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.

The R’Native Voice Coordinator works with the Band Youth Worker to plan and coordinate this program which is delivered once per year. R’Native Voice continues to work with school districts to provide school credits for participants.

The program is delivered in the seven member communities and three urban centers over 8-12 weeks, depending on community needs. In each community, a Community Liaison Worker is assigned to assist in delivery of program. The curriculum is structured in a way that encourages each group to invite local resource people such as Elders, Storytellers, Mentors and other community teachers to participate and share their knowledge. The curriculum has been revised utilizing captikwl and nsyilxcәn in all components.

R’Native Voice Curriculum

1. Orientation
2. Write It On Your Heart: ɋʹayantx l aspuɁɋʹus
3. Our Roots Our Beliefs Part 1: iɁ skcxˇ wiplaɁtət
4. Our Roots Our Beliefs Part 2: iɁ skcxˇ wiplaɁtət
5. Depression: spaɁa
6. Grief: qəlspuɁus
7. Loving Yourself: xˇ ast spuɁus
8. Physical Health: kwu͜ xiɁtmíst (we run)
9. Drugs & Alcohol: nkncintn uł nxˇ wus (poison and alcohol)
10. Sexual Health: iɁ scxwəl xˇ wáltət (our health or our life)
11. Community Project: iɁ snqsilxwtət
12. Self Esteem: npútaɁtn (respect)
13. Bullying: nxilsm (respect one’s feelings)
14. Social Justice & Current Issues: scmʹ aɁmʹ áy (news)
15. Wrap Up: paƛmcín (end of a story)

---

k^wu x̌ast is a prevention program that creates a space for children to safely express and explore their creativity through a variety of art forms and settings. Participants will at times work in one large group, small groups or individually.

As a large group, children will come together to talk and decide about a group art project. While in small groups children will participate in role-playing games and a variety of fun activities to further develop their social interaction skills. Individual work may include working on one’s own art project. Such projects may include photography, shadow puppetry, theatre, singing and more. Some of these activities will take place on the land, to allow children to connect with nature.

k^wu x̌ast encourages children to expand their creativity while also learning new skills to express themselves, and become their authentic self through personal development.

The k^wu x̌ast Program Coordinator works with the community contact to arrange and plan delivery of the k^wu x̌ast Program.

 

---

ONA’s Fish in Schools program is one of the key fish education programs for youth in the region, particularly the Sockeye salmon, so that students may become future advocates for both salmon and their habitat.

Since 2003 Okanagan Nation Alliance’s FinS (Fish in Schools, previously S2S-Stream to Sea) in-class program has been educating regional students and teachers about the salmon lifecycle and the importance of their ecosystem so that they may become future advocates for both salmon and their habitat. FinS supplies the necessary equipment and support needed for students to raise from egg to fry stage. ONA provides a 29 Gallon tank with cover, stand/cart, aquarium chiller, and start up supplies; gravel, filters, filter replacements, siphon, insulated cover, thermometer, water conditioners as well as the salmon spawn.

Beginning in mid-January, ONA staff delivered the fertilized eggs to the participating schools and explain the lifecycle and habitat requirements to the students. We also explain the external physical attributes of both male and female Sockeye and answer any questions. Once the eggs have hatched, and buttoned up, the fry will be fed daily until ready for release. During incubation and rearing, the tank will be monitored to ensure that water and temperatures are within the healthy limits for raising sockeye.

VIDEO: cewelna Leon Louis Praying for Sockeye Fry Release

2024 Participating Schools

Okanagan Subbasin
1) Casorso Elementary
2) South Kelowna Elementary
3) Ellison Elementary
4) Dorothea Walker Elementary
5) Sensisyusten
6) Peachland Elementary
7) Giants Head Elementary
8) Summerland Montessori School
9) Princess Margaret Secondary
10) Snxastwilxtn Recovery House
11) Enowkin Centre
12) Outma Sqilxw
13) PIB Health Centre
14) West Bench Elementary
15) Queens Park Elementary
16) KVR Middle School
17) Columbia Elementary
18) Wiltse Elementary
19) Penticton K-12 Excel
20) OK Falls Elementary
21) Tuc-el-nuit Elementary
22) Senpokchin Elementary
23) Oliver Elementary
24) Southern Okanagan Secondary School
25) Osoyoos Elementary
26) Osoyoos Secondary
27) Ntamqen School
28) Cawston Primary
29) Similkameen Elementary Secondary School
30) John Allison Elementary
31) Ecole Entre-Lacs

Upper Columbia
1) Perley Elementary
2) Greenwood Elementary
3) Hutton Elementary
4) Christina Lake Elementary
5) Big White Community School
6) Christina Lake Stewardship Society
7) Hume Elementary
8) WE Graham Community School
9) Brent Kennedy Elementary
10) Wildflower School
11) Jewett Elementary School
12) JL Crowe Secondary
13) Twin Rivers Elementary
14) Kinnaird Elementary
15) Glenmerry Elementary
16) Rossland Summit School
17) JL Webster Elementary
18) Robson Community School
19) Fruitvale Elementary
20) Kootenay-Columbia Learning Centre
21) Lucerne Elementary
22) Nakusp Elementary
23) Edgewood Elementary
24) Burton Elementary
25) Ecole des sentiers-alpins
26) Ecole des Sept-sommets
27) St. Michael’s Catholic School
28) Valhalla Children’s Centre
29) FortisBC Kootenay Ops Centre

When the sockeye fry are ready, they will be released with the rest of the Hatchery fry at the Annual ONA Sockeye Fry Releases.

---