Kizhaay Anishinaabe Niin (KAN)

Brief Description

Kizhaay Anishinaabe Niin is an Ojibway phrase that translates to “I Am a Kind Man”. It is a community action initiative and wholistic program designed to address violence in Indigenous communities and acknowledges and values the importance of engaging men as an integral component to ending all forms of violence against Indigenous women.  The program includes a provincial public education awareness campaign and community-based programming dedicated to healing Indigenous men and youth.

Goals

The main goals of the Kizhaay Anishinaabe Niin program are to:

• Reclaim and revitalize men’s responsibility to end violence towards Indigenous women and girls.
• Ensure access to Indigenous cultural values and to increase understanding of traditional roles and responsibilities based on local Indigenous knowledge.
• Promote resiliency by empowering men to acknowledge and resolve trauma.
• Improve men’s wellbeing and foster overall community wellness.

Clientele

• Self-identified Indigenous men and male youth who request services and supportive resources.
• Self-identified Indigenous men or male youth, pre-charge or court-ordered as part of a conditional sentence, diversion program or other court-ordered agreement.

Core Components

The cultural-based program provides rehabilitative supports for Indigenous men to acknowledge their actions and a safe space to address the root causes of harmful behaviour over a 12-week period, incorporating one-on-one peer counselling, education, group activities, and more.

Implementation Information

Some of the critical elements for the implementation of this program or initiative include the following:

• Organizational requirements: Limited information on this topic.
• Partnerships: Partnerships with organizations providing mental health and addiction services, cultural and traditional support services, housing supports, children's services, local justice system and local correctional facilities.
• Training and technical assistance: It is highly recommended that staff, delivering the KAN program, to clients complete trainings from the Centre for research and education on violence against women and children through preventative and awareness education-focused modules.
• Risk assessment tools: Limited information on this topic.
• Materials & resources: An integrated database system to collect program data, community facilitator training certifications.

International Endorsements

The most recognized classification systems of evidence-based crime prevention programs have classified this program or initiative as follows:

• Blueprints for Healthy Youth Development: Not applicable.
• Crime Solutions/OJJDP Model Program Guide: Not applicable.
• SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices: Not applicable.
• Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy: Not applicable.

Gathering Canadian Knowledge

Canadian Implementation Sites

Founded in 2005 by the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres’ (OFIFC), the program is delivered across Ontario. 

As of April 1st, 2023, the program was formally designated and began receiving referrals as a designated Indigenous-specific Intimate Partner Violence Prevention (IPVP) program by the Ministry of the Attorney General. 

Main Findings from Canadian Outcome Evaluation Studies

No information available.

Cost Information

No information available.

References

There is no Canadian reference available at this time.

For more information on this program, contact:

Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres

219 Front Street East, Toronto, ON M5A 1E8

Telephone: (416) 956-7575

Toll Free: 1-800-772-9291

Fax: (416) 956-7577

Email: ofifc@ofifc.org