Over the years, the ONA has worked with communities to develop popular programs for children and youth. Youth Wellness Coordinators aim to empower youth voices, promote nation building, and encourage healthy peer networks.
The Youth Wellness Program prioritizes the mental and physical wellbeing of our nation’s youth. With a focus on empowerment and holistic development, our program addresses diverse youth needs.
Youth Wellness works in a preventative way to connect youth with peers and communities in healthy ways, supporting youth to make good choices and cope with social pressures. The program encourages participation of Elders, storytellers, land-based Knowledge Keepers, and mentors.
Services
The services include prevention, promotion, community linkages, support and brief counseling outreach services. The The Youth Wellness Coordinator (YWC) provides linkages and coordination of community service agencies by building on or creating community mental wellness networks.
The YWC will provide specialized group programming for youth who are in need of support, and will further support the youth and their families by providing individual mentorship and/or completing referrals to appropriate agencies that can help the youth and their families reach their wellness goals.
R’Native Voice is a youth mental health program for ages 12-18 and is a prevention program to reduce drug use, incidence of suicide, depression and community violence through learning about Syilx identity and belonging, life skills and culture and language. Modules include:
- Identity & Family Connections
- Traditional Lifestyle as Health-Nutrition/Habits
- spaʔa: Depression & Suicide
- qəlspuʔus: Grief & Loss
- nʔaɬnaɬsqilxʷtən: Addictions
- x̌ast spuʔus: Loving Oneself—Self Care & Self Esteem
- Traditional Sweat & Completion Ceremony
Support is available for Syilx communities to integrate Traditional Games into their own child and youth programs. The Syilx Traditional Games Toolkit was developed to improve the health of the Nation by ensuring Syilx games continue to be played.
Wraparound Support
For Syilx youth ages 12-19 with mental health concerns, we use a holistic, cultural approach to help youth and their families navigate the mental wellness system, be informed about services, and develop a wellness plan with the help of family, supports, and community service providers.
Contact
Brenden Moore, Youth Wellness Coordinator
Phone: 778-392-8966
Email: youthwellness1@syilx.org