N'Swakamok president honoured for volunteerism

N'Swakamok Native Friendship Centre president Barbara Stevens-Burns works hard to make ensure Aboriginal people in Sudbury receive as many opportunities as possible for social and personal development.

It's for that reason, and many others, that she was given a June Callwood Outstanding Achievement Award. The provincial award recognizes volunteers and recipients are selected for sharing Callwood's exceptional leadership and innovative spirit, as well as her unwavering commitment to helping others, according to a news release. Callwood was one of Canada's most well-known social activists, founding or co-founding more than 50 Canadian social action organizations.

Stevens-Burns, one of about a dozen award recipients, was chosen for the award because she advocates at many board and committee tables, including the Children's Aid Society and the Urban Aboriginal People's Council. She received her award April 20 in conjunction with National Volunteer Week.

Stevens-Burns is currently serving her second six-year term as president of the Friendship Centre, one of 28 facilities in the province. She said she was honoured to receive the award, but she also was humbled to be included in a group of people and organizations that work to make their communities a better place in which to live.

Other recipients of the June Callwood award include a volunteer firefighter who has served more than half a million hours and almost 60 years of service, an advocate for social justice for people with intellectual disabilities, a community group that helps to feed more than 3,000 kids on school breakfast and snack programs, and an organization that provides front-line suicide prevention and crisis support, responding to 120,000 calls each year.

“As much as I feel honoured, I was able to see people who have done such outstanding work,” Stevens-Burns said. “This is quite a prestigious award because of the work done by June Callwood.”

It was Stevens-Burns' friend, Margaret Julien, who nominated the board president for the award. She didn't even know she had been nominated until she received a phone call from Julien advising her she had been selected as an award winner.

“I was very surprised,” she said. “I do this because I am committed to supporting initiatives in the Aboriginal community. I respect and honour what this Friendship Centre stands for, and the services its staff provide to the community.”

Her volunteer experience spans about 35 years, she said.

“I feel very fortunate for the opportunities I've had as a Native woman, and I know that much of what I've accomplished is largely due to the networks that have helped open doors for me. Networks are very powerful and, as a volunteer, I'm part of many networks that work to open doors for others.”

Volunteering is important, and “I believe it makes a difference in people's lives,” she said.

Born in Bowland's Bay on Lake Wahnapitae, Stevens-Burns has spent her entire life in northern Ontario. She has held positions within both the federal and provincial governments. She worked for many years as an employment counsellor for what was then the Canada Employment Centre, and then as a step trainer with the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines in the areas of discrimination and harassment.

“This award is a fitting way to recognize the people in our province who, like June Callwood, not only put others first, but are using innovative ways to make life better for their fellow Ontarians.” Charles Sousa, minister of Citizenship and Immigration, said in a press release.

Posted by Arron Pickard