08/01/2026
We’re excited to highlight Fiona’s practicum placement with Zoongizi Odé (ZO), an Indigenous-led organization in Winnipeg’s North End doing vital advocacy and community work. Fiona shared her experience so far:
“I have the pleasure of working with Zoongizi Odé, formerly known as Fearless R2W. ZO, for short, is located in the North End of Winnipeg. It supports and advocates for families and youth dealing with Manitoba’s child welfare system. Since the start of my placement, it has been an interesting journey. I’m fortunate to be in a space where I feel valued, where everyone is invested in my learning. I’m learning about leadership, organization structure, community work, and professional responsibility in an Indigenous, women-led organization, and what that looks like in the Winnipeg’s inner-city. With the challenges faced in Winnipeg with poverty, addiction, homelessness, and family separation, ZO’s work uses both proactive and responsive approaches to combat these inequities. And I get to be a part of that! The work I do is practical and reinforces theories learned in my MDP program. For example, I’ve been helping in various parts of ZO’s organizational development as it grows: formalize policy procedures, organize internal documents, develop safety and cultural protocols, support research and planning, and I’ve led the development of a SOPs Handbook. ZO is also in the process of relocating to a new organizational home. The new space is bigger, with lots of natural light and lots of potential. I continue my placement until August and I’m grateful to be with everyone in seeing this amazing organization grow, continue to support families, and also to experience how an organization itself works as a family through its Wahkotowin (Kinship) Policy―a way of doing family governance, matriarchal leadership, and community self-determination as an Indigenous organization. Thank you.”
We’re proud of Fiona’s work and grateful for her contributions as she continues learning, growing, and supporting ZO’s mission.
