Youth Summit was hosted in partnership with PolicyWise, Alberta Health Services and many local partners on July 16, 2019 at the Maskwacis Cultural College Library. The theme this year was, 'Link of Identify with Mental Health for Youth'.

1. 7th annual
Maskwacis Youth Summit
July 16, 2019. Hosted at the Maskwacis Cultural College Library.
This accountability report is prepared by Manisha Khetarpal.
The United Nations International World Youth Skills Day is celebrated
annually on July 15th.

2. Flow of information
• Project engagement logistics – Working group, Partners, Participants
• Agenda
• Breakfast snacks
• Engaging youth with a sharing circle about culture and language by Darryl
Montour
• Presentation “Youth at the Centre of Integrated Hubs” by Valerie Salt
• Presentation “Indigenous Trauma” by Randall Bell
• Lunch
• Elders and youth in the sharing circle - Creating space and be respectful.
• Presentation Elder from Louis Bull: “Identity as Wellness” by Denise Montour
• Presentation “Making Connections” by Patricia Wolfe
• Presentation “Tobacco is Sacred” by Yvonne Nepoose
• Presentation “Gender equity” by Brittany Nepoose
• Displays, Door prizes
• Evaluation

3. Flow of information
• “Discussed presentation topics at Youth Summit
• What is Trauma?
• Residential Schools, The 60’s Scoop & Today
• What is Intergenerational Trauma?
• Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
• Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) assessment form
• Integrated Hubs concept
• Services available for youth
• How to be a Ally
• Information distributed
• Displays
• Inclusive game interaction
• Inclusive game cards
• Dialogues and conversations
• Connections with service providers for you in Maskwacis
• Door prize winner

4. Youth Summit Working Group
• Current student Darryl Montour (Master of Ceremonies)
• Summer Student and program coordinator (Jerilee Buffalo )
• Prospective student (Quincey Buffalo)
• Proof reader and editor for this presentation (Caylene Wildcat)
• Culture and Language steward (Violet Soosay)
• Advisor (Randal Bell, Alberta Health Services)
• Project Manager and Summer student supervisor (Manisha
Khetarpal)

5. Partners
Maskwacis
Cultural College
Health Community Children and
Youth services
Youth
Mentoring
Provincial
partner
Students Maskwacis
Mental Health
Services
Maskwacis
Community
Health
Promotion
Summer Youth
Skill
development
program
Scotia Bank
Youth Mentoring
PolicyWise
Student Services Alberta
Health
Services
Samson
Community
Wellness
Office of the
Child and Youth
Advocate
Maskwacis
Youth mentoring
program
Culture and
Language, Elders
NADAAP
Program
Tobacco is
Sacred program
Kasohkowew
Child Wellness
FNYES youth
employment
skills
Library Save the
Children Canada
Catering services
coordinator

6. Participants
• Participant’s profile: All participants were youth and from the
Maskwacis community. 60-70 youth participated. They are studying at
the following schools.
• Name of the school or organization: Maskwacis Cultural College,
ACDS (Akamihk Community Development Society), Kisipatnahk
Summer Student Program, Pigeon Lake Regional School, Ponoka
Secondary Campus, Ponoka outreach, Wetaskiwin Composite High
School, Ermineskin Junior Senior High School, Wetaskiwin outreach,
Samson High school, and Ehpewaphk Ermineskin Alternate school.

7. Agenda
• 9:30 – 10 a.m. Registration and breakfast snacks
• 10 – 10:05 a.m. Opening prayer
• 10:05 – 10:30 a.m. Introductions How are we learning Cree language and Culture
engagement by Darryl Montour
• 10:30 – 11 a.m. “Youth at the Centre of Integrated Hubs” by Valerie Salt
• 11 – 12 p.m. “Indigenous Trauma” by Randall Bell
• 12 – 12:30 p.m. LUNCH
• 1 – 1:30 p.m. “Identity as Wellness” by Denise Montour
• 1:30 – 2 p.m. “Making Connections” by Patricia Wolfe
• 2 – 2:30 p.m. “Tobacco is Sacred” Yvonne Nepoose
• 2:30 – 2:50 p.m. “Gender Orientation” by Brittany Nepoose
• 2:50 – 3:30 p.m. Closing Remarks and sharing circle
Displays: Maskwacis Mental Health Services, Office of the Child and Youth Advocate,
ScotiaBank

8. Breakfast set-up

9. Engaging youth with a sharing circle by Darryl
Montour

10. Sharing Circle about Culture and Language
• My background with my family both parents speak Cree. I am learning
slowly. I am grateful to be a Nehiyaw Iskew.
• I grew up in Ottawa. Both my parents went to residential school and
they did not teach me Cree because they were beaten up for speaking
Cree.
• Older generation corrects us and we find it hard to speak. I grew up in
cultural events. My mother is a Cree speaker and my father is a Dene
speaker – however my parents did not speak in Cree or Dene. We live
in Maskwacis and we inherited my mothers culture. My advice is to
go to ceremonies. That’s, where I am learning. I learned from the
Maskwacis Cultural College here.

11. “Youth at the Centre of Integrated Hubs” by Valerie
Salt, PolicyWise

12. “Indigenous Trauma” by Randall Bell, Alberta Health
Services

13. Many adults and teens participated

14. Lunch

15. Elders and youth in the sharing circle expressing
to one another

16. Elder from Louis Bull: Creating space and be
respectful.
It is our life the way it is now. I hear people say, ‘I lost my language. I
lost my culture. You have not lost your culture or language. Our
language is important. Our language is sacred. Language is Power.
We don’t say good bye in Cree. Mwestas. To go back. Don’t be
afraid to speak. If you mispronounce so be it. Get a group or club.
Some of the barriers are technology, TV, drugs and alcohol. We can
never lose we are. Always be proud of who you are. Keep your head
up. Not your nose up. I changed growing up with my grandparents.
Don’t give up.’
Elder’s advice: Go outside and educate people about our way of
life.

17. Discussed presentation topics at
Youth Summit

18. What is Trauma?

19. Residential Schools, The 60’s Scoop & Today
• Over more than 100 years ago, Government
took approximately 150,000 Indigenous
children away from families & placed them in
buildings like this, where in many cases they
were abused – physically, emotionally,
mentally, and spiritually
• In the 1960’s Government started to move
away from residential schools and scooped
up 20,000 Indigenous kids; putting them up
for adoption or placing them in foster homes.
This continued well into the 80’s
• Today….there are more than 40,000
Indigenous children in foster care. More than
were ever in the residential schools in any
given year

20. What is Intergenerational Trauma?
• Intergenerational trauma is the transmission
of historical oppression and its negative
consequences across generations.
• The impact of intergenerational trauma is
evident in the health and well‐being of
Indigenous peoples in Canada and other
countries.
• The impact is also evident in the
socioeconomic disparities facing Indigenous
people
• Growing field of research that proves trauma
can be transferred epigenetically (passed on to
the next generation)

21. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
• Dr. Vincent Fellitti’s and Dr. Robert Anda did a long-
term analysis of over 17,000 adults
• They asked 10 questions about childhood exposure to:
• Domestic Violence
• Verbal, Physical & Sexual Abuse
• Neglect & Substance Abuse
• Divorce or Family Separation
• Incarceration
• Mental Illness or suicide
• They assigned an ACE score based on how many ACEs
participants had.

22. Adverse Childhood Experiences
• They found a strong relationship between traumatic childhood
experiences & physical and mental health as adults.
• They found people with high ACE scores usually meant higher
rates of:
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Suicidal Ideation
• Substance Abuse
• Smoking
• Gambling
• Promiscuity
• But it doesn’t stop there.

23. Adverse Childhood Experiences
• High ACE scores also meant higher chances of cancer, heart
disease, diabetes, liver disease & emphysema
• In fact an ACE score of 6 or higher translated to a 20 year drop
in life expectancy
• When children go into fight or flight mode their brain releases
Cortisol, a stress hormone
• If they are always in fight or flight mode there is too much
Cortisol in the brain and it effects the brain development
• So we know early childhood trauma exposure impairs certain
types of brain development; memory, learning, cognition,
planning, impulse control & judgment

24. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
assessment form

25. • An Integrated Hub is best understood as the integration of
health and social services in a youth-friendly environment.
• They typically focus on prevention and early intervention
and the provision of resources to help youth manage their
concerns and navigate pathways to specialized services as
required.
• They aim to minimize the service gap between child and
adult services by providing a youth-oriented, accessible
mental healthcare as early as possible.
What are Integrated Hubs?
25

26. How are Youth at the
Center?
Youth
Engagement
Accessibility
Client-
Centred
Safety
Community
Based

27. Why Youth Specific Integrated
Mental
Health Services?
27

28. Grande Prairie
Strathmore
Bonnyville
Maskwacis
Samson Cree
Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation
Drayton Valley
Airdrie
Medicine Hat
Enoch Cree Nation
Fort McMurray
Plan & Prepare
Capacity & Readiness
Existing
Tri-Region
Fort Saskatchewan
Integrated Hubs in Alberta

29. Common Integrated Hub Services
Mental Health
• Counselling
• Wellness programs
Substance Use
• Harm reduction
• Education
Recreation
• Art and sports
• Skills building
Primary Care
• Physical health care
• Sexual health care
Work & Education
• Pre-employment skills training
• Support returning to school
Cultural
• Land based activities
• Ceremony

30. What Does Youth Engagement
Look Like?

31. Low Self-Esteem, No Dreams
• It isn’t pretty, It hurts, but you will want to be an advocate for
children after hearing their stories.
• The most rewarding thing is helping youth see the true
beauty of self.
• Every youth still needs love and support, even if you think
they’re old enough to stand on their own, they still need your
guidance and they want you to cheer for them.

32. • Non profit organization.
• 1978 – Established, Victoria
International Development
Education Association.
• VIDEA was one of Canada’s
original global education
centres, in order to promote
greater intercultural
understanding and
awareness of global issues.

33. Gender Equality Starts Here
Gender Identity – “innermost concept of self as male, female, a
blend of both or neither, how individuals perceive themselves and
what they call themselves”. It can mirror what a person was
assigned at birth, or be entirely different. There are dozens of
genders outside man or woman, that people can identify with.
Sexual Orientation- is the “inherent or immutable enduring
emotional, romantic or sexual attraction to other people.” Basically,
it’s who you are in dating and being intimate with. Someone can be
transgender, but also be gay, straight, bisexual, asexual, or a whole
host of other sexual identities that exist.

34. Gender Based Violence
• Any violent act that is discriminative of someone’s sexual
identity or gender identity.
• Gender Based Violence is constant, and ongoing, we see it
everyday. Usually in the most violent, and viral ways. They are
broadcast on news, or indiscreetly in the form of jokes and
memes on social media.
• Everyone has experienced gender based violence in their life.
Think about what you post online, and call out discriminative
and sexist behavior online.

35. How To Be An Ally
• Transphobic Words- Stay away from discriminatory language that demeans and
trivialises the wide variety of experiences those who identify as LGBTQ2+ held. If
you see this type of behavior challenge it.
• Coming Out- A gender identity is personal. If someone chooses to come out to
you, they trust you. Make sure to honor that trust by checking with them before
telling anyone else as they may not want others to know.
• Just Ask ! – It is important to respect the names and pronouns people prefer. If
you are unsure. Simply ask “what are your preferred pronouns?”.
• Real Name? – Asking someone what their “real name” is implies that their
chosen name is in someway invalid or not “real”. In the same way, asking
someone what their “real” gender is disrespects their own gender identity.
• Gender Identity is not Sexual Identity – Remember that, no matter how someone
identifies their own gender, they may still identify with any sexual identity.
Everyone has a sexual and a gender identity, and they are separate and distinct
from each other.
• Show Your Support – Make sure to show your support for your LGBTQ2+ friends
by challenging transphobia, homophobia when you see it.

36. “Identity as Wellness” by Denise Montour

37. “Making Connections” by Patricia Wolfe

38. Ekaya Pihtwa Tobacco
Project
4 Nations Project

39. “Gender Orientation” by Brittany Nepoose

40. Maskwacis Mental Health
• Maskwacis Counselling Services began in 1996. At that time, well
over 150 Therapists were providing “Fee For Services” to residents of
the 4 Nations under the Non-Insured Benefits Program.
• The service was developed in order to reduce the number of
therapists and develop a salaried team of professionals to provide
continuity of care to 4 Nations members.
• The services is funded by FNIHB under the Non-Insured Health
Benefits Program.
• The Mandate is to provide short term crisis intervention counselling
services.

41. Services Available:
• Individual Counselling
• Couples Counselling
• Family/ Group Counselling
• Crisis Intervention
• Play Therapy
• Depression & Anxiety
• Grief Recovery
• Understanding & Transforming Anger
• Sweatlodge

42. Various reasons an individual may be referred
• Assault victims, car accidents, victims of B&E or domestic
violence, drive by shootings, etc...
• Apprehension of children;
• In trouble with the law, court appearances or probation
mandate;
• Unresolved grief, helplessness, addictions;
• Family violence, homelessness, addictions;
• Post partum depression, chronic depression, suicide ideation;
• Regular, ongoing visits to the drunk tank
• debriefing

43. Maskwacis Counselling & support Services –
Mental Health Program
• Our office is located in the Family Wellness Center (Young Spirit
Winds Building)
• Office Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday
• Phone Number: 780-585-2268

44. Information distributed

45. Displays

46. Displays and free items

47. Take home free books

48. Inclusive game interaction

49. Inclusive game cards

50. Connections and conversations

51. Presenters and service providers

52. Information and goodie bags distributed to
youth

53. Conversation between PolicyWise staff and
elders

54. Interacting with others in the community

55. Networking nehiyaw iskewak

56. Reflection and conversation with self

57. Connections with service providers for youth
in Maskwacis

58. Door prize winner

59. Youth Summit Evaluation

60. One thing I liked about the youth gathering was
• How much people and youth attended
• Sharing , listening to us each youths comments. Becoming part of it and
trying to make a better future for our community and youths
• Lots of youth there
• We had a great audience of youth attend
• I enjoyed everything that was talked about and shared during the
gathering.
• The presentations
• How the students were able to share on how they felt about different
topics
• All guest speakers covered a lot of important topics that involve Aboriginal
peoples.

61. Participant feedback - What did I learn today?
• Different types of laws: Spiritual, Universal, Natural, Sacred
• Learned about leadership with our community youth, environmental health,
cultural community roots, etc. A better future for us.
• Learned that smoking is bad
• New ways to quit smoking
• Ways to learn culture and language
• Trauma can be passed on to your children
• I really liked learning about ACE
• I did the ACE test
• I learned about trauma for individuals, even children and the impact it has on the
developing brain.
• I learned that our youth are inquisitive, eager to learn, resilient, and will not
take no bullshit.

62. I would like to learn more about
• Our culture
• Speaking my own Cree language , hands on cultural work
• Youth success story's
• I would like to learn more about our Cree language and teachings
along with ceremonial teachings.
• Hubs
• Brain activities
• Mental health, techniques for better health and mind.

63. Presenter feedback
July 17, 2019
Hello Manisha:
Just wanted to say thank you for inviting me out yesterday and it was a pleasure to be involved with the planning. From my
perspective it looked like the Youth enjoyed themselves; a few were really engaged which is always encouraging to see. I would be
very interested in any kind of feedback from the Youth, once the satisfaction surveys are returned etc. I am always looking to improve
my public speaking and presentations (you may have noticed I introduced myself a bit more from a personal perspective based on
your advice following my last presentation Manisha).
Once again, thank you for inviting me out Manisha and it was a pleasure meeting those of you I was able to meet.
Ekosi, Hiy Hiy
Randal.
________________________________________________
Randal Bell
Senior Advisor – Indigenous Populations
Provincial Planning and Capacity Management
Community, Seniors, Addiction & Mental Health
Alberta Health Services
Office: 780 415 0376 | Cell: 780 224 5802 | Randal.Bell@ahs.ca
ᐊᒥᐢᑿᒌᐚᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ (Amiskwaciwâskahikan), Treaty 6 Territory

64. Skill development for youth coordinator
“Working and coordinating the youth summit was a great learning
experience for me. It was a lot of work to organize and set up the
event. I learned how to coordinate an event with the help of my team. I
was glad that the event went well and very successful. Planning and
working on this project helped sharpen and improve my social,
organizational, and professional skills. I will take the learning
experience from this project and hopefully have more success in
planning other events like this in the future.”
Jerilee Buffalo, Summer Student Project Coordinator, 2019

65. Story in numbers
• 6 presenters
• 62 participants
• 4 displays
• 1 ACE test
• 12 handouts
• 1 youth coordinator
• 4 summer youth skills program coordinators working with
Ermineskin, Louis Bull, Samson, and Montana Nations
• 900 books distributed

66. How Can You Get Involved?

67. Join in the conversation
• Interested in presenting or attending about points of contact for
youth, face to face dialogue, trust building, shared understanding,
identify avenues to connect with youth, and develop creative ways for
youth to be involved or give feedback?
• Contact MCC librarian Manisha Khetarpal, mkhetarpal@mccedu.ca
• Join us again next year in July 2020