Brandon Bear Clan celebrates five years

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This article was published 22/06/2022 (1606 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Brandon Bear Clan is celebrating five years of downtown patrols this month — but there’s still plenty of work left to do, members say.

“There’s still lots of work for us to do in the community,” said veteran patroller Lisa Ramsay.

“Clearly, we still have a drug problem in our community. Every week we continue to hear stories from women about how they don’t always feel safe on our streets.”

One of the greatest aspects of Bear Clan is that, as an Indigenous-based organization, they address historical traumas in the community, Ramsay said. This knowledge provides a deeper understanding of why the people they serve are experiencing vulnerability.

Bear Clan takes a non-judgmental approach in how it relates with people and this has earned the group the trust and respect of those they work with.

“We do tend to get to know each other — the people that are without homes we come to know them well, as organizations we get to know each other fairly well so we can partner to close gaps and to support each other to meet the needs of the people.”

Bear Clan is a grassroots movement whose intention is to develop relationships with community members. A key aspect of the clan’s philosophy is focusing on de-escalation, comfort and support based on what people need in the moment, Ramsay said.

While Bear Clan volunteers can be seen patrolling the downtown core Thursday and Friday evenings, there is significant front-end work that makes these walks possible. This includes staff preparing supplies and food for patrols.

When patrols are ready to depart from the Brandon Friendship Centre, they are organized into groups and anything of note taking place in the community is announced.

“During patrols, we typically see the same group of people that we have come to have relations with,” Ramsay said. “They are typically very happy to see us, and we have a warm greeting and we check in on how their day is going and if there is anything we can do to help.”

Patrollers also share food and supplies with the people they encounter.

Ramsay encourages Brandon residents to become involved with the Bear Clan, whether that through patrols or donations.

Volunteers with the group reflect the Brandon community and include Indigenous, non-Indigenous, men and women from diverse walks of life. Criminal record, adult abuse and child abuse registry checks are required to walk with patrols.

“We’re accountable to this community and we hold that value very, very close. We’re dependant on the community, we believe that the voice of grassroots people is the voice that matters the most to us,” Ramsay said. “It’s community-level people who determine are direction — that’s the voice that historically has been unheard and unmet.”

In some cases, people who have been served by Bear Clan now walk on patrol as a way to give back to their community.

“There’s been so many stories, everybody has one. I can think of some of the folks that we see on a regular basis that were initially very hesitant to trust or engage with us and there’s some that it took a long time, and rightfully so, it took a long time for them to be willing to trust us.

“Historically they’ve been so disappointed and hurt by systems that it was hard for them to engage, and now those are some of the people that literally greet us with open arms.”

A young Indigenous woman in Princess Park who spoke with the Sun said Bear Clan is “awesome.” When she sees Ramsay, she greets her with a grin and is eager to update her about her day. She will check when patrols will be out so she can connect with them.

An older Indigenous man at Princess Park said Bear Clan members play a special role in the community.

“[They provide] safety. Encouragement to get up to face your day with the strength that these guys do every time they walk around,” he said.

He described Bear Clan members as leaders in the community who are committed to the people they serve.

“They just love you,” he said.

» ckemp@brandonsun.com

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