Nishnawbe Aski Nation’s Choose Life program is changing lives for NAN First Nations communities. Choose Life’s guiding principles focus on a fair and transparent process that looks out for the child’s best interest and aims to prevent suicide among children and youth.
“It’s about our youth finding themselves, knowing who they are. Giving to the youth in the communities, people are seeing a change and [being] active participants in their community,” says Deputy Grand Chief Walter Naveau of Nishnawbe Aski Nation.
Each Choose Life program is unique and brings families together, connects people to their land and language, and emphasizes the importance of cultural identity. With these programs specifically for youth, NAN is bringing a side of wellness to their community that’s been long past due.
Transparent and timely services
Deputy Grand Chief Walter Naveau grew up in Mattagami First Nation and, as a child, went on the land with his grandfather, learning his teachings.
“It was all hands-on, visual, and oral, it is how we learned,” he says of his upbringing, “it was a different time. Youth are so amazed at what the Elders can do, how they can make things with their hands from the land.”
Choose Life, says Deputy Grand Chief Naveau, is creating a ripple effect of change with its services, including community-based mental health services and land-based/cultural activities. Through the 7 Grandfather Teachings, Choose Life is a guiding service for youth, teaching them traditional hunting and fishing, language, medicine preparation, canoeing, skinning, and preparing wildlife. It gives children and youth the chance to become acquainted with the land and use traditional ways of trapping.
“How I see Choose Life is a life-giving program giving back to the young people. [It’s] a new direction, and it’s giving back the abilities to give them confidence in themselves, practice team building, preparing them to chase their dreams and endeavours. It’s a very powerful program.”
Indigenous Well-being
With collaboration from Chiefs, Elders and dedicated community members, Choose Life leads youth onto a path that allows them to understand where they come from. This is achieved by fast-tracking proposals for mental health and suicide prevention programs, providing immediate funding needed for youth at risk of suicide.
Deputy Grand Chief Naveau doesn’t speak lightly of the hardships the Indigenous community has endured over generations, saying the effects are prominent and felt in the youth community.
“As Deputy Grand Chief our NAN communities are hurting because of the high suicide rate. We’re four times higher, and that, to me, says something is wrong. Something is not working,” he says, “I believe our First Nations have been affected so hard because our families have been torn apart. We did not get to be like this overnight, nor is it going to change overnight. We all must work together because I shudder to think how these suicides have an impact on families.”
Through this program, communities can heal through mental, emotional, and behavioural wellbeing provided to them through the funding of these services because, although we all deserve holistic health, the youth and children of the future deserve it tenfold.
In regard to recent events that have rippled throughout our Nation in the discovery of Kamloops Residential School mass burial findings, Choose Life continues to offer supports in the intergenerational trauma that has been passed down to our children and youth and is still felt today. We would like to take a moment to honour all those who did not make it home and the survivors of this dark time in our history. We are hosting a two-day NAN Choose Life Virtual Gathering to educate and advocate for change this Sept. 28 and 29, 2021. Please keep an eye out for future advertising of this important NAN Youth event.
