Daughter Spirit
The Challenge
The experience of many Aboriginal youth is one of marginalization – physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, neglect, poverty, substance abuse and third world socio-economic living conditions. The impact of intergenerational trauma from cultural oppression such as residential school that Aboriginal youth and children can possess has left many youth lacking adequate psychological resiliency. In turn many of our youth are less resistant to negative influences which can lead to suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts and suicide completions.
The Program
Daughter Spirit in Action is a National Aboriginal Suicide Prevention Strategy (NAYSPS), demonstration project. The program is being piloted in Manitoba, with an advisory committee consisting of 6 female youth and 2 Elders. The emphasis of the program is on mental health promotion anchored by culture and Elder mentorship. This mental health promotion approach will illustrate how long-term positive programming will help reduce Aboriginal suicide attempts and suicide completions.
The Opportunity
In First Nations families or communities where original cultural teachings and practices have been maintained or restored, there is usually a positive sense of the many roles, social duties and obligations to be fulfilled by the youth. Daughter Spirit in Action programming will also work to restore culture in our diverse program offerings. Some examples of programming is sexual and reproductive health seminars for young Aboriginal women and girls, sports, drum making classes, community clean-ups, sewing classes, community feast/potlucks etc. These programming opportunities will help build the young women and girls involved with a positive sense of self, family, community and will ultimately build resiliency and layers of protective factors that will serve them well in their lives and with their future or current children.