2024 Indigenous
Youth and Community Futures Fund Project Descriptions

 

Organization Name:  ENAGB - (Thunder Bay)

Location: Thunder Bay

Project Summary:  Through monthly meetings over one year, this project will create

the space and opportunity for a 12-member Indigenous youth council to work together in Thunder Bay on decision-making and community-based leadership. Using a previously created health strategy from more than sixty Indigenous young people as direction, they will collaborate in developing actionable solutions to reach their shared dreams and goals.

 

Organization Name: NMKNS

Location:  Sudbury

Project Summary:  This project aims to re-connect 10 Indigenous youth with their language, culture, and the land. It includes a series of four Zoom sessions and a five-day land-based camp aimed at inspiring them to learn new art forms, create connections, and find comfort in the natural environment. The camp also seeks to equip youth with survival skills, traditional teachings, and essential items by providing a safe space as well as necessary equipment for overcoming challenges on the land.

 

 

Organization Name: Georgian Bay Anishinaabek Youth

Location: Parry Sound

Project Summary:  A series of Anishinaabek Baskweginoon (working with animal hide) workshops will be held for Indigenous Youth ages 13-29, to practice hide tanning and teach traditional uses of hides, including making mitts, drums, and moccasins. The workshops will be safe spaces for youth to develop a deeper respect for the land and animals, gain traditional skills, and build a stronger sense of culture within the Robinson-Huron Treaty Territory, on the eastern shore of Mnidoo Gamii, Georgian Bay

 

 

Organization Name: Chapleau Cree First Nation (Wahkohtowin Development)

Location: Chapleau

Project Summary:  The Cultural Revitalization Canoe trip will be a new addition and one of the highlights of the Wahkohtowin Guardian Program starting in the summer 2024. The canoe trip will expose youth to cultural activities and programming, creating a sense of interconnectedness with the land, community, and self, while gaining valuable experience in the outdoors. We believe our Guardians will greatly benefit from the unique journey to connect with their heritage and the land.

 

 

Organization Name: Auntie's Place

Location: Toronto

Project Summary:  Auntie’s Place seeks to provide Afro-Indigenous, Black, and Indigenous youth a 6 week girls Empowerment Circle that works towards building a stronger connection to the land, identity, and community. Through workshops led by Elders and Knowledge Keepers the youth will learn about cultural teachings that uplift and empower young girls. At the end of the Empowerment Circle the youth will have an opportunity to travel to Six Nations and connect to the land and ceremony.

 

 

Organization Name: Culture Care: Qilaujjarniq

Location: Ottawa

Project Summary:  This project aims to provide opportunity for urban Inuit to: share traditional knowledges, practice the Inuktitut language while making Inuit drums as well as learning traditional drum songs and dances, to offer healing by carrying on traditions that were initially banished by oppressive and dispossessive colonial institutions, community building via connecting Inuit to other Inuit in an urban setting, provide culture-based education connected to ceremonies, medicines, arts, and sciences.

 

 

Organization Name: Cultivating Resilience

Location: Akwesasne

Project Summary:  Project: Propagating thousands of white ash trees in 6 months to combat emerald ash borer damage. Goal: Widespread distribution for ecological preservation and restoration. Aiming to mitigate the impact of the destructive pest and foster a resilient white ash tree population.

 

 

Organization Name:  Georgian Bay Two Spirit Pow Wow

Location: Owen Sound

Project Summary:  Our main event, Georgian Bay Two Spirit Pow Wow will take place on September 14th, 2024 from 11-7 pm at M'Wikwedong Indigenous Friendship Centre in Owen Sound, ON. Our corresponding events will include: a traditional feast and giveaway with community elders, youth, and mentors; community-led art projects; a community drum social and feast. These events will be co-hosted by our community partner (MIFC) throughout the year (see timeline for more info).

 

 

 

Organization Name:  Kiskinohtahiwewak Partnership

Location: Moose Factory

Project Summary:  This project seeks to host a week-long, land-based Cree language camp with Elders and Cree language speakers from the James and Hudson's Bay region. Participants will be community members and students who are currently enrolled or are interested in pursuing a career in health. The focus of the camp is to provide participants with basic Cree language skills to communicate with patients in a clinical health care setting.

 

 

Organization Name:  Bagida'waad Alliance Inc.

Location: Neyaashiinigmiing

Project Summary:  We will be hiking the Bruce Trail within Saukiing Anishinaabekiing while forging new relationships and connections with other organizations such as the Bruce Trail Conservancy and the Niagara Escarpment Biosphere Network. We will be one of the first groups to have formal permission from the Bruce Trail Conservancy to camp on the trail. We plan on using storymaps to share our experiences through indigenous youth. We also hope to keep a record of the species at risk we encounter as well.

 

 

Organization Name: Bawaating Child Welfare Warriors

Location: Sault Ste Marie

Project Summary: Bawaating Child Welfare Warriors (BCWW) is a by and for organization that serves Indigenous Youth in the child welfare system ages 15-23. BCWW will create a Best Practices Framework for Stakeholders serving Indigenous Youth In the Child Welfare System, a Child Welfare Stakeholder Round Table, co-create by and for Art and continue Individual Advocacy to Indigenous Youth in or aging out of the child welfare system, specifically those who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

 

 

Organization Name: Finding Our Power Together

Location: Toronto

Project Summary: The Returning to our Roots Project envisions a future where Indigenous Peoples have access to the cultural resources necessary to reclaim their culture and heritage. This includes an ability to engage in traditional practices and learn teachings passed down through generations. By providing a culturally safe space, the project seeks to address the historical trauma and oppression experienced by Indigenous Peoples, which has often resulted in the loss of cultural knowledge and practices.

 

 

 

Organization Name:  Eshkiniigjik Naandwechigegamig, Aabiish Gaa Binjibaaying - ENAGB Youth Program

Location: Toronto

Project Summary:  Building and revitalize traditional crafts and skills of Leatherworking and Wood carving with the youth.  Whilst learning these crafts, we will have a fire keeper present, and encourage youth to have an open dialogue with our workers who are skilled, & trauma informed. Creating a 'safe-space' and healing circle for the youth to open up about the challenges and struggles they are dealing with. We are aiming to create beautiful works of art and form deeper meaningful connections with our youth.

 

 

Organization Name:  The Waterways Collective

Location: Cutler

Project Summary: This project aims to foster healthy relationships between Anishinaabek youth from Serpent River First Nation and their homelands and homewaters by hosting weekly paddle events to different pictograph sites in their watershed and Treaty territory, to the communities new wild rice bed and to different bodies of water within our territory. The Waterways Collective will also host a monthly multi-night canoe trip in the headwaters throughout our territory.

 

 

Organization Name: Biizidun

Location: Thunder Bay

Project Summary:  The Biizidun team seeks to provide the opportunity of Anishinaabe cultural programming for the Thunder Bay community of native youth through workshops focused on the traditional ways of the Round Dance Practices. The revitalization of round dance socials is on the rise and the teachings on the gathering are important for us to showcase properly.

 

 

Organization Name: Dwadewayęhstaˀ Gayogo̲ho:nǫˀ

Location: Ohsweken

Project Summary: Godiwęnǫhsdeˀ (They cherish their language) will pair young second language learners with fluent and/or well-versed speakers in daily tasks speaking only the Cayuga language. This will increase the youths vocabulary and strengthen the survivability of Cayuga for the future as they eventually become teachers. This model of second language acquisition is called the Master-Apprentice approach. *

 

 

 

Organization Name: Anishinaabemotaadidaa Omaa Nogojiwanong

Location: Peterborough

Project Summary:  This project will create fun, interactive Anishinaabemowin learning opportunities for Indigenous young people in Peterborough. These learning opportunities will include 1 full day of language immersion, outdoor immersion 'scavenger hunts' in urban and natural areas around Peterborough, and an Anishinaabemowin storytelling event with a fluent speaker. This project will be open to everyone from beginner language level to advanced.

 

 

 

Organization Name: Wabshkaa Animkii Benesii ( The WAB after-school program)

Location: Thunder Bay

Project Summary:  WAB is a community-driven after-school program supporting families and students in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Rooted in Anishinaabe culture, WAB offers a safe and engaging space for children to learn, grow, and connect.

Through cultural experiences, educational activities, and healthy meals, WAB empowers students with life skills, cultural knowledge, and a strong sense of community. Witnessing positive changes in students and families, WAB fosters a brighter future for the entire community.

 

 

 

Organization Name: Regional Multicultural Youth Council

Location: Thunder Bay

Project Summary: The project aims to develop Peer Mentors as role models who use positive influence to inspire and motivate other students to stay in school and graduate. We will incorporate  Indigenous culture and traditions including language, medicine picking, drum and rattle-making,  regalia- making, hunting, fishing, trapping, traditional food making, story-telling, healing and sharing circles to connect with the youth, build their self-esteem, pride, self-confidence and resilience to learn and succeed.

 

 

 

Organization Name: Fort Erie Native Friendship Centre

Location: Fort Erie

Project Summary: The Nimaamaa Akii "My Mother Earth" project will create opportunities for youth of Fort Erie to connect with each other and with Mother Earth. Youth will engage community in cultural land-based activities, create safe healing spaces and welcoming to all.  Gain experience in sustainable Traditional agriculture, sharing their learnings about plants and medicines with their families and community.

 

 

 

Organization Name:  13 Moons Land Based Learning

Location: Southwold

Project Summary: We use land-based learning and the 13 moon cycle to teach about the Oneida culture, build practical skills (e.g., hunting, cooking), connect with nature, and build physical and mental health, emotional wellbeing, and spiritual development. A healing journey for the Oneida peoples and allies that connects them with our culture through traditional teachings, knowledge, and values. Use of the Oneida language to recuperate its use and build our language from the 10 fluent speakers we currently have.

 

 

 

Organization Name: Kawiraksa Krew

Location: Akwesasne

Project Summary: The Kawiraksa Krew wants to continue operating while respecting the time and energy of our language teacher/mentor as we grow the Kanienkeha learning accomplished over the last year. We want to continue with our approximately weekly Kanienkeha sessions adding word morphology and study sessions. We want to expand our sessions to include time with additional elders, knowledge carriers, and traditional practitioners so we can see the language in action, which will occur in Akwesasne.

 

 

 

Organization Name: Rising from our Roots

Location: Toronto

Project Summary:  This project seeks to build solidarity between urban Black and Indigenous youth across the GTA through workshops and drop-ins centered around community healing. This project will teach important Indigenous teachings about the 13 moon cycles at our drop-in. Our workshops will engage youth in discussions on Black and Indigenous history, solidarity and collective healing. Our end of program day trip will bring the youth together for a beautiful day of connecting with community and nature.

 

 

 

Organization Name: Batchewana First Nation Reserve

Location: Batchewana First Nation

Project Summary: Wiiminoodoodaadizo seeks to improve the quality of life of our youth from Batchewana First Nation. Empowering our youth to reclaim sovereignty within their traditional territory through language revitalization, traditional seasonal harvest methods and cultural skill building to improve overall health and wellbeing. This initiative will take course over a year within the seasons to ensure we can preserve these methods for future generations and have youth led mentorship by and for the community.