into Donna Kennedy-Glans, Bridges’ founder, the day before. When I told her I’d be attending the workshop, she mentioned Dat and proclaimed him to be amazing. He was.)

Dat defined the difference between information, knowledge and wisdom. The latter is a commitment to being discerning. It often comes with an emotional cost. And wisdom can often involve the fear that comes with knowing you’re not fully equipped to deal with the challenges you face or the changes you want to create.

Dat fed us nuggets of his own story (I say ‘nuggets’ because I got the sense that Dat has far more stories and wisdom to share than his hour-long slot allowed). The workshop participants listened carefully, occasionally shaking their heads in awe or laughing with him during his humble moments.

Following Dat’s talk, we were asked to create timelines of our lives, and determine the defining moments. We were asked to consider the decisions and feelings that went alongside the chronological milestones – with the point being that it’s the former that matters.

Unfortunately, I had to leave shortly before the Wisdom Stories section of the workshop ended. But I understand that the rest of the afternoon involved working to define the participants’ community (harder than you might think), and imagining their ideal community. Ultimately, when Part II of the workshop is complete at the end of October, these women will have a project idea in mind – a way to advance change in their community. That project might be something seemingly small, or it could lead to a grand, complex plan.

Whatever it is, their ongoing work to influence positive change around them will require intimate knowledge of themselves and a decision about how best they can bring their talents to bear. I’m excited to hear about their plans and eventually – hopefully – their results.

I’m only just learning about Bridges, but I’m intrigued.

And I’m very glad I didn’t waste my Saturday sleeping away this opportunity.

On July 9, 2011, the world witnessed the birth of a new nation; the Republic of South Sudan. After defying fifty years of one of the most devastating wars in the history of humanity, the people of South Sudan finally reclaimed their dignity and freedom. My friends and I followed the independence celebrations in Juba, the capital of the new nation, on television. The following morning we danced and cheered at the Chinese Community Centre in downtown Calgary. What had been unimaginable a decade ago had finally come to pass. Justice had been done to the more than two million lives lost on the long and tortuous road to independence. I remembered with pride and honour all members of my family who joined their comrades from all corners of South Sudan in paying the ultimate price for our freedom. Their sacrifice will forever provide an unshakable foundation for our nation.

The feelings of accomplishment, freedom, justice, and dignity were, however, fleeting. As celebrations wound down, it became brutally clear that a long journey full of adversity had given way to one full of both hope and uncertainty. A five-decade long conflict had left a legacy of destruction, poverty, disease, tribal animosities, and demolition of physical and social infrastructures. A combination of senior public servants whose resumes are shinning with more experience in warfare than governance and a citizenry with over twenty years of dependence on humanitarian aid for living, only serve to dim hopes. With more than five generations lost directly and indirectly to war, the nascent government of South Sudan has struggled to provide basic services such as security, clean drinking water, healthcare and education, just to mention a few. High expectations and a huge influx of former refugees and internally-displaced people into the new country have meant that services offered both by the government and humanitarian organizations have been inadequate. Rural areas which are virtually inaccessible during the rainy season due to lack of roads have been particularly hard-hit.

Will independence lead to peace, prosperity, development and stability for the weary people of South Sudan? Is the task of building a nation from scratch a sole responsibility of South Sudanese or does the international community have a moral obligation to support South Sudanese in this process? First and foremost, South Sudanese will have to lead the way in the process of developing their country. They will need to prioritize competing aspects of development and resist temptations to fall for ethnic allegiance, corruption and poor governance. Providing good healthcare, education, security and good governance and infrastructure development will be first priorities. South Sudanese will need to strike the right balance between solving short-term and long-term challenges. The government can hire international expertise in special areas such as healthcare, infrastructure development and education to supplement or enhance existing local resources as well as to develop capacity. South Sudan has won the second war, but it has just embarked on the third war. This time, however, it’s a peaceful war for development. Unlike previous wars it will be won by building human capacity and not by rifles and tanks. The Anya nya and the SPLA have won the first and second wars respectively, but they would be defeated in a matter of days if they were relied upon for the third war. South Sudanese youth are the de facto army for the third war. If this army is empowered through education they are bound to register another victory in less than thirty years.

Calgary has been a proud home for between three and twelve thousand Sudanese immigrants, according to some reports. Calgary has provided security, shelter, education and healthcare to Sudanese immigrants since the 1990s. Integration of the Sudanese youth in Calgary has not been without questions. For example, the Sudanese youth have grappled with adjusting to new cultures, new languages, new education systems and poverty; sometimes leading to frustration and luring some to crime. Many parents have inadequate language skills and that has limited their ability to offer effective guidance to the youth. For the few youth who manage to defy these odds to graduate from high schools and universities, the transition from school to full-time jobs is often painfully long. On average it takes a year or more to find a job leading to more debt as well as giving those who drop out of school a justification for their decisions. Since youth represents hope for stability and prosperity in South Sudan, there is an urgent need for the government, private sector and charitable organizations (here in Calgary) to collaborate in addressing problems affecting them.

South Sudanese youth may be classified, broadly, into four groups. The following categories are meant for the sole purpose of highlighting opportunities available to these groups. A select few have overcome difficulties of integrating into a new country and have gone on to graduate from different Canadian universities, colleges and high schools including the University of Calgary, SAIT and Mount Royal University here in Calgary. A good number in this group are either working or have gone on to pursue graduate and professional studies. The relative success achieved by this group has been at a cost of high student loans. Loan repayment assistance in exchange for paid or voluntary work in South Sudan would be a highly celebrated option for them. Some members of this group are good candidates for healthcare training, education leadership training and business leadership training. They have had to defer or shelve those dreams due to financial difficulties. A second group include those who started but didn’t graduate from high school. Members of this group are all good candidates for skilled trades. Some of them have been dissuaded from pursuing their dreams by financial difficulties. Yet, a considerable number of South Sudanese youth – the third group – have not been so fortunate. Their hopes for furthering their education have fallen to the wayside in the complex process of transition to Canada. They have either been unable to pursue academic studies alongside full-time jobs or inadequate education backgrounds have stalled their pursuit of education. This group would benefit from obtaining general skills in construction, basic computer literacy, office and customer service skills. The fourth group includes those who are currently pursuing elementary and secondary education. This group requires long-term planning. There is need to avoid a repeat of the pitfalls encountered by the preceding groups.

By supporting some of the preceding opportunities and others they see fit, Calgarians will not only be extending their grace beyond Calgary but also they would be acting proactively in averting a looming humanitarian crisis. Calgary can seize the opportunity to establish itself as a leader in human capacity development in South Sudan, a country whose economic mainstay is oil just as Alberta’s economy relies on oil and gas. I hope Calgary chooses to strengthen its ties with South Sudan.

Seven months ago a long, exhausting and frustrating job search ended in a job offer at Telvent Canada Ltd. Relocation from Hamilton, Ontario to Calgary, Alberta was obviously quick despite the fact I was going to miss all the friends who made the five-year stint there a successful experience. A job offering numerous opportunities for both financial and career growths had been the reward for five years of hard work. A larger Sudanese community in Calgary was an added bonus and finding my way around the city was a far easier and a more enjoyable experience than when I first moved to Canada in 2005.

Unfortunately, the honeymoon was ephemeral. Signs of a deteriorating Sudanese community began to dampen my spirits. Everyone was hurting. A country regarded by many as an oasis of peace and opportunity in a world shaken by war and where hundreds of thousands have been turned into refugees had fallen short of its promise. The integration process had failed many. It failed because it paid little attention to the unique background of the Sudanese community. This is a group of immigrants who moved to Canada without a single loonie in their pockets. For more than two decades many had depended on humanitarian assistance for a living. They had no access to education in their countries of asylum. Unfettered violence and harassment had been meted out on them both in Sudan and in their countries of refuge.

The prescribed ESL training program provided neither the language skills nor the networks they need to compete effectively in very competitive Calgary and Alberta job markets. The consequences stood in plain view. Poverty began to extend its roots. Mostly illiterate parents struggle to fend for their families. With their capacity as breadwinners and role models to their families weakened, they are left to watch in chagrin as the youth falter and begin to fall for crime. It is time to supplement language-specific training programs with programs that impart skills for success in the Canadian economy. For example, many Sudanese immigrants lack vital skills such as job searching, networking, workplace success, personal finance management, just to mention a few. They have remained isolated from the rest of the communities in Calgary. Even the few who succeed in establishing some networks outside the Sudanese community rarely convert those into job opportunities.

Multiculturalism, the very thing that makes Canada such a great place to live in can sometimes prevent some immigrants from realizing the Canadian dream. But successful integration into the Canadian society depends so much on the successful navigation of this cultural labyrinth. Some misunderstandings at workplaces and in schools have been blamed on cultural differences. For example, Sudanese boys have reported that some of their plays are often mistaken for bullying and violence at schools. Many parents do not attend parent-teacher meetings because of inadequate language skills. What is more, many parents are incapable of helping their children understand their homework assignments. I was disheartened by the story of a nine-year-old girl who labored unsuccessfully in her mathematics classes. She told me that one of her classmates whom they once struggled together had improved in mathematics because she had the support of well-educated parents. Sudanese parents need to step forward if this problem is ever going to be solved. They need to collaborate with teachers when it comes to identifying outside-the-classroom factors that may have adverse effects on the academic success of their children. They need to recognize their roles in providing supportive environments for their children at home. Programs that promote understanding of Canadian culture among immigrant youths such as the After-school Life Skills program offered by the Calgary Bridges Foundation for Youth (CBFY) need to encourage participation of Sudanese role models. Calgary has a handful of Sudanese youths who have graduated from various Canadian universities and colleges. This would provide a great inspiration to the youths and might prove more effective.

There is also a growing perception among the Sudanese youths that university education is not worth going into debt for because those who graduate from universities and colleges often end up joining them in industrial labor jobs. Unfortunately, this is becoming a norm in the Sudanese community. With little or no experience during their university years, the transition from school to white-collar jobs is often a painful journey averaging a year or more for many. Many summer student jobs offered by the government and many private companies require candidates to have relevant work experience. This rigid insistence on prior experience further alienates many Sudanese youths from acquiring the prerequisite experience they end up needing at later stages of their careers.

More than five decades of war in Sudan left a dangerous legacy of tribal animosity among the more than two hundred ethnic groups of South Sudan. This trend has continued unabated. Sudanese leaders in Calgary have done little to halt this developing problem. There is need for trust-building projects led by trained members of the Sudanese community. Stability and prosperity of the Sudanese diaspora and the newly independent South Sudan will depend on the unity of its diverse peoples and now is the time to promote such unity not further divisions.

A partnership of purpose among the Sudanese community of Calgary and other Calgarians of all walks of life is the surest way to promote positive change for the mutual good of both parties. The government, charitable organizations and the private sector can help Sudanese immigrants if they listen to problems hindering their success and offer their expertise to them where possible. Many Sudanese remain hopeful about the future despite all the challenges they are facing here in Calgary. Some have had their dreams for academic and career success suspended indefinitely due to financial difficulties or the lack of proper mentorship.

Being youth and immigrant at the same time offers its own advantages, as well as disadvantages. Most youth immigrants face a difficult time integrating into the youth culture in strange lands. Canada is not an exception. Among other things, language, culture shock, lack of skill or educational proficiency are only some of the challenges that one must face.

It’s true that when one comes to Canada for the first time, he or she might find it challenging to integrate into the mainstream youth culture. By youth culture, I mean everything including the way of dressing, verbal and nonverbal communication, lifestyle, inclination towards sporting activities (for instance, hockey vs. soccer) and many other elements. In my opinion, these things have the greatest impact on the “Gross Domestic Happiness” of youth society. So, youth immigrants might choose the option of integrating with youth from only their own cultural back ground. Or, they might choose to integrate with mixed groups that are neither their original culture, nor Canadian mainstream culture.

The good thing about being a youth is that youth have the energy and potential to accomplish diverse tasks in life. I believe that settling in Canada in this critical age category may enable one to build an empire of his own. There is always a choice and an opportunity to be who you want to be in this country; the challenges that an immigrant youth might face should be considered opportunities! Indeed they may be challenges, but if youth immigrants can utilize their skills and talents and be their true selves, they will find the right track so as to get where they want to be. Just remember: barriers can be overcome, and success is just around the corner.