Event Report: Breaking Barriers and Building Trust

Coordination RAFIO

5 days ago

4 min read

Event Report

Date: August 28, 2026

Organizer: Active Resilience of Immigrant Families in Ontario (RAFIO)

Guest Speaker: Officer Chris Nungisa

Theme: Youth Engagement, Dialogue with Law Enforcement, and Strengthening Community Trust

Background of the Activity

As part of its initiatives to promote inclusion, community engagement, and positive relationships between young people and institutions, RAFIO organized an interactive workshop on August 28, 2026, entitled “Breaking Barriers and Building Trust.”

On this occasion, RAFIO youth had the pleasure of welcoming Officer Chris Nungisa from the Ottawa Police Service to engage in direct discussions about the role of the police within the community.

The activity aimed, in particular, to demystify the role of law enforcement for racialized youth, promote mutual understanding, and help reduce potential barriers between young people and police services.

The initiative was based on an approach focused on dialogue, active listening, and building trust between youth and the institutions that play a role in their community.

Objectives of the Activity

The workshop primarily aimed to:

Create a safe space where young people could express themselves freely;
Encourage direct dialogue between youth and a representative of the Ottawa Police Service;
Improve understanding of the role and responsibilities of the police within the community;
Give young people the opportunity to ask questions and share their concerns;
Promote greater mutual understanding between youth and law enforcement;
Help reduce prejudice, negative perceptions, and misunderstandings;
Strengthen trust and positive relationships between young people and community institutions.

Activity Overview

The activity took the form of an interactive and participatory workshop. Officer Chris Nungisa’s presentation created an opportunity for direct dialogue with the youth in an environment that encouraged active listening, respect, and openness.

Young participants were encouraged to ask questions and share their perspectives regarding their experiences, perceptions, and understanding of the role of the police.

Discussions covered several topics, including:

The role and responsibilities of the Ottawa Police Service;
Relationships between young people and law enforcement;
Young people’s perceptions of the police;
Questions and concerns that racialized youth may have;
The importance of communication and dialogue;
Ways to foster relationships based on respect and trust;
The importance of helping young people become more familiar with the institutions serving their community.

Creating a Safe Space for Dialogue

One of the key aspects of the activity was the creation of a safe space where young people could express themselves freely.

Participants were able to ask Officer Chris Nungisa questions directly and share their perspectives in an environment that encouraged active listening and mutual understanding.

This type of space is particularly important because it allows young people to speak openly about their perceptions and experiences while giving them an opportunity to better understand how police services operate and the role they play.

Direct dialogue therefore helps replace certain perceptions and misunderstandings with a better understanding of each other’s realities.

Dialogue Between Youth and Law Enforcement

The workshop also highlighted the importance of direct contact and dialogue between young people and law enforcement representatives.

Officer Chris Nungisa’s presence gave young participants an opportunity to speak directly with a police officer and ask questions in a community-based setting.

This interaction represented an important opportunity to bring young people closer to institutions and foster more positive relationships grounded in communication, active listening, and mutual respect.

Dialogue with racialized youth also helps ensure that their perspectives and concerns are taken into consideration, while reinforcing their sense of being heard and valued within the community.

Participation and Feedback

The participation of RAFIO youth contributed to the richness of the workshop. The interactive approach encouraged meaningful exchanges and allowed participants to play an active role in the discussion.

Young people had the opportunity to ask questions, share their perspectives, and develop a better understanding of the role of the police in their community.

The activity therefore served as an opportunity for building connections, encouraging dialogue, and raising awareness, while helping participants develop a better understanding of the realities surrounding relationships between youth and law enforcement.

Key Outcomes

The activity helped to:

Create a safe space for dialogue between youth and law enforcement;
Promote a better understanding of the role of the police;
Give young people the opportunity to ask a police officer questions directly;
Allow youth to share their perspectives and concerns;
Foster closer relationships between racialized youth and police institutions;
Help reduce certain barriers and misunderstandings;
Promote dialogue, active listening, and mutual respect;
Strengthen opportunities for collaboration between RAFIO and the Ottawa Police Service;
Contribute to building trust-based relationships within the community.

Partnership with the Ottawa Police Service

RAFIO wishes to highlight the importance of its partnership with the Ottawa Police Service in carrying out this initiative.

The participation of Officer Chris Nungisa helped establish a direct connection with young people and encouraged open discussion about the realities and issues affecting youth in their community.

This partnership demonstrates the importance of bringing community organizations, young people, and institutions together to create opportunities for dialogue and promote greater mutual understanding.

RAFIO extends its sincere thanks to the Ottawa Police Service and Officer Chris Nungisa for their collaboration and contribution to this initiative.

Conclusion

The “Breaking Barriers and Building Trust” workshop provided an important opportunity for dialogue between RAFIO youth and the Ottawa Police Service.

Through an interactive approach focused on active listening, young people were able to ask questions, share their perspectives, and gain a better understanding of the role of the police in their community.

The activity also demonstrated the importance of creating safe and inclusive spaces where young people can express themselves, be heard, and develop positive relationships with institutions.

RAFIO intends to continue its efforts to promote youth engagement, community dialogue, inclusion, and trust-building between young people and the various institutions around them.

By continuing to break barriers and build trust, initiatives like this help create a more inclusive, open, and resilient community.