Carcross Tagish First Nation

Published purpose

Carcross Tagish First Nation’s (CTFN) Community Safety and Wellness (CSW) project is a non-enforcement based program. The project will support the delivery of services to approximately 900 Citizens living in CTFN traditional territory and elsewhere. CTFN territory covers a large geographical area within the Yukon Territory and is comprised of both rural and remote communities. This project is a modification of a previous Community Safety Officer (CSO) program that did not meet the needs of the Citizens, nor did it consider the complicated historical relationships and experiences with enforcement agencies. With these considerations in mind, CTFN modified the program, shifting away from an institutional/agency program with uniformed “officers”, to a holistic safety and wellness program based on social determination of health. This CSW project aims to provide CTFN with an additional mechanism to enhance community safety for citizens through proactive activities, responsive wellness support based on community needs, and fostering community connections. The CSW team (liaisons) will deliver activities that reflect the wellness aspect of community needs, focusing on building community connections, building trust, meeting people where they are at, and providing unique-personalized support through mental wellness, substance use, trauma and crisis interventions. Funding provided for this project will support community safety by allowing the current program to expand, both in terms of geographic locations and number of CTFN Citizens being supported.