Healing and Reconciliation for Communities and Families
Empowering youth outreach program
Access to education is an integral building block on the path to a successful future. Education opens doors to opportunities and helps young people foster critical literacy, thinking and social skills. However, many Indigenous communities do not have the resources to offer secondary or post-secondary education locally.
Many young people must travel to further their education, living away from their families and communities in urban centres like Thunder Bay throughout the school year. This physical and spiritual distance has left Indigenous youth experiencing loneliness, homesickness, social isolation, and a weakening connection to their culture, traditions, language, and support systems.
To ensure young people can remain confident and aligned with their Indigenous identity, the year-long Empowering Youth Outreach Program II was created. Approximately 20 Indigenous youth ages 13 to18 living in Thunder Bay for secondary school will be able to connect with their roots through regular interaction with Elders, mentors, and peers. Meeting twice a month at St. Kateri Church, the program will provide a welcoming environment where youth can reconnect with their identity through Elder teachings, storytelling, traditional knowledge, cultural activities, creative arts, digital learning, and community building. Participants will have opportunities to learn from Elders, explore traditional teachings, discover their creative gifts, develop new skills, and build friendships within a supportive faith community.
The Indigenous Reconciliation Fund (IRF) is proud to support the Empowering Youth Outreach Program II. These gatherings will help young Indigenous Peoples build confidence, develop meaningful friendships, and strengthen their sense of belonging while ensuring traditional knowledge is shared with future generations.
Diocese of Thunder Bay
