Anishinaabe police sergeant walking for youth mental health (4 photos)

Sgt. Kevin Redsky with the Anishinabek Police Service in Curve Lake First Nation is using the cross-country Hope in the Darkness walk to speak with people on the frontlines who are dealing with youth in crisis.

Redsky, who is Anishinaabe from Shoal Lake 40 First Nation in northwestern Ontario, brought the national walk for youth mental health through the Algoma District this past week, meeting with police, educators, frontline workers and youth in Echo Bay, Garden River First Nation, Batchewana First Nation and the Sault.

“We’re always the ones that are first at scene when they’re in crisis, witnessing the struggles, or at the hospital two, three, four in the morning with them, so we come to know quick what’s working and what’s not,” Redsky told SooToday while meeting with members of the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service this past week. “That’s the whole point of being out here, find out what’s working and what’s not and we’re listening to youth, listening to frontline workers, listening to police and their ideas, and in the end, we’re compiling all that information and we’re going to share it with those organizations.”

Hope in the Darkness - which began for Redsky in Cape Spear, Nfld. this past April - also has a western Canada team that started from Haida Gwaii in British Columbia.

The two Hope in the Darkness teams are scheduled to meet in Winnipeg Aug. 3.

“I felt it important to issue a challenge to all police officers in Canada to step up, do this for our youth and give them a voice,” Redsky said.

Redsky also has his own personal reasons for doing the walk.

Five years ago, his 16 year-old niece committed suicide while in the child welfare system in Winnipeg.

“We really wanted to do this work for her,” Redsky said. “I believe there was a purpose there.”

“We need to address mental health, that’s a part of why this whole process started.”

While Redsky was in the Algoma District, he spoke with youth in Echo Bay and Garden River First Nation.

“We’re learning a lot from the kids,” said Redsky. “We’ve been involved in sharing circles, presentations.”

“One thing that always stuck with me since Millbrook [First Nation in Nova Scotia] is that, ‘I needed help yesterday, not four months from now’ - so there’s an obvious delay there with youth getting the services that they need.”

“If we’re at the hospital four or five time with the same youth, obviously something’s not working,” he continued. “The frustration is there, and we have heard it from the policing community out there that there is definitely a need for change.”

The Hope in the Darkness website and Facebook page has information on how to donate to the cross-Canada walk for youth mental health.