The Qua?asa team now includes a female Resolution Health Support Worker. Lisa Robinson (nee Charleson) will work alongside Richard Watts and Richard Lucas to help people in a number of areas around residential school compensation and healing from past trauma, the legacy of the residential school experience.
Robinson’s family includes husband Russell (Ahousaht), and children Tony Frank (with wife Crystal and son Cassius), Tana Robinson, Chaleen Robinson, and Russell Robinson Jr.
Her grandparents are Pat and Maime Charleson (Hesquiaht, Mowachaht) on her mom late Eileen Charleson’s side, and late Archie Thompson on dad late Larry Thompson’s side (Toquaht).
Lisa has been employed with Qua?asa now for two weeks, but did the job for three years at Tsow-Tun Le Lum treatment centre so is familiar with the duties of RHSW, she said.
During an interview with Ha-Shilth-Sa, Lisa shared she was born into the residential school legacy and attended residential school herself. She has a passion for helping survivors and their children come into healing now and even after the settlement agreement has come and gone.
“We are all in this together,” she said. It is up to survivors to figure out what they need and what can be done to help each other through the resulting difficulties of the residential school system.
Part of her duties is to prepare people for the Independent Assessment Process (IAP). This is a part of the Indian Residential School Settlements Agreement compensation package. It goes beyond the Common Experience Payment, which all residential school students were entitled to receive based on being removed from their families, communities, and culture.
The IAP is for those who suffered additional abuse, including sexual and serious physical abuse. Lisa will help people who are going through the hearing process from an emotional perspective, but also provide some insight into what’s happening on the legal front, cutting through the legal jargon to make it understandable. Lisa and the other RHSWs will also counsel survivors on their rights in dealing with lawyers and the standard of service survivors should expect.
She will also be a link to other supports, like connecting people to therapists and cultural people.
She said the Qua?asa office is a busy one, and with the deadline approaching for applying for the AIP (Sept. 19), it is expected to get a lot busier.
Richard Watts said he believes there are a lot of people who have been struggling with the idea of applying for AIP. For some it is just too painful and traumatic for them to remember the past and deal with it.
Qua?asa is encouraging people to seek out the RHSWs for support; start to talk and Qua?asa can find a lawyer who will come to the area to take statements and provide representation.
“I don’t want to see the deadline pass and people miss the opportunity because they were afraid to come forward,” said Lisa. “Anything we can do to help, that’s what we are here for.” For example, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s local and regional hearings may have stirred up old memories that Qua?asa staff can help people work through.
Lisa is also available if women would be more comfortable in talking with her rather than a male RHSW.
Qua?asa is hoping to go into the communities, upon invitation, to speak with survivors and their children. For Lisa, the children need to be included because they are carrying a lot of the weight of residential school, though most did not attend. She hopes Qua?asa can begin to create a dialogue and some understanding about the effects of residential schools on their parents and grandparents, and with that understanding will come healing, Lisa said.
The Qua?asa department is also heading to Vancouver this week for an urban gathering. The team will be at the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre in the Judge Alfred Scow gym on May 24. Start is 2 p.m. and it will go to 8 p.m.
Dinner, singing, drumming, brushings, and information sharing is all part of the agenda. For more information contact Jolene Prest or Reg Sam at 250-724-3939 or Toll Free at 1-888-624-3939. Fax: 250-724-3996. jolene.prest@nuuchahnulth.orgor reg.sam@nuuchahnulth.org
