Indigenous Initiatives
The word Iiyika’kimaat, which means “to try hard” in Blackfoot, was gifted to the agency after consultation with elders. The Iiyika’kimaat program provides Indigenous youth, aged 12-21 years, an opportunity to reach their full potential through culturally-relevant and leadership-specific components and activities.
A key focus of our program is to encourage a youth’s sense of belonging and social inclusion from an Indigenous worldview by utilizing a strength-based approach to support the youth’s achievements, provide motivation, school engagement and a positive view of their future.
Using the Circle of Courage framework, a variety of cultural, recreational and informal mentorship opportunities are incorporated into the program with the intent to provide a positive outlet to explore their true potential. Mentorship can be one-on-one, informal, outreach or cultural and service connections.