Community Services

Community Outreach

Our purpose is to provide educational opportunities to community members through programs at our centers, by community outreach efforts and special events sponsored by CHD or collaborating agencies. We want to empower tenants to make positive choices and promote changes to reduce crime. We will present information about drugs, alcohol or other dangerous substances, illegal activities and community resources to the public.  Our goal is to improve the quality of living within each service area, by providing a safe, judgment free facility for community members to gather, voice concerns, and enjoy various activities.  To serve all ages inhabiting our units.

Due to the impact of Covid-19 and the Oneida Nation’s State of Emergency, our Community Centers are closed to the public.  However, we are working toward reopening with safety protocols in place.  Thank you for your patience during this challenging time.

Click to view activities:
Women’s Support Group
Presentation Skills Bank

Objectives/Desired Outcomes:

• Educate tenants about dangerous activities and substances in order to make positive changes in their decision making
• Collaborate with other entities to provide educational opportunities in order to enhance the quality of life for residents
• Promote critical thinking in order to generate social change in the communities’ culture and physical environment
• Provide safe activities for a diverse population in order to support positive change and new way of thinking
• Teach basic life skills in order to reduce the risk of losing housing

Proposed Delivery Methods:

• Education/Substance Awareness: Stay abreast of trending drug/alcohol usage then create informational flyers to send home & post in center.  Search for free or open to the public programs focused on this & recruit residents to attend with center staff. Attend drug trafficking/human trafficking or similar in services & if useful or able bring the presentation to the centers.  Order/keep material such as movies & pamphlets in the centers for use during down time.  Use opportunities such as movie night to increase knowledge& awareness- incorporate a movie with a “moral of the story”. Initiate discussions with residents in the centers about their experiences, observations or knowledge of trafficking.
• Collaborate:  Make use of entities in Oneida Nation that provide education, physical fitness, team building and cultural opportunities for our target population.  Actively seek out agencies outside of Oneida Nation that are willing to join forces (ie: Wise Women/Wise Youth, WISDOM, NTWC Police Academy, Domestic Violence Shelters, schools and neighboring Tribes) Visit higher education institutions with youth as well as adults making it a point to show how easily accessible the institutes are. 
• Promote Critical Thinking:  Rely upon the information gathered & set aside a specific time to discuss it with the age groups using the center. Invite speakers such as police personnel, drug task force, Behavioral Health employees and like agencies to the center to interact with participants while providing needed information. Initiate neighborhood watch groups. Start a community “clean up”. Ask elders to come share stories and teaching activities. Provide opportunity for discussions and sharing. Teach critical thinking skills. Focus on the consequences of our actions.
• Provide Safe Activities: Schedule time for Women’s Group, Babysitting classes, tutoring, arts & crafts, cultural enhancement, character building activities then go out and recruit participants. Actively seek out individuals that can teach personal hygiene skills to the younger ages, cooking classes to all ages, at home or in the office fitness activities for older adults or working parents.  Recruit door to door if necessary. Provide the neighborhood with flyers about the new activities, changing schedules, planned field trips. Utilize existing Oneida programs, collaborate with schools and extra-curricular programs.
• Teach Basic Living Skills: Search out teachers/service providers that focus on budgeting, resume building and job searching skills Prepare participants by teaching career readiness. Hold mock interviews asking participants to dress the part. Educate yourself and your participants on how to make the most of public benefits they may receive.  Aim youth and adults toward higher education. Show them how to apply for college, how to finish financial aide forms. If any of the task listed are unfamiliar recruit others to assist.

General Service Area:  Service area includes, but is not limited to, housing divisions surrounding the Flying Leaf and Three Sisters Community Centers.  Residents of any housing property owned or formerly owned by Oneida Nation.

General Market Profile:  Native American. Low to Median income.  Possibly single parent families or mixed families. Usually one or more children residing in home.  Sometimes adult children and grandchildren living with HOH. Unemployed or underemployed.  At risk of losing housing. Majority of adult population only having a high school diploma or GED.  Adults, children and young adults with learning disabilities.  PTSD (diagnosed or undiagnosed).  Substance abuse issues present.  Documented intergenerational abuse. 

If you have any questions about our Community Centers please contact Lora Danforth at Ldanfor4@oneidanation.org