Native youth program facing closure

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A local Native youth club will closes its doors this summer unless it gets more money.

The Keewatin Youth Program runs out of funds this July, said Hugh Nicholson, executive director of McMan Youth Services, which runs Keewatin.

The program serves 45-60 Native youth. The 12 to 17-year-olds have either been referred by child welfare agencies of come with friends.

Keewatin teaches them about their Native culture and has also developed a training program for child welfare workers who deal with Native youth.

The program's original funding was a $49,000 grant from the Alberta Wild Rose Foundation. It can't be renewed for another three years.

Nicholson said Keewatin has asked for new funding from provincial social services, the solicitor general's department, local service clubs and the Edmonton Community Foundation.

Program founder Karen Furniss said Keewatin is receiving more referrals every day. But, she said, social services probably won't fund it right away.

"We have to prove ourselves before they will give us a budget. We need more time."

Native youth don't find much for them in non-Native youth organizations where staff are often unaware of cultural differences, said Nicholson. And though many agencies send staff for some cultural training, he said, he and Furniss feel this isn't enough.

"We felt we wanted to do something more structured that would change the activities and programs for Native youth. It's hard when other people are putting down Native culture for a Native person to feel proud."

The program brings in Native elders and resource people to each such cultural activities as drumming, dancing and bead work. On weekends, the teens visit Native events and centres, meeting other Natives, families and elders.

"If the program is shut down," said Nicholson, "the kids will lose all those ties

with their culture."

Furniss hopes to take the club to powwows and nearby cultural events this summer, but unless Keewatin gets money she can plan only to July 31.