Ê Mâmahoh Ôpikîyahk: We Are Growing Together

Alberta Mentoring Partnership is pleased to offer this day of gathering and learning for youth, Elders, and those serving youth to grow together in mentorship. With an emphasis on cultivating trust, we support Indigenous children and youth in creating kinship through community connection.

Our summit is tailored to inform the delivery of successful Indigenous Mentoring in schools, oganizations, and agencies working with Indigenous youth both on and off reserve. Attendees can expect to:

• Participate in intergenerational meeting and sharing.
• Practice ceremony and participate in trust & kinship sharing circles representing the four Rs: Respect, Relevance, Reciprocity, and Responsibility, and recognize how these principles frame our approach to and understanding of mentoring.
• Engage with other participants to share best practices with supporting Indigenous youth.
• Be inspired by keynotes from Elder Flora Northwest and Yarrow Currie.
• Be resourced by presentations from AMP’s Indigenous-serving agencies/organizations.
• Learn about the principles of Indigenous Mentoring, as developed by Mahegun Tails.
• Gain perspective from youth-in-mentorship through our youth panel.

Participants can expect to feel resourced, educated, empowered and connected after gathering with Indigenous leaders, practitioners, and youth from around Alberta, to learn through intergenerational sharing, how to best serve Indigenous youth through mentoring.

We are honoured to welcome Elder Flora Northwest of Samson Cree Nation at Maskwacis, as our keynote speaker. Flora Northwest is a member of the Samson Cree Nation, a mother and a grandmother.

Flora grew up being greatly influenced by her culture and family. Flora is a survivor of residential school where she was traumatized from the treatment she received there. Throughout her life, Flora struggled with her mental health. She took a huge step towards healing when she admitted herself into a detox center in 1974. While there, Flora reflected on the traumas in her life that gave her the strength to heal and help others. Flora worked at the Detox Center, Medical Services Branch, Mayoskan Counseling Services, and Native Counseling Services using her skills, life experiences and cultural ways to support others through their healing journey. Since 1986, Flora has been working with children at Maskwacîs Education Schools Commission as an Elder.

With everything Flora endured as a child in school, she wants to make sure every child has a chance to have the best future. Flora is an active member in her community. She has been involved as a health representative, community service volunteer, and spreads awareness of the lasting damage endured by survivors and the intergenerational trauma that continues to impact Indigenous communities today. Flora has also been guiding, supporting, and mentoring with the Indigenous Youth Mentorship Program (IYMP) since 2020.

Flora's healing journey has helped not just herself and her family but many people struggling with identity, belonging and addictions by following the words of her Kokum (grandmother):

"Be kind to yourself and give yourself a life that everyone deserves - a life filled with happiness."