Nicci Johnson at KX News interviewed our team at NATIVE, Inc. on one of our youth-centric programs, the Native Youth Life Skills Program.
An excerpt of the article can be seen below:
The Native American Development Center in Bismarck created a way for young tribal members to connect. The Center is a hub of resources for the indigenous community in North Dakota.
KX News met up with the CEO of the non-profit, Lorraine Davis, to learn why connecting youth in the Native American community is so vital right now.
Davis says kids have been so isolated since March due to the pandemic. So she and her team created a life skills education program for Native youth to open up about their struggles. The purpose is to prevent homelessness, suicide, and delinquent behavior, and teach them life skills for the future. With peer to peer learning and relationship building, she says the kids have a higher chance at success.
Davis explains, “So this is a way to bring Bismarck, Mandan, United Tribes, and any other program such as YouthWorks, who address focuses on youth, to an at-large community for them to have positive building programs.”
Some of those Native American youth might be foster children or adopted children, and might even be homeless. So the non-profit created this safe place for youth to open up among their peers. The next thing they’re launching is a cultural program for youth as well as a basketball skills program.
You can find more information on the Native Youth Life Skills classes here.
These programs are open to all youth looking for connections to build healthy relationships and learning opportunities for growth — not just the native community.
Interested in supporting programs like this? Donate today or volunteer.
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