Transcript Slide 1

Intergovernmental Network (IGN) on
Nishnawbe Aski Nation Children & Youth
Overall Purpose of the IGN:
to help coordinate& strategize the
efforts, knowledge and resources of
the IGN table to effectively address
the issues contributing to First Nation
Youth suicide and the high rates
within NAN First Nations.
History of the IGN
(Intergovernmental Network)
• Mid-1990’s – series of NAN Youth Suicide Forums
• December 1999 - Jury of the Coroner’s Inquest into the suicide death of 15
year old Selena Sakanee from Neskantaga First Nation, endorsed the
recommendations of the NAN Youth Forum on Suicide, and made 40
additional recommendations
• 2000 – Intergovernmental Committee (Network) formed and tasked by
Provincial Deputies with implementing recommendations of Inquest Jury
• 2004 - the IGC (IGN) underwent an evaluation regarding its structure and
function
• Currently – the IGN…(highlight current achievements)
Membership/Structure
IGN Mandate
The IGN is:
• A collaborative forum for the parties involved to meet, coordinate and
problem-solve, specifically in response to the issue of Aboriginal Youth
suicide
• Both a vehicle and a strategy through which governments and First Nation
communities can collaborate and cooperate
• IGN membership includes representatives from three levels of
government: Federal, Provincial and First Nation leadership
• IGN structure is sectoral, including gov’t and FN reps from social services,
health, education, housing, justice, employment and economic
development and recreation sectors
Partnerships
 Intergovernmental Network (IGN)
is a network of Partners and partnerships.
 Collaborative funding efforts between Partners who fund IGN projects
have enabled us to maximize our efforts.
 We all want to lend a hand but no one Partner can tackle these issues
alone.
 Together we are making a difference.
The following chart illustrates the collaborative funding efforts for the Girl Power Wolf Spirit
Warrior program in ten communities...
Project:
Partnerships and
Collaborations:
Confirmed
Dollars:
Funding Years:
Girl Power
Wolf Spirit Warrior
Ministry of Children & Youth
Services
$155,000
2010-12
Health Canada
$150,000
2010-12
Ministry of Health Promotion’s :
Healthy Communities Fund
$120,000
2010-12
Ontario Women’s Directorate
$ 60,000
2010-2012
Primate’s World Relief and
Development Fund
$ 30,000
2010-2011
Ministry of Children & Youth
Services
$155,000
2007-08-09
Health Canada
$150,000
2007-08-09
Ministry of Health Promotion’s :
Healthy Communities Fund
$ 60,000
2008-09
Ontario Women’s Directorate
$ 30,000
2008-09
Primate’s World Relief and
Development Fund
$ 30,000
2007-08-09
Canadian Mortgage and
Housing Corporation
$ 2,500
2007-2008
Girl Power
Wolf Spirit Warrior
Lessons Learned
An understanding that:
 this is a work in progress
 externally-driven
approaches don’t work
 community-driven
strategies do work
 young people are involved
in all effective solutions
 change needs to occur at
all levels
 no one thing works
everywhere or every time
 there are no quick fixes; this
is a lengthy process
 there will be slippage
(two steps forward, one step
back) First Nation Delay
 we don’t always know why
things work or why they don’t work
We continue to look for opportunities to improve …
Next Steps...
The current perception that community –level capacity will fail to produce the expected deliverables in
funding agreements.
There is some First Nation delay, Nishnawbe Aski Nation neutralizes this issue by assisting NAN communities
with the deliverable obligations. NAN’s role is to continue to build this community capacity.
NAN has the infrastructure and expertise to assist First Nation communities build capacity.
Next Steps...
NAN continues to seek funding from non-governmental sources. We
are currently being funded in part by the Anglican Churches’
Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund and in the past by
Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation.
Oshkaatisak Council & Development Office is restructuring their Youth
Foundation and the anticipated date for the resuming of
operations is the Winter of 2011.
Existing Challenges
 Complexity and interconnectedness of the issues
 Distance, geography, weather, travel costs
 Balancing the differing priorities of various Partners
 Partners do not all equally share access to resources
 Maximizing effective use of resources
 Attempting to implement a multi-year plan without
multi-year funding
What We Need
Partnerships, Funding, Ideas and Assistance...
We need more partnerships…
 Perhaps Aboriginal Youth Suicide is not in your mandate?
 The IGN deals with a gambit of social issues with only one
end resulting in Youth Suicide
 There are many factors leading to this end, factor such as;
poverty, lack of educational opportunities, family violence, drug and
alcohol use/misuse and prescription drug abuse, gangs and lack of
recreation activities to name a few.
We have Ideas and You have the Assistance we need…we can find ways to fit
your Organization’s Mandate!
Oshkaatisak Council &
Development Office
 NAN Youth Council – is now the NAN Oshkaatisak Council
 NAN Decade for Youth & Development (2000-2009) is now the
Oshkaatisak Council & Development Office
 Programs initiated by the Oshkaatisak Council & Development Office:
 Girl Power Wolf Spirit Warrior (Youth Resiliency Program)
 NAN Recreation Resource Manual
 Seven Sacred Teachings Annual Youth Gathering
Background of
Girl Power Wolf Spirit Warrior
 Nishnawbe Aski Nation is a
political territorial organization
(PTO) representing 49 First
Nation communities in
Northern Ontario
 32 of these communities are
considered remote meaning
accessible by air alone.
Unique Challenges
Geographic
isolation
Poverty &
unemployment
High sexual abuse
rate/zero tolerance
policy
Very high youth
female suicide
rate
Lack of
infrastructure in
communities
Very large youth
population, 68% of
NAN under 29
Lack of social
justice activities &
social programs
Lack of access to Gas sniffing &
cultural foundation Prescription drug
teaching
use epidemic in
Girl Power Wolf Spirit Warrior
 Girl Power Wolf Spirit Warrior
programs currently in ten
communities
 Ten communities are to mentor
to another neighbouring
community
 The ten First Nation communities
identified as having the greatest
need to support youth resiliency
include: Deer Lake, Kashechewan,
Mishkeegogamang , Moose Cree, Muskrat Dam,
Neskantaga, North Caribou, Sandy Lake, Wahgoshig,
and Wapekeka First Nations.
Investment in NAN Youth
The Girl Power Wolf Spirit Warrior
programs demonstrate our
commitment to Youth.
We assist in Youth development by
encouraging:
• Youth empowerment
• Decision Making by Youth
• Youth Resiliency
• Self esteem in Youth
Resource Manuals
• Information is geared to 8-16 • Wolf Spirit Warrior Manual is
year old Youth
currently being edited and
will soon be distributed
• Successful Girl Power Wolf
Spirit Warrior programs in ten
communities
• Use a peer-to-peer model
• Create a safe and fun
environment for youth
• Girls’ feedback has been very
positive
www.nandecade.ca
Thank You
For more information please contact:
Corinne Fox, Director of Intergovernmental
Network for Nishnawbe Aski Nation
Children & Youth [email protected]
Jacki Alto, Girl Power Wolf Spirit Warrior
Program Coordinator [email protected]