Module #3 – Post #1

After watching the Fraser River video from Week #8, it really got me thinking about what kind of services and resources are offered and available to Aboriginal Youth that are accessible and incorporate their culture and acknowledge cultural value.

So what I sought to do was search for a community-based organization that offered programming to Aboriginal Youth and compare it to programming offered  by the government.

Odawa Native Friendship Centre (based out of Ottawa ON) – DreamCatchers Youth Program — “instills traditional aboriginal values that address the emotional, physical, mental and psiritual needs of urban Aboriginal Youth”. This is done through cultural activities and community involvement. The organization also offers other programming to the community to include things such as Aboriginal community justice programming, youth leadership, programming for at-risk children and health living. This program stands out for its acknowledgement of the multifaceted nature of community and the real life struggles of Aboriginal youth today.

I found two government-based sites targeting Aoriginal Youth, Youth.gc.ca which provides resources for Aboriginal youth looking for employment resources, and attending post-secondary institutions. Nothing that is specific to culture. The second site I found was entitled Bold Eagle, and seeks to target Aboriginal youth living in the west to attend a training program that “combines Aboriginal culture and teachings with military training”. This is an odd combination and if you go on to discover the tabs on the website, the focus is military training, discipline and “continuing the Aboriginal tradition in military service”.

I am curious what other people think of this! I know that in the Arctic there is a big push for youth to become involved in the Canadian Rangers – but I wonder at what cost? Is there a place for incorporating militaristic values in Aboriginal culture? Or vice versa?