Aboriginal Youth from across Canada recently gathered in the windy city of Winnipeg, Manitoba to learn about career options related to health.
The event was an overwhelming success!
Thanks to the support received from Health Canada’s Aboriginal Health Human Resource Initiative (AHHRI) the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples provided a unique and powerful contribution to the department’s mandate to increase the number of Aboriginal youth in health careers. Participants were required to provide a letter of intent to CAP for review and rating by CAP’s National Youth Council. Only the highest rated submissions were awarded the opportunity to participate.
Many youth who attended SE’TO SKATOWIN are still in high school, with some of them traveling on their own for the first time in their lives. Others are young parents in the midst of making life choices for themselves and their young families. Some were already in post secondary studies, and they reported learning to take each day in stride and to stay in school for the long haul. Friendships and linkages were made, confidence was gained, and many were empowered by the words they heard.
One message received loud and clear by CAP was that Aboriginal youth are passionate, intelligent individuals whose level of commitment to our people is truly inspiring.
“We have no doubt that with our continued support, Aboriginal youth in Canada will make our futures healthy and prosperous.”
National Chief Brazeau, February 2008
The panel and workshop presenters became unsuspecting yet willing and able mentors as they shared their trials and tribulations, their early motivations and aspirations, and “day in the life” synopses as to what youth might expect to encounter in health careers.
These individuals provided words of wisdom that will stay with many of these young people for a lifetime. It would be difficult to single out any of the over twenty presenters as they each gave a special part of themselves to the event.
The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples is both proud and humbled by the success of SE’TO SKATOWIN. Special thanks goes out to the elders who came from the four directions, the delegation from the Aboriginal Council of Manitoba who participated for the full three days, the Ministerial and Departmental representatives who opened the event, and the entertainers who set a traditional tone that reverberated in our hearts and minds. We look forward to hosting another Health Careers conference next year!
Participants have commented and posted pictures on a FACEBOOK group called SE’TO SKATOWIN 2008 Alumni: CAP Youth Health Careers Conference.
CAP intends on keeping in touch and following up with each of the youth in the years to come. We want to be certain to continue to provide support, encouragement, guidance and mentoring to help make their careers as prosperous and satisfying as our youth want them to be.
PRESS RELEASE: National Chief Brazeau Announces First National Health Careers Conference... continue reading here. (French Version)
