METIS YOUTH DEPARTMENT

  • Realizing a balanced and healthy individual is complex - with unique needs requiring freedom of personal choices. It requires a flexibility to be fostered into the development of mind, body, spirit and emotions. As part of our commitment, we recognize that raising healthy children is an accepted responsibility and that it must be shared equally throughout the community.

This inspires us to embrace the values found within the founding principles of:

  • Be endorsed by the Métis community.
  • Have community participation and involvement.
  • Be aligned to the work ethic.
  • Promote self-reliance.
  • Lead to lasting improvements in the lives of our youth.

OBJECTIVES

To create a Department of Youth that reflects the individual and unique regional requirements while maintaining equality to access connected by a central focus by:

  • Developing a provincial structure with an appropriate staffing unit.
  • Building a department on best practices.
  • Being accountable and responsive to membership and partners.
  • Maintaining equitable national, provincial and regional initiatives.
  • Establishing programming that will not contradict or compete with established programs.
  • Building in flexibility to recognize youth needs.
  • Developing and implementing community-driven plans, strategies and programs that will focus on youth with the greatest need.
  • Developing the capacity of youth to lead and participate in the initiative.
  • Managing through a process that is transparent and accountable to stakeholders.
  • Operating accordingly to generally accepted principles of prudent financial management and accountability.
  • Building on and complimenting existing federal, provincial, territorial and local programs and services through partnerships and collaboration.

PRINCIPLES

To guide the process of development, the department will anchor in and aspire to:

  • Serve the needs of all Métis youth.
  • Seek compatible partnerships.
  • Meet all funding criteria.
  • Avoid duplication.
  • Leverage funding.
  • Build upon programs and initiatives that are currently effective.
  • Facilitate development.
  • Provide on-going evaluation / monitoring.
  • Remain faithful to our principles.
  • Provide equitable and equal access to programs and services.
  • Enhance the scheduled program designed in each region.
  • Seek out best practices for future development.

METIS PROUD INITIATIVES

Through the Métis Proud Initiatives, the Federation works with partners to help Métis youth acquire the experience, skills and information they need to prepare for and participate in activities that lead to a brighter and healthy future.

Although activities in a number of areas will be considered, provided they meet the principles and objectives, there are priority areas for project activities. Projects may cover one or more of the following activity streams.

  • Personal Development: Where projects enhance and aide in the development of mind, body, spirit and emotions, resulting with youth aware and proud of their culture and heritage.
  • Employment: Where projects demonstrate business skills, job skills and community services or complementary activities enhancing participation, skill development, and employment readiness.
  • Education: Where activities and projects that highlight and reinforce the benefits in creating awareness that through education arises opportunity.
  • Community Development: Where projects offer experiences, which focus on the planning, organization, promotion and delivery of community services to the benefit of youth.
  • Community Cultural Grants: Where projects encourage the participation of individual and family community activities that promote and instill pride of Métis culture and heritage and give youth self-esteem.

PURPOSE

  • To contribute to on going expansion of the family of service operations within the Federation, the "Youth Department" is designed to respond to the needs and aspirations of our youth. The Provincial structure consists of a Provincial Director and Regional Youth Worker in each of the seven regions. This creation includes the provisions for service and program delivery through funds allocated for this purpose.

MISSION STATEMENT

  • Through awareness of political, social and economic barriers, our youth build bridges and overcome obstacles emerging with self-assured pride as they walk through life's journey absent of past burdens. We are committed to providing shared benefits and opportunities respecting individual, family and community aspirations while remaining faithful to personal core values of mind, body, spirit and emotions.

VISION STATEMENT

  • Each generation of Métis youth build on past experiences of the previous generation, allowing for each generation to have greater stepping stones available from which to construct future successes for the next generation to build upon.