Engaging Aboriginal Youth Toolkit

Engaging and Empowering Aboriginal Youth: A Toolkit for Service Providers (Second Edition)

Trafford Publishing; 2010; 163 pages

Not a week goes by without a negative news story about the rates of problem behaviours among Aboriginal youth in Canada. However, these statistics do not tell the whole story and we must shift our paradigm from one focusing on deficits to a strengths-based approach. This Toolkit presents a wide range of guidelines, strategies, templates, and case studies for those who work with Aboriginal youth. A mix of conceptual guidelines and practical strategies are provided throughout the Toolkit. In addition to the four key sections of the first edition – Background and Overview, Guiding Principles, Working with Schools,and Research and Evaluation – the second edition has been updated to include an additional section on assessment, which provides a series of assessment tools to assist with identifying a starting point for change. 

Engaging and Empowering Aboriginal Youth (Second Edition) can be downloaded in English or French.

Testimonial

“Finally, a resource that recognizes the unique strengths and challenges of Aboriginal youth, and provides guidance in how to integrate these in effective programs that actively engage the youth they seek to help. This toolkit brings together the wisdom and experience of many experts and Elders who have been involved in the struggle to understand the impact of colonization, oppression, assimilation and deculturalization, and to help reclaim Aboriginal traditions. It does not impose a particular strategy or program, but invites us to re-imagine services, re-shaping them to be culturally-relevant and to draw on the inherent strengths and resiliency of Aboriginal youth. This toolkit will be invaluable to anyone who is striving to foster violence prevention, healing and empowerment for Aboriginal youth and communities.”

– Shelley Cardinal, Aboriginal Consultant, Canadian Red Cross