COMMUNITY SUPPORT FUND CREation
Impact Overview
In April 2020, CRE launched a Community Support Fund. The goal of this program was to mobilize $300,000 to support community-level programs and supports related to COVID-19.
Across the 3 application rounds, CRE received 173 proposals representing a need of over $900,000 in funding.
65% of applications were from unincorporated groups (including grassroots collectives, Youth Councils, small organizations, and community groups). Because these groups are not registered/incorporated, they face large barriers to access funding, particularly from mainstream funding streams.
The Community Support Fund provided $307,500 in funding to 62 groups in 11 Provinces and Territories
Who are grantees primarily reaching?
Grantees predominantly served either First Nations youth specifically, or First Nations, Métis and Inuit youth.
The majority of funded groups were in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia.
39% of grantees are supporting youth in rural locations. 35% are working in urban centers, and 26% are serving remote communities.
The 62 funded groups will collectively reach 19,000 youth before September 2020.
50% of grantees were entirely youth-led projects.
Alberta
EDMONTON 2S
SOCIETY
The Edmonton 2-Spirit Society will use funds to support ongoing operations for the organization, as well as to run a series of online craft programming and socials fortwospirityouthandcommunity.
RED SASH YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
SOCIETY
Red Sash will prepare and deliver care packages to 125 youth in Fishing Lake Métis Settlement. Care packages will be customized with wellness supplies and activities to keep youth active and engaged.
SWEETGRASS YOUTH ALLIANCE
Sweetgrass Youth Alliance will create packages that have the necessities that will assist youth that are homeless and in need. This project will aim to support 150-200 youth through the provision of hygiene projects and access to tablets and phones to connect with family and healthservices
JANVIER
SEKWEHA YOUTH
CENTRE
JSYC will create and distribute mental health packages to 140 youth in Javier. These kits will include help lines, medicines, hygiene products, and a smalltraditionalorland-basedactivity.
STARDALE WOMEN'S GROUP INC.
Stardale offers Indigenous-led and focused programming to at-risk young women in Calgary through educational classes, mentoring, recreational activities, and social engagements. They will use this funding to shift their programming on an online platform for 30youth.
TSUUT'INA GUNAHA INSTITUTE
The Tsuut'ina Gunaha Institute has a strong history of providing languagebased programming to their entire community. They will utilize funding to adapt their existing programming to be offered online, over the phone and throughthecreationofdigitalresources
KIKINO COMMUNITY SKI CLUB
Kikino Community Ski Club will distribute 60 care baskets to families in Kikino Métis Settlement. Baskets will include cleaning supplies, hygiene materials, small activities and messages ofpositiveaffirmation.
STONEY NAKODA TSUUT'INA TRIBAL COUNCIL
Stoney Nakoda Tsuut'ina will deliver programming that will focus on four elements of the medicine wheel. 150 youth will be reached through the deliver of programming packages and online sessions.
YELLOWHEAD TRIBAL COUNCIL
The Junior Chief and Council will support, strengthen,andempoweryouth through building a Tipi and creating cultural space where they can access teachings, cultural craft workshops, storytelling,medicineteachings, ceremony/cultural teachings by local AlexisEldersandceremonyleaders.
NATIONAL NATIVE ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE PROGRAM
The NNADAP Program will be providing Mental Health Programs to the youth of the Whitefish Lake First Nation #128. The program will run biweekly from June to November of 2020. The program will deliver: Anger Management programs, Stress Management, Indigenous Suicide Prevention, Grief and Loss issues, Self Esteem Building, Family Violence issues, Lateral Violence Issues/PeerPressureissues,beingpartofBuildingHealthierCommunitiesthroughDrugAwareness.
British Columbia
HELPING OUR URBAN K'WSÉLTKTEN
Helping Our Urban K'Wseltkten will purchase 500 meal tickets and distribute them to key Indigenous housing and support organizations in the Downtown East side of Vancouver
K'OMOKS FIRST NATION YOUTH GROUP
This project will support 60 students between K to grade 12 through the purchase of laptops, tablets and internet access to support digital access to education resources. K'omoks will also recruit a tutor to support studentsadjustingtolearningonline
MEDICINE TALK CONNECTOR
HIIT'AGAN.IINA KUUYAS NAAY / SKIDEGATE YOUTH CENTRE
This project will support indigenous youth to participate in online programming through the delivery of care and programming packages. Programming will reach 50 youth and include gardening, cultural art activities, physical recreationandself-care.
IH&CO
IH&CO will provide daily outreach to street-based youth in Penticton, Okanagan Indian Band, Oyoyoos First Nation and Westbank First Nations. 2000 Youth will have receive a survival pack of self-care supplies, clothing, food andcleanwater.
Medicine Talk Connector will engage youth in developing new community-driven and youth-focused programming. Programs will include spotlights on youth artists and musicians, teachings, interviews with knowledge keepers, audiotheatreproductionsandwellnesstalks.
Their Youth Program will run zoom cultural classes that will include teachings,andinteractiveworkshops. 70 youth will participate in workshops and will receive program material kits so that they can take partremotely.
SKEETCHESTN INDIAN BAND
Skeetchestn Indian Band's Youth Services will coordinate and deliver 83 wellness packages to youth in the community. Packages will include activities, snacks and wellness materials.
NANAIMO
ABORIGINAL CENTRE
Nanaimo Aboriginal Centre will provide survival kits to 65 Indigenous youth that are street-based. These kits will include tents, tarps, warm clothing and traditional medicines.
Northwest Territories
ARCTIC YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
AGENCY (AYDA)
AYDAwillhostprogrammingsessionsfor 50 youth in Inuvik. Programming will center around mental health, developing coping mechanisms and building peer support networks. They will also deliver 50carepackagestoyouth.
WESTERN ARCTIC YOUTH
COLLECTIVE
WAYC will recruit youth facilitators to share knowledge and skills through online programming. They will also create packages of books and programming supplies to deliver to 50 youthparticipants.
TUSAAYAKSAT MAGAZINE
NIPATURUQ
Nipaturuq is a youth-led magazine for Inuit youth. They will use funds to publish the a new issue of their magazine which will focus around mental health. The issue will reach 3000youth.
The Inuvialuit Internet Kit aims to create a library (“kit”) of Inuvialuktun language resources that can be used on the Internet and mobilephones.ItwillcompriseofaspeciallydesignedsetofInuvialuitcultureemojis,GIFsaswellasInuvialuktunInternetphrasesand abbreviations (versions of abbreviations such as: LOL, OMG, HRU?) that will all work together to actively engage 1000 Inuvialuit youth to continuelearningabouttheirlanguageusingmobiletechnologiesastheycommunicatewitheachotheronline.
Nunavut
KUGLUKTUK YOUTH
Kugluktuk Recreation will focus on providing programming to youth who are experiencing isolation. The goal of the program is to support youth to be active and engaged in their community. The initiative will engage over 80 youth in digital programming, fitness challenges, scavenger hunts, art programming,etc.
NUNAVUT BILINGUAL EDUCATION SOCIETY (NBES)
NBES will create digital education resources that promote both Inuktitut and physical activity. Working with artists, they will create an online show where books centered on being active will be read in the language. This initiative will support home educationandpromotephysicalwellnessfor2,600youth.
YOUTH WELLNESS TEAM WITH EMBRACE LIFE
OUNCIL
This project will focus on creating and distributing digital skills learning kits for Inuit youth in their community. They will be accompanied with hands-on curriculum/learning kits that the youthcandoindependently.
The Youth Wellness Team will run an eight part webinar series to empower 50 Inuit youth in Iqaluit. The webinar series will help youth build their coping skills and connect them with cultureandcommunity.
AUNTIES ON THE ROAD
Aunties on the Road is a youth-led group of full spectrum doulas. They will be supporting 25 young Indigenous parents in the Ottawa area by providing an essential care package with groceries, self-care baskets, infant supplies/baby care items and hygiene supplies. This project will support single parents who are facing social isolation, a lack of resourcesandwhoarestruggling
CHIPPEWAS OF NAWASH, LEADERS IN TRAINING
Leaders In Training Program will support Chippewas of Nawash youth remain connected and engaged. This project will provide 60 youth with access to mental health counselling services, access to gardening materials, self-care kits and tutoring. The project takes a multidisciplinary approach to youth wellness through providing access to services and wellnesssupplies.
KENORA YOUTH WELLNESS HUBKENORA CHIEFS
ADVISORY
KYWH will create wellness kits for Indigenous youth in Kenora and for 100 youth in 9 surrounding FIrst Nations communities. Kits will include hygiene supplies, snacks/food and suppleis for crafts and recreational activities. The will also host a digital paint night (supllies for this will be given with the kits)
BKEJWANONG
ECO-KEEPERS
Bkejwanong Eco-Keepers runs an existing program that supports Indigenous youth in Wapole Island First Nation to learn about the land and to become environmental stewards. This proposal is to allow them to digitzie their programming so that they can virtually connect 12 youth to knowledge keepers. They will run a series of workshops to increase youth knowledge of teachings and deliver program supplies to youth for programming.
ENAGB
INDIGENOUS YOUTH AGENCY
ENAGB will run online programming for 50 youth, including beading circles, drum teachings, gardening programming and sewing classes. In addition to online programming, they will distribute 50 care packages consisting of traditional medicines, art suppliesandpersonalcareitems.
LAC DES MILLE LACS FIRST NATION YOUTH
COUNCIL
LDMLFN Youth Council will run digital programming 3x a week for 30 youth in their community. Each programming session will last from 45-60 minutes and cover drum circles, traditional teachings, sewing circles, etc. Participants will preregisterandreceiveworkshopsuppliesvia contactlessdelivery.
BLACKBIRD MEDICINES
Blackbird Medicines will support 25 youth in Ottawa and surrounding communities who are high-needs and who are facing extreme isolation during COVID-19. They will prepare wellness kits that are personalized on youth's needs. These kits will include hygiene supplies, food and medicines. They will support youth through referral supports and will createavideosharingtheprojectimpact
FINDING OUR POWER TOGETHER
Finding our Power Together will train youthleadersinNibinamikFirstNationto coordinate a technology library. The library will have 10 mobile devices for youth to borrow to contact family, access mental health supports and connect to resources. 150 youth will access supports throughouttheproject.
NDN BOWLING LEAGUE
NDN Bowling League will work with Indigenous 2SLGBTQ+ youth artists in Toronto to curate an online gallery. In particular, they will be focusing on creating a platform to share and amplify youth voices through zine making. Artwork will be shared through the online platform whichwillreach800youth.
NIIJKIWENDIDAA ANISHNAABEKWEWAG SERVICES CIRCLE
Niijkiwendidaa Anishnaabekwewag Services Circle Aboriginal Youth in Transition Program will distribute technology packages, medicine care packages, wellness/comfort care packages and beading packages to 16 Indigenous youth in Peterborough. They will also run online workshopsthatwillteachnewskills,promotespendingtimeonthelandandensurethatyouthareconnectedtotheirElders.
NIMKII AAZHIBIKONG ESHKINIIJIG
Nimkii Aazhibikong Eshkiniijig (Nimkii Youth Collective) will create videos and digital resources sharing plant knowledge and language with 150 youth. They are a part of a culture and language immersion camp that has had to close their doors to visitors due to COVID-19. TheirprojectwillallowthemtocontinuetoshareknowledgeandteachingswithotherIndigenousyouth
SEEDS OF HOPE
The Seeds of Hope Foundation will support 275 street-based youth in Toronto by providing hot meals, food outreach and survivalkits(includingfood,clothingandhygieneproducts).
TORONTO INUIT ASSOCIATION
TIA will run 6 online sessions for 50 Inuit youth to participate in programming, socialize and receive support. Sessions will be run in partnership with other Inuit organizations to support recruitmentandthedeliveryofprogramsuppliestoparticipants.
Quebec
BIIDAABAN
Biidaaban will host 4 online sessions as part of a project called "Let's Visit". These sessions will engage 60 youth with guest speakers and knowledge keepers on topics around resilience, resurgence and strengtheningsenseofidentity.
THE PERIOD PURSE
The Period Purse and community leaders from Tyendinaga will deliver moontime kits to 100 youth in the community. These would includeaclothpad,clothmask,andseeds.
WHITEFISH RIVER FIRST NATION YOUTH
Whitefish River First Nation Youth will run a program aimed at supporting the holistic wellness of 75 youth. The program includes starting up a mental health support line, hosting teaching and storytellingsessionsandgivingoutmedicinebundles.
CARREFOUR JEUNESSE
Carrefour jeunesse emploi LSJE will run a 7 week entrepreneur program for youth 10 youth in Alma and Opitciwan. Programming will include skill building workshops, wellness workshops, opportunities to learn from community leadersandarts-basedworkshops.
SOUTHERN QUEBEC INUIT ASSOCIATION
SQIA will provide a “busy box” package filled with items for 30 Inuit youth in Montreal. Boxes can include items such as snacks, tea and mugs, coloring books, art supplies, books, journals, puzzlegames,hygieneproducts,andalistofresources.
NISTAMÎKWAN
nistamîkwan will coordinate and deliver a series of four workshops centered around tewêhikan (drum) teachings in a 2S safe space. These workshops will include drum making, waking and feasting, care teachings and a song sharingcirclefor15youthinMontreal.
STRONGSPIRIT2SIRCLE
StrongSpirit2Sircle will offer online Zoom gatherings and medicine packages to 50 2SLGBTQ+ youth. Peer circles are geared toward building community and creating safe spaces foryouthtostrengthennetworks/relationships.
BATTLEFORDS CONCERN FOR YOUTH
Battlefords Concern for Youth Inc will coordinate, prepare and deliver 600 connection kits that will focus on the following: cultural programming, life skills, and physical activity.
INSPIRE GIRL GROUP
Inspire Girl Group is partnering with Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation to offer a 6 week program for 24 Indigenous youth on developing leadership skills, self-esteem, coping strategies andotherskills.
KANIYASIHK CULTURE CAMPS
KâniyâsihkCultureCampswillengageyouthin Ministikwan Laketocreatedigitalresources,blogsandvideossharing4 culturalactivities.
FUTURE ARTISTIC MINDS
FAM will provide art packages to 25 youth artists in Saskatoon. The supplies that have been identified by the youth artists will be delivered to their home. FAM will connect with the youth on varioussocialplatformstohelpsupportthem.
KAHKEWISTAHAW FIRST NATION
Kahkewistahaw First Nation's Youth Group will purchase and distribute sports equipment and art supplies to 200 youth to helpkeepyouthengagedandactive.
TRUE NORTH AID
TrueNorthAidwillsupportthedistributionofbackpacksand schoolsuppliesto900youthinCanoeLakeCreeFirstNation, ClearwaterRiverDeneNationandLaLoche.
OFFICE OF THE TREATY COMMISSIONER - YOUTH IN SERVICE
OTChostdigitalengagementmeetingsfortheiryouthmembersandyouthadvisorycouncilthatwillallowmemberstocontinuetheir understandingofwhatitmeanstobeatreatyperson.33YouthwillcreateshortvideossharingtheirexperiencingworkingwithOTC.
