Aboriginal Focus Group Discussion Paper

Abstract

The material presented in this report builds on the strengths of the larger First Nations/Métis/Inuit Mobility Study. This study is an ongoing examination of the key issues surrounding the mobility process, and the subsequent accessing of services within Winnipeg. As the coordinating consultant, the Institute of Urban Studies (IUS) has worked in close consultation with stakeholders to examine the mobility process from a number of perspectives. To date, this work has resulted in the accumulation of nearly 900 interviews with persons self-identifying as having recently arrived in Winnipeg. In addition, over 1000 services1 have been listed by participants, representing a diverse set of interests including health, education, training, employment services, housing, and cultural/spiritual. In total, twelve distinct sub-sets of services were classified in preliminary reports.The present report, which examines service providers specifically, offers an essential layer in better understanding the complexity of the mobility process. By concentrating attention on key service providers and gauging their reactions to the issues raised, it is hoped that a more balanced perspective can be achieved.