Sacred Seven Healthy Relationships Program Wii Chiiwaakanak Learning Centre 2015 Researcher: Dr. Linda DeRiviere

NURTURING CAPACITY FOUNDING SPONSOR

Preface Nurturing Capacity: The K-12 Indspire Institute is focused on dramatically increasing high school completion rates among Indigenous students by building strong foundations in their K-12 education. Through various programs, resources and events, the Institute fosters collaboration between educators, communities, and others to improve educational outcomes for Indigenous students. Indspire conducts research to identify and document educational best practices from across Canada and shares these successful practices through the K-12 Indspire Institute. Indspire also champions Indigenous approaches to education, those that honour Indigenous culture, values, and world views. Through the Nurturing Capacity program, Indspire supports communities to improve educational outcomes through the documentation and evaluation of their successful practices. This community-led process is supported by an Indspire-funded Indigenous scholar, who works with programs on the ground to provide training on data collection and evaluation methodology. Acknowledgements The author would like to express gratitude to Sharon Redsky and the staff at the Wii Chiiwaakanak Learning Centre for their generous support during the evaluation study. A special thanks is due to Kris Pikl for his excellent research assistance, editing, and invaluable feedback. Above all, this study would not have been possible without the collaboration of program facilitators and leaders, and parents or guardians who agreed to participate and share their insights into the Sacred Seven Healthy Relationships program. I wish to express special thanks to the program participants in the Pride Basketball Group and Girls Group, who completed the questionnaires over a two-year period, for their cooperation and positivity in sharing their stories and experiences in the Sacred Seven Healthy Relationships programs.

Project Title Sacred Seven Healthy Relationships Program Project Holder Wii Chiiwaakanak Learning Centre 511 Ellice Avenue, Suite 509 Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 1Y8 Telephone: 204-258-2951 Fax: 204-786-7806 Project Lead Jarita Greyeyes Manager, Wii Chiiwaakanak Learning Centre & Community Learning Email: [email protected] Telephone: 204-789-1454

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Table of Contents Preface .......................................................................................................................................................... 2 Acknowledgements....................................................................................................................................... 2 Project Title ................................................................................................................................................... 2 Project Holder ............................................................................................................................................... 2 Project Lead .................................................................................................................................................. 2 Executive Summary....................................................................................................................................... 1 History of the Project/Initiative .................................................................................................................... 4 Development Focus: Middle Years (7-9) and Young Adult (10-12) .......................................................... 6 Data Collection: Activities Accomplished and Time Frames ......................................................................... 8 Evaluation Research Questions................................................................................................................. 8 Methods .................................................................................................................................................... 9 Evaluation: Summary of Key Findings ......................................................................................................... 11 Signs of Improved Relationship with Oneself ......................................................................................... 11 The Sacred Seven Program Helped to Build Participant Confidence...................................................... 12 Signs of Improved Relationships with Others ......................................................................................... 16 Signs of Increased Engagement with Indigenous Culture ...................................................................... 19 Signs of Increased Engagement in Cultural and Community Activities (Improved engagement with/relationships with community) ...................................................................................................... 20 Impact of the Sacred Seven Program on Educational and Career Aspirations ....................................... 22 Parent and Guardian Feedback............................................................................................................... 25 Common themes in the Interviews with the Wii Chiiwaakanak & University of Winnipeg Administrators, and the Sacred Seven/Pride Group Facilitators and Leaders ....................................... 27 The Spin-Off Effects on the Community ................................................................................................. 29 Learning Took Place at the School Presentations ................................................................................... 30 Feedback from the School Stakeholders ................................................................................................ 31 Outcomes: Most Significant Accomplishments and Lessons Learned ........................................................ 35 Program Implementation: What Worked Well in the Sacred Seven Healthy Relationships Program? . 35 Next Steps: Growth Opportunities in the Program .................................................................................... 38 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................... 39

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Executive Summary From September 2013 to June 2015, the Wii Chiiwaakanak Learning Centre at the University of Winnipeg offered the Sacred Seven Healthy Relationships Program for students from urban schools in Winnipeg’s high poverty areas (the inner city, North End, and West End neighborhoods). The Wii Chiiwaakanak Learning Centre is a community centre located at the University of Winnipeg, and is open six days per week year-round. The Centre offers free and open access to computers, after-school tutoring, educational and cultural programs, as well as community meeting spaces. The Sacred Seven Healthy Relationships Program also offers students ages 9-19 the opportunity to improve their basketball and hoop dancing skills, and teaches them how to integrate the Seven Sacred Teachings and Medicine Wheel philosophy in navigating the relationships in their daily lives. Drawing on two years of data collection, this evaluation examines the strengths and benefits of the Sacred Seven Healthy Relationships Program to determine whether or not it has achieved its objective of providing Indigenous youth with tools to help them to establish better relationships with themselves, their families, and their communities. This is the first formal evaluation of the program to be conducted since its launch in the fall of 2013, and it is intended to be viewed as an exploratory exercise in a mostly formative context. Gathering feedback from different perspectives provided evidence as to:  

whether or not the program’s outcomes were realised and whether or not stakeholders were in agreement about the program’s outcomes: i.e., which factors contributed to the program’s successes and why.

This evaluation primarily focuses on program implementation and short to intermediate term outcomes. While long-term outcomes (societal impacts) may be important to capture in the evaluation process, data collection issues precluded their measurement at this time. The key findings of this evaluation were:  Participants reported that they enjoyed being a part of the group, and that their self-confidence and capacity for leadership increased as a result of participating in the program. They reported that this increase in confidence led to increased participation while at school and in activities outside of school.  The majority of participants also reported that the cultural teachings were the impetus for positive changes in their lives. In particular, helping them to establish healthier relationships with their families and friends. Most participants came to realize that culture played a critical role in their lives, especially as it relates to how they self-identified. Ultimately, the Sacred Seven Program was successful in giving participants a sense of pride in their cultural heritage. For example, when asked in a Likert statement if they were proud of being Aboriginal, 88.2% of participants indicated “true” or “very true.”

 All participants said that the program provided a safe environment where they could share their ideas and where people made a genuine attempt to understand one another. 100% of participants also agreed that the program provided an environment that promoted healthy lifestyle choices and constructive approaches to problem solving.  Participation in volunteer activities such as the school presentations and basketball coaching led to financial opportunities for participants through summer employment. It also led to an invitation for some participants to attend the well-regarded Model School at the University of Winnipeg Collegiate High School.  100% of participants considered high school graduation and/or post-secondary studies to be very important, as it would affect their ability to obtain a good-paying job. In response to a Likert scale statement, 97.1% of participants indicated that their education is very important to them; 88.2% indicated that they are a good student; and 76.5% often think about their future goals.  Most interviewed parents and guardians noted that their child had come to identify themselves as a part the Indigenous community, and that they had observed considerable growth in their child’s personal development as a result of taking part in the program. Their children developed skills in the art of hoop dancing, as well as strong athletic skills. Equally as important, some parents referred to the program as a “confidence builder”, as their children learned to express themselves in group situations.  The mentoring component of the programs helped with capacity-building among the youth. Quite notable were the spillover effects in building capacity among young Indigenous students. For example, in the Pride program, athletes assumed a mentorship role in helping younger children develop their basketball skills. In response to a Likert scale statement, 85.4% of participants indicated that they want to make their community a better place.  Participants conducted five presentations at community schools during the months of June of 2014 and 2015. After the presentations audience members were surveyed about their interest in the program. 57.2% indicated that they would be interested in joining.  All school partners agreed that this is a very positive program. The presenters (Girls Group and Pride Group) were exemplary models of youth who were engaged with leadership in the Indigenous community. The school partners remarked that more of these presentations would be welcomed in the future.

Learning Context In the fall of 2013, the Wii Chiiwaakanak Learning Centre began offering the Sacred Seven Healthy Relationships Program, which was targeted at Indigenous youth from urban schools in Winnipeg’s highpoverty areas (the inner city, North End, and West End neighborhoods). Young people in these neighborhoods face economic disparities associated with poverty and higher school dropout rates than children and youth from more affluent neighbourhoods. Likewise, an even larger gap persists in university education completion rates. The Wii Chiiwaakanak Learning Centre is a community centre operated in partnership with the University of Winnipeg. It uses culturally-based community learning initiatives to help young people see themselves as learners, thus helping to close the graduation gap. The centre is open six days per week year-round. It offers free and open access to computers, afterschool tutoring, educational and culturally-based programs, as well as community meeting spaces. The Centre is a safe and supportive place where young people can find mentors, role models, and peers who share their heritage. It is a place where they can be curious and ask questions about their culture and learn skills such as the art of traditional dances, songs, and drumming. These factors result in a greater sense of pride in their Aboriginal identity and, consequently, greater self-confidence. More specific information about the Wii Chiiwaakanak Learning Centre and its programs is available at: http://www.uwinnipeg.ca/index/wcclc-index The purpose of the Sacred Seven Healthy Relationships Program is to provide Indigenous youth with resources that allow them to access traditional Indigenous teachings (Seven Sacred Teachings and Medicine Wheel tool), to feel connected to their ancestry and to help them to establish better relationships with themselves, their families, and their communities. The Centre’s programming provides youth with the tools to develop their own code of honour principles. This is beneficial as it helps them to generate healthy relationships, prevents and/or reduces victimizations and perpetrating behaviours, and helps to intervene in existing negative behaviours. These resources and tools help build participants’ self-confidence and resilience as they work towards discovering their cultural identity and achieving positive life outcomes, including educational outcomes. This added confidence and resilience will also enable youth to more effectively develop their capacity for leadership, to see themselves as learners, to succeed academically, and to achieve their goals and aspirations. The theory is that learning and academic success are deeply linked to consistent messages of healthy relationship-building through cultural connection. The Sacred Seven Healthy Relationships Program consists of two components that take a carefully guided approach, consistent with Indigenous ways of knowing. The first component is the Anishinaabe Pride Basketball Club (referred to as the Pride Group in this paper), which is a volunteer-based program that has been offered for the past eight years. This is a basketball program for teens aged 13 to 19. In 2013, the group extended their program to include the Sacred Seven Healthy Relationships component. The Pride program is based on a philosophy of interactive learning about healthy relationships through physical activities, particularly basketball. For instance, the group integrates the Seven Sacred Teachings into their basketball training and drills. The idea is that this culturally-appropriate and hands-on approach will facilitate the participants’ understandings of the teachings. Also, teaching basketball

based on the values of cultural teachings has helped to foster positive peer influences. All of the Pride coaches were volunteers and excellent role models for young athletes in the Indigenous community. The collaboration was deemed a good match since the Pride Group and Sacred Seven Program espoused similar values of teamwork, respect for oneself and others, cultural identity, and the positive role of physical activity in building resilience in youth. The second Sacred Seven group (referred to as the Girls Group in this report), was for girls between the ages of 9-17. The group’s physical activities focused on the art of hoop dancing. On average, this group met weekly during the school year for a one-and-a-half hour session. In the first year of the program, the group was led by an experienced facilitator and two young women in their early twenties who participated as group leaders. In the second year of the program, one of the group leaders left the province to pursue her own educational and occupational aspirations. History of the Project/Initiative The Sacred Seven Healthy Relationships Program offered students between the ages of 9-19 the opportunity to improve their basketball and hoop dancing skills, while also learning how to integrate the Seven Sacred Teachings and Medicine Wheel tool in navigating their daily lives and relationships. As shown in Table 1, a total of 64 youth participated in the Pride program during the two-year period. In the first year of the program, the Pride Group participants were between the ages of 16 to 19; however, by June of 2014, a significant majority of them had reached the age limit of the program. Therefore, in year two, a high rate of turnover brought an entirely new group of younger students between the ages of 12 and 16 to the program. The Girls Group was for girls between the ages of 9-17, and was led by an experienced facilitator and two young women in their early twenties who acted as group leaders. The group’s physical activities focused on the art of hoop dancing. On average, this group met weekly for a one-and-a-half hour session during the school year. In year 2, the Girls Group maintained the same membership and added two new members. However, the group also established more of a family environment as parents, guardians and siblings were invited to participate in the weekly sessions. In Table 1, actual registration numbers differed from participation in the evaluation exercises, as university ethical regulations required that informed consent be obtained from the participant or, for those under the age of majority, the parent/guardian. Both groups participated in workshops on establishing healthy relationships. The range of topics included:     

conflict resolution, body image, dating and how to avoid unhealthy/violent relationships, women’s self-defense and street safety, and how to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy relationships.

The groups participated in a weekly sharing circle and numerous community events such as We Day, a fundraising bake sale, and others. In both years, the groups joined together for a retreat that explored cultural identity. Both groups participated in leadership development training, after which they joined together to share their knowledge in a series of school and community presentations mostly held in the spring of 2014 and again in the spring of 2015. Table 1: Program Participation, 2013-15 Pride Group Year Registered Participants participants with consent* Year 1: 2013-14

28

10

Girls Group Registered Participants participants with consent* 5

5

Year 2: 2014-15 36 21 7 7 Total participants in years 1 and 2 64 31 7 7 *Participants provided consent to participate in the evaluation study, including consent forms signed by themselves or parents/guardians if below the age of majority. Pride Group: second year participants were different people from year one. Girls Group: the five participants in year one returned to the program in its second year, and the group also added two new recruits. In year two, seven consent forms were signed and submitted to the evaluator; however, only five girls participated in the evaluation.

Although each group adopted a unique approach to programming, both had the goals of:    

helping participants discover their cultural identity, building resiliency, developing their capacity for leadership, and reinforcing the importance of Indigenous youth acquiring education.

The partnership with the Wii Chiiwaakanak Learning Centre helped to give the Pride Basketball Group more opportunities to do community service through the presentations to schools. It brought this group to The University of Winnipeg and exposed them to a post-secondary institution, which was a first for some of them. The participants collectively came up with their own code of honour values on establishing healthy relationships, while also creating a guide on dating relationships. At the cultural retreat, they developed a pamphlet, which listed their code of honour values. Likewise, the Girls Group also prepared a poster, which outlined their code of honour principles and values based on the Seven Sacred Teachings.

Development Focus: Middle Years (7-9) and Young Adult (10-12) All participants were of First Nation and Métis heritage. Table 2 describes participant demographics. Particularly with regards to Pride participants, it is important to note that evaluation respondents had a similar gender composition and age range compared to those who did not provide consent to participate. Table 2: Participant Demographics Pride Group Registered Participants participants with consent*

Girls Group Registered Participants Participants with consent*

Year 1: 2013-14 Age range (in years) 16-19 16-19 9-17 9-17 Female (n=) 13 4 5 5 Male (n=) 15 6 0 0 Year 2: 2014-15 Age range (in years) 12-16 12-16 9-18 9-18 Female (n=) 24 15 7 7 Male (n=) 12 6 0 0 Total participation (n=) 64 31 7 7 *Participants provided consent to participate in the evaluation study, including consent forms signed by themselves or parents/guardians if below the age of majority.

Logic Model A Visual Representation of the Logic Model is shown in Appendix 1 Inputs: human resources, program infrastructure, and supplies  Program inputs: staff and program manager at Wii Chiiwaakanak Learning Centre; program facilitators; coaches and volunteers; invited guests for the speakers’ series; Elders; human resources in the community network.  Hoop, art and crafting supplies; other printed materials; basketball equipment and supplies.  Vehicles for transportation; fuel.  Food and snacks.  Program infrastructure at the University of Winnipeg for the Girls Group; gym facilities for the Pride basketball group.  Donated and in-kind contributions.

Activities:  Activities are based on the Seven Sacred Teachings: weekly sharing circle on building healthy relationships.  Workshops and speaker series (e.g.,, women’s empowerment and self-defence; street safety).  Basketball practice and games; hoop dance activities.  Participation in community events; presentations in the community and at public schools.  Cultural retreats.  Team building activities.  Year-end celebratory events. Outputs or Immediate Results (Performance Indicators):  Registrations: 71 students registered (Pride 64; Girls Group 7).  Sessions offered weekly from September, 2013 to June, 2015 (except July/August).  Regular attendance of registrants and participation in sharing circle and basketball or hoop dance practice.  Invited guests conducted seminars on healthy relationships, Indigenous culture, and the importance of staying connected to their education, including post-secondary studies.  Youth participated in the workshops, developed a code of honour for establishing healthy relationships, and participated in physical activities.  Program participants connected with healthy role models.  Program participants were given opportunities to develop leadership skills. Short-Term Outcomes:  Program participants enjoyed the physical activities (basketball and hoop dancing) and acquired skills.  Program participants experienced an increase in self-confidence.  Program participants acquired leadership skills.  Program participants had a better understanding of the characteristics of healthy and unhealthy relationships.  Program participants acquired knowledge of cultural teachings and integrated them into their daily lives.  Program participants experienced increased feelings of connectedness to other group members and a commitment to contributing to their community.  Program participants acquired increased protective factors for positive behaviours and choices, including staying connected to their education and occupational aspirations.  Program participants gained familiarity with the university campus and felt a sense of belonging there.  A year-end celebration contributed to Indigenous pride and family engagement.

Intermediate-Term Outcomes:  Program participants developed skills: mentoring, presentation, conflict mediation; how to use the Seven Sacred Teachings in their daily lives; youth understood how to use their gifts/talents to give back to their community and share with others.  Program participants became positive role models for younger Indigenous students.  Program participants had a positive impact on other students through the school and community presentations.  Program participants modeled healthy relationships and good life choices.  Program participants developed their leadership capacity.  Program participants were more engaged in their academic studies/schooling.  Program participants significantly improved their chances of finishing high school and pursuing post-secondary studies (positive educational outcomes).  Program participants exhibited a desire for lifelong learning. Societal Impacts:  Program participants graduate from high school.  Program participants pursue post-secondary studies.  Improved educational outcomes of Indigenous people in the high poverty areas of Winnipeg.  Human resource capacity is built by continuing to develop a youth mentoring model.  Expanded partner networks for youth in the inner city, West/North End, including community schools.  Lifelong learning about modeling healthy relationships and positive spill-over effects to other activities in the community.  Continuing the process of cultural preservation and community involvement by passing down cultural awareness and knowledge to younger generations. Data Collection: Activities Accomplished and Time Frames In collaboration with key stakeholders, such as the manager and program facilitators at Wii Chiiwaakanak, the evaluation research questions were based on three general themes: value of the program to the individual, academic value, and social value in the inner-city community and other highpoverty areas of Winnipeg. The evaluation also focused on developmental issues such as program implementation, gaps in services, and areas for improvement. Evaluation Research Questions Individual Value: Opportunities for Personal Growth through the Cultural Teachings 1. How has the program contributed to bringing about positive changes in the participants’ relationships with themselves and others? Have the participants learned how they can use the cultural teachings to deal with challenging relational situations? Have they acquired tools for dealing with difficult emotions and/or where to access support to help them do so?

Academic Value: Opportunities for Leadership, Support in Academics and Occupational Goals 2. How did the program help participants with leadership development training? Which skills have they developed? Were the program participants trained and inspired to become mentors to younger peers? Were the program participants inspired to pursue their academic and occupational aspirations? Social Value: Responsibility to Community 3. How has the program increased the participants’ civic engagement by giving back to the community through volunteer work and other activities? Has the program empowered the participants to develop, deliver, and share their codes of honour in presentations to partnering public schools? 4. How has the program helped to create changes in the capacity of the community to support young people in developing healthy interpersonal relationships? Program Delivery Issues 5. What are the overall strengths of the Sacred Seven Healthy Relationships Program? Are there any areas for improvement? Are there gaps in services? Is there potential for program growth if resources were made available? Methods To answer these questions, the evaluation made use of both quantitative and qualitative methods, and it drew on two years of data. A largely descriptive framework was employed in reporting the findings. Table 3 provides a summary of data collected over the two-year evaluation period. A total of 36 Pride Basketball and Girls Group participants completed two questionnaires that were distributed over the 2013-14 and 2014-15 sessions of the Sacred Seven Healthy Relationships Program. The questionnaires consisted of Likert Scale statements and a question format that required short answers. These instruments gathered data on how much participants enjoyed the program and learning about developing healthy relationships with themselves, others, and their communities through the Medicine Wheel and Seven Sacred Teachings. Some of the survey questions that were distributed to youth participants in year one were worded slightly differently in year two. However, the questions tapped into the same themes of confidence building, resilience, making positive choices, and establishing healthy relationships through cultural teachings. The benefits of including the data gathered in year one far outweighed the logistical challenges of collating data into common themes, particularly due to the fact that the Pride participants were older (aged 17-19) and had offered thoughtful insights into the benefits and strengths of program. In year two, the questionnaires placed higher focus on how the program has impacted the participants’ educational and vocational aspirations, as well future plans for both paid and volunteer work.

To supplement their perspectives, another 25 in-person or telephone interviews were conducted with program facilitators and leaders, parents/guardians, teachers and principals at the partnering schools, as well as staff at the Wii Chiiwaakanak Learning Centre. Furthermore, 11 surveys consisting of Likert Scale statements and short answer questions were completed by teachers and educational assistants at the school presentations. Table 3: Participants in the Sacred Seven Healthy Relationships Program Evaluation Participants Instruments n= Pride Group Questionnaires 31 Girls Group Questionnaires 5 School principal, teachers, and educational assistants Survey 11 Survey to students in the audience at school presentations Survey 222 Qualitative Interviews Parents or guardians of participants Telephone 10 School principal, resource teacher, community outreach worker, school counselor Telephone 6 Program facilitators, staff, and administrators In-person or telephone 9 Total participants 294 *The evaluator’s observation was that nearly all students completed the survey. ** The six interviews represented 60% of the evaluator’s requests for an interview.

% of total 48.4 74.4 100.0 100.0* 14.1 60.0** 100.0

The qualitative interviews consisted of approximately 12 to 14 questions which probed for general themes such as: participant enjoyment of, and benefits derived from, the program; the cultural value and social benefits of the program; and the importance of the program to youth in the community. In addition to these themes, the interviews focused on program delivery issues. The questions encouraged participants to speak candidly and freely about the program's implementation and outcomes, and offered a chance to provide suggestions for improvement. Furthermore, in June of both years, the evaluator distributed a short survey to 222 students who were in the audiences at five school presentations of hoop dancing by the Girls Group and/or basketball drills by the Pride Group. The objective was to assess the audience’s level of interest in, and enjoyment of, the presentations, as well as how much they learned from them. There are a few potential limitations to this study, which are inherent to the research design. Small sample sizes precluded any sort of statistical analysis, as none of the comparisons would have been large enough to qualify as statistically significant. The design did not include randomly assigned treatment and control groups of participants. This approach would not have been practical for the current evaluation study, as it was intended to be an exploratory exercise for the purposes of gaining a

sense of the various stakeholders’ views of the program’s functioning and benefits. Despite the study’s limitations, it remained a good opportunity to gauge whether or not funders of the Sacred Seven Healthy Relationships Program at the Wii Chiiwaakanak Learning Centre are receiving high value for their investment. Evaluation: Summary of Key Findings A search for themes in the interview transcripts and open-ended sections of the questionnaires was conducted and organized around the evaluation research areas that explored the participants’ personal development through the cultural teachings. The themes examined were: 1) Individual relationship with oneself, such as strength and self-confidence, and personal modeling of healthy relationships. 2) Relationships with peers and others, such as conflict mediation and mentoring of peers, family engagement, and role-modeling. 3) Engagement with and contributions to community, including showing leadership in the community through presentations and a higher engagement in cultural activities. We also searched for evidence of congruence in the outcomes, primarily short to intermediate term, as listed in the logic model. In the tables and figures that follow, the feedback and specific comments of the participants and key adult stakeholders indicate a large degree of cross-validation within the data. The consistency of the data gathered from multiple perspectives indicates that the short to intermediate term outcomes goals of the program have been achieved as shown in the logic model. Signs of Improved Relationship with Oneself In the Girls Group, the healthy relationship workshops covered topics such as self-care, body image, female empowerment, resiliency and family strength (with an Elder), and a two-session conflict resolution workshop. Sharing circles were also integrated into the weekly gatherings during which the group discussed healthy relationship building, as well as current issues raised in the popular media such as racism and murdered and missing Indigenous women. Several sessions were culturally-focused, such as the berry fast coming of age workshop, a full moon ceremony workshop with an Elder, the Medicine Wheel workshop with the Ka Ni Kanichihk Girls Project, hoop making (a family event), beading and making mukluks, and a circus hoop workshop. Each weekly session also offered skills development through the regular practice of hoop dancing. In year two, a community police officer conducted a workshop on street and personal safety, and a self-defence workshop was integrated into the programming. Another workshop facilitator presented on suicide prevention in First Nation youth, and yet another invited guest conducted a session on career orientation and goal setting. The Pride Group also had an active schedule with weekly sharing circles that focused on building healthy relationships, conflict resolution, living a positive lifestyle, and current issues such as internet safety. In 2014, they participated in other activities such as attending a weekend cultural retreat at Camp Manitou (along with the Girls Group), hosting a stew and bannock night at Wii Chiiwaakanak Learning Centre, and

learning how to make sweat gowns (Pride girls only). This group also held a series of workshops with invited speakers, which included topics such as the traditional roles of men and women. In 2015, the Pride girls participated in a spiritual workshop on women’s teachings, including the berry fast. In addition, a women’s self-defence workshop was integrated into the program. The Pride boys group participated in a cultural workshop on the topic of the Indigenous man’s role in the family and community. In the questionnaires that were administered during both years, the participants were given an opportunity to reflect on their own personal strengths and gifts, which all of them were able to identify. They drew on a list of words and phrases, which included the following (n=36) Committed; dedicated; self-disciplined; humble; kind; independent; confident; leadership skills; outgoing; strong; fun; helpful; motivated; honest; trustworthy; positive attitude; respectful; good problem-solver; hard worker; energetic; empathetic; good at basketball and/or other sports; strong athletic ability; good sportsmanship; a team player; academically strong; good dancer; good cook; helps, encourages, and gets along with peers; gives good advice; skilled at multi-tasking.

The Sacred Seven Program Helped to Build Participant Confidence Participants noted recognizing their own strengths and talents, one of the factors that came up repeatedly in the answers to the questionnaires, particularly in the narratives of the open-ended sections, was the extent to which the program has helped build the participants’ self-confidence. In fact, a lack of confidence to express themselves in group situations, as well as anxiety about their role in the community and school presentations were identified as significant challenges for many participants. As shown in Table 4, we asked the participants if, over time, their confidence level had increased, particularly with regards to speaking up in group situations and expressing their opinions. While only 11.1% of participants expressed confidence in their past experiences, as the program progressed, this proportion increased to 66.7% after attending the program. Moreover, some participants’ increased confidence level was also reflected in the fact that they had become more engaged in activities outside the group such as music, cultural activities and dance (e.g.,, jingle dress dancing), and other sports. Although not shown in Table 4, 79.4% (n=34) indicated an interest in developing leadership skills. This was a significant accomplishment considering that 61.8% (n=34) of youth self-identified as being a shy person. Furthermore, at the end of the program, 78.3% (n=34) of participants indicated that they had acquired better communication skills. The majority of participants had increased their participation in group discussions and activities. The feeling among some younger participants (age 15 and under) was that they engaged at a ‘somewhat’ higher level. Although they shared their views more often, a few felt they were still quiet in some group situations.

Table 4: Personal Growth through the Development of Self-Confidence Question Total Yes Somewhat

Start of program*: participant self-identified as a self-confident person, including a high level of comfort in speaking up in group situations. End of program**: participant’s level of confidence increased as the program progressed, including a higher level of comfort in speaking up in group situations. *September-November **May-June

No

N (%)

N (%)

N (%)

N (%)

No response N (%)

36 (100.0)

4 (11.1)

21 (58.3)

9 (25.0)

2 (5.6)

36 (100.0)

24 (66.7)

4 (11.1)

5 (13.9)

3 (8.3)

We asked the participants a series of questions about the ways in which participation in the Sacred Seven Program has affected their lives. For many youth, the foundation for the positive changes in their lives came from the cultural components of the program. The participants remarked that they had experienced personal growth, enhanced leadership skills, and an increased ability to assume responsibility. They had become more proactive in identifying and addressing personal challenges, for example, shyness. One participant remarked “I’m less afraid of people.” In Table 5, 97.2% (n=36) of participants identified something that they had achieved on a personal level and/or how their lives changed for the better since joining the Sacred Seven Healthy Relationships Program. A significant majority of participants related their achievements to a better understanding and internalization of the cultural teachings.

Table 5: Personal Achievements and Positive Life Effects as a Result of Participation in Sacred Seven (n=36)  The participants’ narratives in the questionnaires indicated that they had evolved as people and improved their skills as basketball players, in hoop dancing, and in making hoops.  One major theme was related to self-confidence: participants gained leadership and mentoring skills, improved public presentation skills and the ability to speak up in group situations; they improved their listening skills; acquired a higher level of commitment in many aspects of their lives; became better team players on and off the court.  Self-acceptance; more confidence to participate in activities; breaking out of one’s shell; higher self-acceptance, or as best described by one participant learning to “embrace your own style”.  Improved communication skills: improved ability to share feelings; more vocal in group discussions at school; increased assertiveness in discussing issues with families and friends.  Education and employment: the participants self-identified as learners and anticipated that they would be employed in high-paying occupations in the future.  More self-awareness; more respectful of other people.  A sense of belonging to something special and important.  Cultural knowledge: participants learned many lessons about Indigenous culture; the Seven Sacred Teachings can be used as a tool to help each participant become a better person (including around peers), and to manage one’s daily life.  Problem-solving skills: the participants reported a better understanding of their problems and how to work through them.  Positivity: improved positivity and decision-making abilities, i.e, understanding the difference between right and wrong choices. The program kept the participants engaged in positive activities and away from negative influences. Happiness: Some participants reported being happier; meeting great people; developing lasting friendships that could be sustained beyond the life of the project.  Gratitude: Participants reported being more thankful for family and good friends; one participant commented: “I appreciate everything they do for me.”  Physical Health: Participants have become physically healthier through sports, dancing, and related activities, such as running. In Table 6, the participants provided their views as to whether or not the program, as well as discussions in sharing circle, had an influence on their attitude and how they make their choices in life. Approximately 83.3% (n=36) indicated that they had somewhat experienced attitudinal changes in their lives. Moreover, in Year 1, the entire Pride Group (n=10) concurred that people in the group encouraged each other to make healthy choices and problem solve in positive ways.

Table 6: Signs that the Program Influenced Positive Attitude Changes and Life Choices (n=36 participants) The participants mostly reflected on the changes in their decision-making processes, which they thought had resulted in better life decisions. Some of these changes included:  Participants experienced changes in how they treated others (e.g.,, friends and family).  Changed attitude about the need to be respectful to everyone.  Better attitude towards school, learning, and committing time to these priorities; some participants stated that they now believe in themselves and have acquired the ability to really want to work to achieve goals.  Not giving in to peer pressure involving negative behaviours.  Developing a knowingness regarding what’s right and what’s wrong.  Feeling that it is okay to say ‘No’ if they are not comfortable in a situation.  Getting priorities straight; for example, not letting social activities interfere with schooling, such as staying home to study for an exam instead of going out.  Understanding the future consequences of making bad decisions and, if they do slip up, it is the subsequent choices that are important; avoiding and preventing involvement in bad decisions in the first place.  Giving thought to decisions and evaluating a situation before taking an action; for instance, thinking twice about whether a particular action will be a mistake.  Being more aware of one’s emotions and mindset in different situations.  More control over negative feelings; for example, not reacting negatively all the time and trying not to be so hard on oneself.  It is a choice to be positive and to apply the seven teachings to choices in daily life; it is a choice to engage in healthy communications with others; it is a choice to engage in positive activities; the program helped with understanding that good things and successes come from the right choices; it makes them a better person. The participants’ comments largely indicated that “My attitude on the court has changed by the healthy relationship workshops were useful and learning respect. When I started Pride reflective of choices and issues they encountered in basketball, I always got mad until I their daily lives. They had internalized the fact that learned that winning doesn’t matter just bad decisions may have serious consequences and, as long as you’re having fun.” in moving towards the independence of adulthood, Source: Anonymous Pride Basketball they chose to make more positive life decisions. Participant Their responses reflected considerable personal growth. In response to the Likert statements, 76.5% (n=34) of participants indicated that they always understand the future consequences of a bad decision, and 70.6% (n=34) indicated that they usually make healthy decisions and problem solve any issues that come up in their lives.

Signs of Improved Relationships with Others There were also positive signs that the participants’ relationships with others, including family and friends, had strengthened. Table 7 lists some of their reflections on how they have established healthier relationships with others in their social network. In addition to the program’s ongoing emphasis on handling interpersonal relationships, the participants attended conflict resolution workshops and/or sharing circles where they were presented with tools and skills for overcoming conflict and bullying. Table 7: Relationship with Peers: Signs that the Participants had Established Healthier Relationships (n=36 participants) The participants mostly reflected on their attitude and behavioural changes as they learned how to identify healthy and unhealthy relationships. Some of this learning included:  It is important to prioritize a healthy relationship with oneself. Participants understood that they must take care of and protect themselves first before they can have a healthy relationship with anyone else; learned the importance of standing up for themselves.  Unhealthy relationships bring them down and lead to trouble.  Unhealthy relationships keep people from discovering who they are and who they are meant to be; healthy relationships have and give trust.  It is important to stay away from negative energy, alcohol and drugs.  Sometimes, it is best to walk away from an unhealthy relationship.  Any type of abuse is unhealthy.  If someone is being physically hurt, it’s important to tell someone, such as a respected and responsible adult.  In the program, they acquired tools for dealing with peer pressure, bullying, and other difficult interpersonal situations.  It is important to become holistically balanced with oneself; the Medicine Wheel is a tool to evaluate relationships with oneself and others; the sacred seven teachings are key to living a healthy life with oneself.  Sometimes, relationships do not stay healthy forever; things change and relationships can become unhealthy; it is important to accept this and sometimes it is necessary to step away from unhealthy relationships.  In the program, participants learned how to deal with anger in relationships so they do not become unhealthy, e.g., talk it out instead of yelling.

When asked whether or not they had been better able to mediate conflicts in their lives since attending the Sacred Seven group, all surveyed participants responded “Yes.” Moreover, in the Likert statements that were included in the questionnaires, 73.5% (n=34) of participants indicated that, if they have a serious disagreement with someone, they can resolve it by calmly discussing it.

Table 8 captures some of the participants’ reflections on how they had learned to navigate interpersonal relationships; for example, whether or not they had changed how they approached their relationships with friends and family or extended family. The comments of 81.8% (n=33) of participants showed evidence of concrete attitudinal and behavioural changes and a clear sign of integration of respect for others in every aspect of their daily lives. The participants were optimistic about their own progress in mediating conflicts, and they showed empathy and humility in understanding other points of view. Table 8: Relationship with Peers and Family: Signs that the Participants had Acquired Skills in Navigating Interpersonal Relationships and Mediating Conflicts (n=33) With regards to interpersonal relationships with family and friends, participants noted:     

I am more respectful and truthful towards my friends and family. I have more patience with family members. I am closer to my family and respect them more. I love them more. I feel like I’ve become more considerate and understanding of friends/family. With friends and family, I kind of stop walking away from them and am starting to trust a bit more.  Since coming to the program, I have wanted to interact more with my family. On mediating conflicts, the prevailing feeling among the participants was captured in the following comments:  I am now better able to think through an issue before reacting.  I now see both sides of an issue.  The program has helped me to deal with relationship conflicts in a positive way.  I have acquired tools that help in being respectful during a disagreement.  I am more motivated to resolve conflicts and not let them fester.  I carry myself with love, truth, honesty, humility, respect, courage, wisdom at all times, even when in conflict situations.

As evidenced by some of their responses to this question and others, the participants had developed more active listening skills in terms of interpreting and evaluating different points of view on an issue, and were less prone to knee-jerk reactions when disputes arose. Being respectful during a disagreement requires an appropriate level of assertiveness, as opposed to aggressiveness. Their responses suggested that they had achieved more balance in this respect. Another theme that resonated clearly was their use of the Seven Sacred Teachings, which provided a strong foundation that could be applied to any conflict resolution process. Figure 2 summarizes, in their own words, the participants’ feedback on their own personal development from having participated in the Sacred Seven Program.

Figure 2: Sacred Seven Participants Described the Ways in Which They Improved Their Relationship with Themselves and Others by the End of the Program (n=36 participants)

ACQUIRING STRENGTHS AND RESILIENCE THROUGH THE SACRED SEVEN PROGRAM More confidence; calm; positive attitude; More outgoing and less shyness; Higher comfort level speaking up in a group situation; Improved leadership skills; feel more in control of one’s life; Increased motivation; more thought given to future goals; More honest, respectful, trustworthy and loving; More considerate of other people’s needs; Improved listening skills; higher level of patience; Better performance in academic activities; Improved sportsmanship; Overall healthier life choices.

Signs of Increased Engagement with Indigenous Culture Over the course of the Sacred Seven Program, most participants came to realize that culture plays a critical role in their lives, most notably in how they self-identify. Table 9 captures some of their personal reflections. It is interesting to note that, when we asked the participants which things that they learned in the program were the most important or relevant to their lives, few identified hoop dancing or basketball drills. Instead, one or more of the seven teachings or Medicine Wheel philosophy were cited by 83.0% of participants, with love and respect being noted the majority of the time. Only one participant made reference to the physical activities and another to the workshop activities. Table 9: Engagement with Culture (n=36) Comments that reflected pride in Aboriginal identity:          

I am proud of calling myself Aboriginal. I feel proud of who I am. I feel more connected to my culture. I really love our culture. Without knowledge of my culture, it would be like a part of me is missing. I learned enough to be able to share with others. I am happy to know more about my culture. I have become more involved with my culture. The program enhanced learning about my background and ancestors. My culture is my whole lifestyle; I use the seven teachings on a daily basis. I understand the Medicine Wheel and Seven Sacred Teachings in the context of the role and status of women and the circle of life.  I am proud of my culture and where I come from. I love it. I want to get more involved like going to sweats and Pow Wows.

The quotes in Table 9 provide some context to the expanded role of culture in the participants’ lives, as many respondents indicated that they became more engaged in outside cultural activities after joining this group. Examples of further outside cultural activities engaged in by the participants included: Pow Wow, jingle dress and fancy shawl dancing; making bannock; beading and skirt-making; drumming; and learning more about Aboriginal teachings. In the Girls’ Group, participants enjoyed learning about the full moon ceremony, hoop dancing at various events, and the berry fast. All survey participants indicated that they felt more connected to their culture and, in some situations their family members, as a result of attending the Sacred Seven Program. In the Pride Group, some of the favorite group activity nights included the stew and bannock night at Wii Chiiwaakanak Learning

“I used to be disrespectful, but I started learning and listening to my culture’s teachings at Pride basketball.” Source: Anonymous Pride Basketball Group Participant.

Centre. The weekend cultural retreat at Camp Manitou was a particularly popular teambuilding event for the Pride Basketball Group. They enjoyed listening to the teachings of the elder, Don Robertson. In sharing circles, the group discussed how the teachings contributed to their relationships with themselves and others. Many new experiences were shared at the retreat such as making bannock and building their own tipi. When asked if they were proud of being Aboriginal, 88.2% (n=34) of participants indicated “true” or “very true”. Signs of Increased Engagement in Cultural and Community Activities (Improved engagement with/relationships with community) Another aspect of culture emphasized by the Sacred Seven Girls Group hoop dancers and Pride basketball program was a sense of community responsibility. A key strength of the Sacred Seven Healthy Relationships Program is the extent to which the participants gained knowledge of and gave back to their community through their performances of hoop dancing or basketball presentations. The Girls Group participated in the following events: Year 1:         Year 2:   

Pow Wow Club (every Tuesday evening from September 2013 to June 2014) We Day event University of Winnipeg – fundraising bake sale Camp Manitou, weekend cultural retreat (with the Pride Group) The annual Move for Hope event to help end violence against women Aboriginal Day Selkirk Street Festival Idle No More event The Red River Exhibition, accompanied by the Canadian roots Kuujjuaq/Winnipeg Exchange Demonstrations at Pow Wow Club (every Tuesday evening from September 2014 to June 2015) Little Peguis, a one-day cultural retreat (with the Pride Group) The annual Move for Hope event to help end violence against women

Hoop dancing presentations (over two years):  Three school presentations at Hugh John MacDonald School; Children of the Earth; Niji Mahkwa school  University of Winnipeg graduation event - Pow Wow presentation  University of Manitoba graduation event - Pow Wow presentation  A retirement dinner for former university President, Dr. Lloyd Axworthy  A Pride Kids Basketball event (both years)  Butterfly club at ka ni kanichihk  Canadian Medical Association – awards dinner  The University of Winnipeg’s Opportunity Fund - annual fundraising dinner  City of Winnipeg announcement of the Mayor’s Indigenous Advisory Circle (MIAC)

The Pride Group volunteered as coaches for younger children, aged 13 and 14 years, in the regular basketball leagues. In addition, from April to June, the “There is a disproportionate share of group volunteered in the Pride Basketball Kids Camps young First Nation kids in the Manitoba for children aged 5 to 12 at the North End Recreation Youth Centre and in prisons. The Centre. Held on Sunday afternoons, this development cultural teachings help to keep youth on camp was for children wanting to learn the basics of the right path. And we need to get to the sport. By registering their siblings in the camps, them at a young age.” they were also encouraged to role model their love for the sport and share what they learned with family Source: Anonymous Leader members. The program’s philosophy was one of mentorship through coaching, as well as advocating a healthy lifestyle involving sports and keeping busy with other physical activities. Through this volunteer work, the coaches focused on building relationships with younger kids, as well as using cultural teachings to reinforce positive messages. They encouraged children to become more involved in school sports, including basketball. As best described by one coach, “The teachings can offer very important values to instill in Aboriginal kids and inspire them.” The leaders also promoted a positive lifestyle without the influence of drugs and alcohol. In addition, the Pride Group participated in five school presentations at Hugh John MacDonald School (twice); Children of the Earth; Niji Mahkwa School; and Emerson Elementary High School, in which they spoke about the many ways in which they integrate the Seven Sacred Teachings into their basketball drills. In summary, the findings reveal that youth enjoyed participating in their respective groups and contributing to the school and other community presentations. They developed a sense of camaraderie with the majority of their peers in the group, and the teachings helped them to have respectful relationships with other people, including team mates. In both years, all participants indicated that a sense of trust and camaraderie developed within each group, and some noted how much they appreciated the sound advice they received from their peers during the weekly sharing circles. Learning and internalizing the teachings in the Sacred Seven Program helped 86.1% (n=36) to build a stronger relationship with their teammates and other participants. Some participants described the group as a “big family,” and others described “feeling wanted and accepted” as a result of participating in this group. Many participants viewed the sharing circles as a safe environment to share aspects of their own lives and where people listened to and understood each other. Their responses described a supportive environment that encourages healthy choices and positive approaches to problem-solving. Most of the invited guests and speakers were viewed by participants as being exceptional at teaching them how to apply the cultural teachings to their everyday lives and in dealing with challenges. The youths appreciated the fact that they had a considerable amount of input into the development of the workshop series. They had an influence in determining the range of topics that would be covered, and they were actively involved in the decision process regarding which guest speakers would be invited. Their discussion of this participatory approach was also aligned with the feedback in the interviews with facilitators and leaders.

Impact of the Sacred Seven Program on Educational and Career Aspirations The Sacred Seven Girls Group and Pride programs continuously stressed the need for education as a positive life choice, such as graduating from high school and pursuing post-secondary studies. Although coaching was a passion for many of the Pride youth, it also helped with future career goals. For instance, one participant expressed an interest in becoming a teacher, and so the coaching experience was helpful to those career aspirations. In year one, some of the older Pride participants were newly registered university students, and they frequently had discussions with the children they coached about the importance of education as a positive life choice. They gained strong leadership qualities which helped them in their university studies, for example, during class presentations, group discussions, and teamwork. When asked how important it is for the participant to graduate from high school and/or university or college, 100% of participants stated that it was very important, as it will affect their career path and ability to obtain a good-paying job. High school graduation was viewed as the main path to entering university. One participant remarked that education was the number one priority on his list, and that “without school, you have nothing”. Table 10 shows the responses of Likert scale statements regarding participant attitudes towards education. Table 10: Participant Attitudes towards Education and Community Service (n=34) True or Neither Untrue Statements Very true or or Very True untrue Untrue % % % I am a good student 88.2 11.8 0 My education is important to me 97.1 2.9 0 Quite often, I think about my future goals 76.5 17.7 2.9 I regularly do volunteer work in my community 23.5 35.3 29.4 I want to make my community a better place 85.4 8.8 2.9

Not Applicable or No Answer % 0 0 2.9 11.8 2.9

The majority of responses in Table 10 were checked off as either true or very true, although it remained unclear as to why some participants checked off ‘neither true nor untrue’. While forced choice questions and statements are easier to administer to young people, there is always a risk of losing important details and contexts. Although not shown in Table 10, 82.6% (n=23, Year 2 only) of participants stated that it was important for them to get more education or vocational training after leaving high school (i.e. college, technical or trade school, or university). In fact, 87% of participants indicated that they performed better in school since having joined the Sacred Seven Program. When asked about the type of job they plan to work at after leaving school, 73.9% (n=23, Year 2 only) of participants identified one of the following occupations:

Journalism, counseling, doctor, lawyer, nurse, teacher, veterinarian, surgeon, obstetrician, pediatrician, botanist, dentist, sports coach, employed in a non-profit organization, social worker, firefighter, car mechanic, hairstylist, clothing designer, professional hoop dancer, cosmetologist, bartender, waiter, chef, restaurant worker, model. Most occupations involved a career as opposed to a job, as well as university or college training. Some participants were also committed to volunteering in their community. In addition to the abovenoted contributions to their community, when participants were asked if they had previously volunteered in their community, 73.9% (n=23, Year 2 only) responded ‘yes’ (not shown in Table 10). The participants clearly recognized the importance of committing themselves to social justice causes and community service. When asked if they planned to volunteer in their community in the future, all participants responded affirmatively. Past, current, and future volunteer work cited by the program’s participants included: Volunteer at basketball camps for younger kids; cleaning up the environment (e.g., pick up garbage around my community); serve the homeless/serving food at a homeless shelter; volunteer in homeless shelters; volunteer as a coach with Pride/coach basketball, volunteer at schools and in my community; cook food for the homeless; bake sale; helping youth; Folklorama (an annual multicultural festival); trying to make the community a better place for younger people; Winnipeg Harvest (food bank); teach children about the seven teachings; help people; work with children; providing hoop dancing instruction; helping out at a seniors’ residence. As a direct result of participating in volunteer work, many of the participants improved their economic opportunities through paid summer employment. Frequently, this employment involved working with children, for example, at the Winnipeg Aboriginal Sport Achievement Centre’s (WASAC) summer day camp program or with the Urban Green Team. In fact, two Pride Group members have assumed supervisory roles at the WASAC summer camp, as a direct result of their experiences in the Pride/Sacred Seven Healthy Relationships Program. Figure 3 summarizes the results listed in Tables 1 to 10 in the context of the Seven Sacred Teachings. This diagram combines the evaluation results with regards to the participants’ improved relationships with themselves, their peers and their families, as well as their contributions to the community. The diagram highlights the process of learning about healthy relationships as related in the words of the participants, and also in the context of the seven sacred cultural teachings of wisdom, respect, love, courage, honesty, humility, and truth.

Figure 3: Relationship with Oneself, Others & Community: What the Youth Learned about Healthy Relationships in the Sacred Seven Program and How It has Changed Them

LOVE Must love and take care of oneself first before you can love anyone else; Share cultural teachings with family; always strive to be a better person.

RESPECT

COURAGE

Respect yourself; showing respect and consideration for other people & their choices; listening to & accepting other points of view; respecting boundaries; helping others to feel a sense of belonging.

Learning to make better choices; bouncing back from disappointments; Overcoming fears and shyness; more self-confidence and self-awareness; using one’s voice for good; setting boundaries; sharing one’s point of view; higher participation in group discussions; thinking carefully about an issue before acting; fewer impulsive decisions.

The Sacred Seven Teachings

TRUTH Pride in Aboriginal heritage and traditions; live by the teachings and share with peers.

HONESTY Feel more trusting of other people with whom one shares a healthy relationship; playing sports = camaraderie & trust & teambuilding; tell the truth, including to yourself; Become strong enough to let go of unhealthy relationships.

HUMILITY

WISDOM

Helping others and engaging in positive activities; being of service to community; focusing on positivity and being the best one can be, while also accepting one’s imperfections; being humble.

Making more positive choices; knowing right from wrong in decision-making; continue to learn about the teachings; sharing one’s gifts to help others.

Parent and Guardian Feedback In a further attempt to assess the impact of the program on the participants, we also conducted interviews with some parents and guardians of both, the Pride and Girls Groups. Table 11 lists the feedback of these participants.

“You can pull from the Seven Sacred Teachings to discuss expectations of behaviour; for example, how to carry yourself, be responsible and respectful, etc.”

Source: Anonymous Parent Some parents remarked that their children acquired an ability to identify friends or family members who are in an unhealthy relationship. They felt that their children’s attitudes, including towards school, had become increasingly positive in terms of making healthy life choices. Some of the reported benefits to the family included a happy adolescent, and knowledge transfer of the Seven Sacred Teachings to siblings. All parents said that their children often talked about the facilitators, coaches, and leaders in flattering ways during conversations at home. The parents and their children indicated a high level of respect for the dedication of the program facilitators and their strong sense of commitment in supporting young people. Moreover, on the recommendation of the Pride facilitators, youth who demonstrate maturity of judgment and a serious attitude towards their academic studies are frequently invited to complete their high school education at the well-respected Model School at the University of Winnipeg Collegiate High School1. Thus, these students are given an incentive to become more serious about improving their school attendance record, as an invitation to the Model School significantly improves their chances of completing high school and accessing scholarships and other funding to pursue post-secondary studies. To date, there have been many examples of Pride participants completing the Model School program, with the majority going on to university. In fact, in 2014-15, nine Pride participants attended the Model School program. In these ways, the Pride basketball program contributed to the achievement of the social goal of improving the educational outcomes of children in Winnipeg’s Indigenous community. As one parent noted, “Pride helps to keep them [the participants] on track.” Overall, parents and guardians hoped their children would continue to participate in the Sacred Seven Program in future years. The general feeling was that the program had been a positive experience for participants and their families. Some parents remarked that more programming of this nature is needed, as many Indigenous children are unfamiliar with their culture, particularly children who move to Winnipeg from the Northern communities.

1

The Model School is a rigorous and well-respected high school program (Grade 9-12) of the University of Winnipeg Collegiate High School. As the school provides extensive tutoring and supports, students who are invited to join the program substantially increase their chances of completing high school and pursuing post-secondary studies. More information is available on the website at: uwinnipeg.ca/index/news-quickfacts-model-school.

Table 11: Common Themes in the Interviews with the Parents and Guardians of the Sacred Seven Healthy Relationships Program (n=10) Strength and self-confidence:  Parents/guardians stressed the need for their child to feel a sense of belonging to a peer group of Indigenous youth with whom they could relate. Most parents and guardians observed considerable growth in their child’s own personal development.  Participation in the program provided an opportunity for independence and a chance to develop a circle of friends, as well as a chance to connect with and be influenced by leaders and mentors outside of the immediate family; parents and guardians reported that their children expressed great admiration for different facilitators who were viewed as mentors and role models.  The girls developed skills in the art of hoop dancing, and some of them practiced at home.  The Pride Group participants learned important basketball drills and developed strong athletic skills. However, their parents also referred to the program as a “confidence builder”, as their children had to learn how to introduce themselves to other people and express their viewpoint in group situations. Mentoring/modeling healthy relationships; conflict mediation:  The series of healthy relationship workshops helped the participants to develop stress management tools that could be applied in their daily lives, as well as personal skills to help deal with bullying and conflict.  Pride parents/guardians remarked that their children demonstrated a higher level of positivity in terms of their attitude. Increased family engagement & cultural connection:  Workshops also supported parents in developing strategies that use Indigenous ways for addressing the needs of their children (e.g., Medicine Wheel teachings). In some families, the program reinforced the cultural teachings, which had already been integrated into their family life. It helped parents to instill these values in their children.  The Pride parents noted that the program supports their parenting strategies in that this peer group is involved in a positive lifestyle. Most parents/guardians remarked that the program has helped to change negative behaviours in their children.  For the Girls’ Group, scheduling the Sacred Seven Program immediately before Pow Wow Club on Tuesday evenings, as well as providing a nutritious supper, created an incentive for families to stay for Pow Wow Club. This encouraged families to connect with each other and feel a sense of belonging to the urban Indigenous community. Moreover, it allowed the Girls Group parents and guardians to socialize. The girls were also given an opportunity to conduct demonstrations of their hoop dance skills at Pow Wow Club.  The Girls’ Group’s program helped parents and guardians better connect with their daughters; for example, they would frequently debrief and discuss the content of the workshop series with their children during the drive home.

Table 12: Parent/Guardian Perspectives on Impact of the Sacred Seven Program on Educational Outcomes (n=10) Engagement with education:  Parents and guardians thought it was useful for their children to be exposed to The University of Winnipeg, since this will likely be their choice of post-secondary institution in the future. In particular, the Girls Group’s comfort level with the campus had increased, due to their weekly sessions being held at the university, as well as Pow Wow Club activities.  The parents/guardians remarked that post-secondary education is a family expectation, which is reinforced in the Sacred Seven Program. In both programs, the younger participants have opportunities to observe the results of a commitment to basketball or hoop dancing, as well as to schooling, in the older adolescents who are further along in their personal development. There are also many positive peer influences that not only set a good example for program participants, but their siblings, as well. Particularly in the Girls Group, the wide age gap between participants creates some advantages in this area, as the older adolescents are now graduating from high school and pursuing post-secondary studies. This generates positive peer influences, as the younger ones listen and watch carefully as the older role models take their studies and future aspirations very seriously and demonstrate a willingness to work hard to achieve them.

Common themes in the Interviews with the Wii Chiiwaakanak & University of Winnipeg Administrators, and the Sacred Seven/Pride Group Facilitators and Leaders The group leaders, facilitators, and staff at Wii Chiiwaakanak Learning Centre explained that their own role was to provide the participants with as much support as they needed. Some of the program participants had struggled with difficult life situations and personal losses or developmental challenges. Some participants lacked a strong family connection and had not experienced ‘normal’ family challenges during their childhood years. For example, alcohol or drug addiction may have been a factor in some of their families. Devastating personal challenges had forced some of the participants to confront abnormally difficult situations at a very young age. The cultural teachings were a critical factor in helping the participants confront their life challenges in positive ways, such as: learning how to have fun by connecting with basketball and other physical activities rather than engaging in negative behaviors like alcohol or drug use. Also, the leaders and facilitators stressed the importance of helping participants recognize their gifts and particular talents, which they frequently did not see in themselves. If a participant lacked confidence, the leaders provided them with the extra support to help them develop a more positive self-image. For example, one facilitator described her own role as one that focused on helping young women gain confidence in who they are as individuals so they can become strong, independent women who can take care of their own needs.

Table 13: Common Themes in the Interviews with Facilitators, Leaders & Administrators (n=9) Strength and self-confidence:  In both program components, the Pride Group and Girls Group, young people learned about their culture and who they are, and to be proud of it.  The group facilitators and leaders enjoyed seeing the personal growth of the program participants; they had higher self-confidence, they took pride in their accomplishments; as the year progressed, they were more vocal in sharing circle; long-lasting friendships had developed. Mentoring/modeling healthy relationships; conflict mediation:  The program helped participants to build resilience to aid in overcoming life’s challenges; taking control of their lives; it helped them to engage in leadership roles.  The mentoring component of the programs helped with capacity-building among the youth. Quite notable were the spillover effects in building capacity among Indigenous youth. For example, in the Pride program, athletes assumed a mentorship role in helping 11 to 14 year olds to develop skills. Within just a few years, these young people in turn will become coaches and assume more of a mentoring role in the basketball program. A similar process occurred in the Girls Group. The societal benefits are significant in terms of generating momentum and capacity in the largely indigenous inner city, West/North Ends of the city. Increased community engagement:  The participants took a leadership role at the school presentations.  The participants volunteered and participated in other community presentations. For example, the Girls Group showcased their dancing skills at the University of Winnipeg’s annual fundraising dinner. Performing for such a large audience of mostly adults was a huge accomplishment for the Girls Group. Engagement with leadership and education:  The Pride Group and Girls Group programs value education. Sacred Seven is highly connected to many types schooling, and the youth receive all the support they need to connect to their schooling. The connection of Wii Chiiwaakanak Learning Centre and the University of Winnipeg is key to building a sense of belonging of young Indigenous people so that they too can achieve their educational aspirations.  In terms of social benefits of Sacred Seven, it was noted by one participant that most of the programming occurred during the “vulnerable” hours for young people, such as after school and early evening. These are the hours when youth are most at risk of becoming involved in negative behaviours. Thus, The University and Wii Chiiwaakanak Learning Centre provided not only a safe place, but also a preventive component. Coaching, mentoring and role modeling a good life, which involves sports and keeping busy with physical activities, is one method of offsetting some of the boredom and potential of youth to engage in high risk activities.

In the Girls Group, another goal of the program was to encourage the older participants to take on a mentorship role towards the younger ones. This required creating some space so that these relationships could be nurtured. In the Pride Group, four 16 year olds (two girls and two boys) were

given an opportunity to build their leadership skills through taking ownership of the Pride Basketball Kids Camp (for 5-12 year olds). From the perspective of the facilitators and leaders, another way to create space for personal growth and development was to have the participants take ownership in decision-making about the program content. At the program’s inception, the adults had a broad vision for the program’s evolution, but their agenda was always flexible and accommodating of the participants’ preferences. The participants were given the opportunity to take control of the agenda and decide what would work best for them. Table 13 captures some of the reflections of the group facilitators and leaders in personal interviews. The Spin-Off Effects on the Community The Sacred Seven Program has also developed partnerships with the public school system. In June of 2014, the Pride Group and Girls Group joined together to offer three school presentations. In June of 2015, due to scheduling conflicts in the Girls Group, the Pride basketball group conducted two school presentations on their own. Overall, feedback from the school presentations was highly positive (Table 14). We asked the students in the audience which of the presented sacred seven teachings they liked best. Approximately 91.5% of children chose a favorite teaching, with truth, love, and courage representing 55.9% of their answers. Table 14: What the Students in the Audience Liked Best about the Sacred Seven Healthy Relationships Presentation at their School (n=222 students in 5 school presentations) 2014 2015 Categories n=120 n=102 % % Basketball presentation, including specific drills such as foot fire, dribbling exercises, and three man weave 43.3 67.6 Hoop dancing presentation 30.8 n/a Sacred seven teachings 12.5 13.7 Everything; it was fun; it got us moving; involvement of audience 2.5 4.9 No answer 8.3 6.9 Don’t know; didn’t like it; nothing 2.6 6.9 100.0 100.0

In both years, the students were asked if they would want to participate in the Sacred Seven Healthy Relationships Program if given the opportunity in the future.

Yes: 57.2%; No: 36.5%; Maybe 4.0%; No answer given 2.3%

Notably, over half of the students in the audience indicated that they would be interested in participating in this type of program. It was obvious to the evaluator that the students were highly engaged and enjoyed interacting with the Sacred Seven youth leaders at the school presentations. Learning Took Place at the School Presentations Immediately following the Sacred Seven presentations at the schools, we asked the students in the audience to draw a line to match up the Sacred Seven Teachings (on the right hand side) to the different animals (on the left hand side). We provided an example below by matching up the Bison to Respect.

Figure 4: Matching Exercise of the Sacred Seven Teachings Bison Wolf Eagle Bear Beaver Turtle Sabe

Love Respect Courage Honesty Truth Humility Wisdom

A total of 222 survey forms were completed over two years, in which 67.6% of students were 100% correct in matching the Seven Sacred Teachings to the correct animals. The matches were completed with at least 83% accurately by 73.4% (163/222) of students, and were completed with at least 67% accuracy by 86.9% (193/222) of students. The results indicate that the students had a high rate of understanding of the presentation’s main messages.

% of correct matches 100 83 67 50 33 17 0 Total

Total N (%) 150 (67.6) 13 30 13 11 4 1 222

2014 N (%) 86 (71.7) 8 17 4 3 2 0 120

2015 N (%) 64 (62.7) 5 13 9 8 2 1 102

Feedback from the School Stakeholders Through a combination of telephone interviews and short surveys distributed at the presentations, we gathered data from school stakeholders such as teachers, educational assistants, principals, resource “It was inspiring to see this group of workers, guidance counselors, and community young women taking control of the outreach workers. In the telephone interviews (n=6), presentation.” the teachers reported that, upon returning to their Source: Anonymous Teacher at a School classroom, several students commented on how much Presentation they had enjoyed the presentations, while using words such as “cool” and “fun”. These remarks were highly consistent with the earlier result indicating that 57.2% of children expressed an interest in future participation in the Sacred Seven Healthy Relationships Program. One teacher commented on the significant social value of exposing not only Indigenous kids to their traditions, but also introducing them to new Canadian children who may be unfamiliar with the culture. The teacher had previously observed that, among peers, some Indigenous students were hesitant to openly engage with their culture. The presentations normalized the culture, highlighted young Indigenous leaders and role models, and fostered pride in Aboriginal identity. It helped Indigenous students to be proud of their strong heritage. Several school stakeholders recognized the important contributions of the Sacred Seven groups, and they suggested that more of these presentations would be welcomed in the future.

Table 15: Common Themes in the Surveys and Interviews with Stakeholders at the Partnering Schools in the Sacred Seven Presentations (n=17) Leadership and community engagement:  All school partners agreed that this is a very positive program. The presenters (Girls Group and Pride Group) were an exemplary model of youth who were engaged with leadership in the Indigenous community.  The curriculum and activities were age-appropriate for discussing the healthy relationships of youth, and the presentation was entirely enjoyable for the students in the audience.  Some respondents were impressed at how good the presentations were, and they stressed the need for more of these presentations offered earlier in the school year. The Sacred Seven presenters were seen by the respondents as good role models for the Indigenous students in their schools; it is a worthwhile partnership that should continue. Relevance to current academic programming and student needs:  It was further recognized that the presentations were a good fit with the current programming at the schools in the area of health, physical education, social studies and native studies. Both Pow Wow dancing and integrating the teachings into basketball were generally included in the physical education curriculum of at least two of the schools; moreover, the participating schools typically focused on Aboriginal teachings, history and contributions as part of their social studies curriculum. Although the presentations were consistent with the public school curricula, most respondents felt that they were reinforcing and not duplicating of school programming.  The Sacred Seven presentations were quite suited to the learning needs of students at the schools who generally enjoyed hands-on or kinesthetic learning that involved physical activities and sports, such as basketball and dance.  In terms of the contributions of the presentations to the personal development of their students, the teachers noted considerable value in applying the Seven Sacred Teachings as a daily guide to respecting oneself and others, fair play, honesty, and teamwork.

The survey included a series of Likert scale statements as shown in Table 16 (n=11 respondents). The responses indicated that, although the school stakeholders saw great social value in the Sacred Seven presentations, around half of them were not already familiar with the program. All respondents indicated that they thought the presentations provided important information to their students and contributed positively to their education. With regards to the female presenters, in the open-ended questions of the survey, school stakeholders identified a significant social benefit in having athletic and empowered young women teach their students how the Seven Sacred Teachings apply to daily life and particularly the important values of respect, fair play, truth and humility in sports. One teacher remarked “It was inspiring to see this group of young women taking control of the presentation.”

Another teacher commented that, although in prior years the school had integrated the Seven Sacred Teachings into various aspects of the curricula, it had fallen by the wayside in the school plan in recent years. She felt that revisiting the Seven Sacred Teachings would reinforce the concepts of fair play and respect during recess, as well as in other school activities Table 16: School Stakeholder Perceptions of the Sacred Seven Presentations (n=11) True or Neither Untrue Statement very true or or very true untrue untrue I was already familiar with the Sacred Seven Healthy Relationship Program prior to the presentation today. 5 1 4 I feel that the presenters offered important information to students in my school. 11 0 0 I feel that the presentation was well-organized. 8 2 0 I feel that the presentation contributed positively to my students’ education. 11 0 0 The physical activities in the presentation were suited to the learning needs of my students (e.g., hands on 9 0 1 learning). The presenters are good role models for students in my school. 11 0 0 The presentation was age-appropriate with regards to addressing the issues of healthy relationships with 9 2 0 students in my school. I would like the Sacred Seven group to present at my school in the future. 7 2 0 I would recommend the Sacred Seven presentation to other inner-city, west-end or north-end schools. 10 0 0

No response

1 0 1 0 1

0 0

2 1

Figure 5 - Evaluation of Success from Multiple Perspectives: The Benefits to Youth and the Community of the Sacred Seven Program School principals & teachers Leadership & role models for Indigenous students; Community engagement; pride in Indigenous culture; a hands-on and physical approach to learning

Children & Youth

Personal growth & development of youth; independence; feeling a sense of belonging to a group of peers; skills & tools acquired for use in daily life; family engagement in culture

Improved relationship with oneself, peers, family & community; self-confidence; skills; pride in identity; resilience; volunteerism; leadership;academic engagement Personal growth & development of youth; self-confidence & assertiveness; resilience; pride in Aboriginal identity; friendships

Facilitators, leaders, & administrators

Parents or Guardians

G

Outcomes: Most Significant Accomplishments and Lessons Learned Overall, the evaluation produced significant evidence that the program has generated positive experiences in the participants’ lives and made much progress towards achieving the intermediate and long-term outcomes outlined in the logic model. The evaluation also identified several key elements as being essential to the program’s successes and positive outcomes for youth (i.e. what worked well). Program Implementation: What Worked Well in the Sacred Seven Healthy Relationships Program? The majority of the comments in the interviews and “It [the Sacred Seven Program] is questionnaires were remarkably positive. Any minor inspiring; it makes me want to do concerns were mostly process-related and not better in life.” uncommonly linked to the growing pains common in the Source: Anonymous Participant early stages of a program’s implementation. Most participants had no issues whatsoever with how the program had been administered. The interviewed adults agreed that the program offered substantial social value to the Indigenous youth. As the program managers, staff, and facilitators gained more experience and a better understanding of their program delivery model over the two-year period, they were better able to adapt the program to meet the needs of the participants. The list of comments on what worked well in the Sacred Seven Program include:  The Sacred Seven Healthy Relationships Program brought together the shared values of the Pride Group and Girls Group, which were highly compatible. The participant interviews established that the Pride Group had enhanced the Sacred Seven Program. By partnering on a number of initiatives, including the school and community presentations, their participation allowed more resources to be made available to the Wii Chiiwaakanak Learning Centre. Moving forward, this partnership worked well, and it should continue and be strengthened, particularly in building partnerships with inner city, North End and West End public schools. As noted by the school stakeholders, there is a positive ripple effect that results from creating a sense of community among Indigenous children.  A key strength of the Sacred Seven Healthy Relationships Program was the mentoring component and its effect on the growth of participants’ leadership capacities (which continue to be actively developed in the second year). Though not explicitly stated, the Sacred Seven Healthy Relationships Program appeared to be developing a clear model of youth leadership using a mentoring approach. For instance, participants who received hands-on learning and mentoring in a program later frequently became program facilitators or leaders and assumed the role of mentors themselves. With this model of skills enhancement and transfer, the program’s participants are able to assume a role in future program development and teaching others how to mentor and lead. Moreover, assuming responsibility helps young people develop

a sense of purpose, builds resilience, independence, and lets them become part of the solution in strengthening their community.  The program developers/facilitators should continue their commitment to respecting collective values by empowering the program participants to assume a leadership role in designing program activities. This approach builds independence, and develops decision-making and intuitive skills. The program worked well when the participants had an opportunity to make decisions about which activities they engaged in and which types of speakers were invited to conduct workshops. The most effective strategy was to actively listen to the participants’ ideas and then try to implement them. For example, in the basketball program, the facilitators encouraged the participants to design the program on their own terms, including the integration of the Seven Sacred Teachings in their basketball drills. The facilitators were available to support the participants and access the necessary resources to implement the programs. What Works Best in the Girls Group  Scheduling the Sacred Seven Program immediately before Pow Wow Club on Tuesday evenings, as well as providing a nutritious supper, was a good incentive for families to stay for Pow Wow Club. This helped families to connect and feel like they were also part of the urban Indigenous community. Moreover, it allowed the girls’ parents and guardians to socialize, the importance of which cannot be emphasized enough. One positive change in the second year of the program was that the Girls Group was given more opportunities to showcase their hoop dancing skills through demonstrations at Pow Wow Club (held at the University of Winnipeg). It also helped them to develop and refine their dance skills in a safe space.  The Girls Group worked best with no more than 5 to 10 participants. Given the young ages of some girls, the interviewed adults felt it was practical to conduct the program in small groups in order to foster trust and a high comfort level in sharing circles. In addition, parents and guardians (including grandmothers) were invited to attend the sessions, as well as a few children as young as 5 years old from Pow Wow Club. The facilitators, parents and participants felt that the family environment worked very well. The wide age gap (ages 5-20) was viewed as a positive development in year two, as it taught the older girls patience, role modeling, and leadership skills.  In year two, the adults in the program continued to make an effort to involve the girls in any decisions that affected them directly. This approach empowered the girls to make their own decisions and, in the future, when a decision that directly affects the girls needs to be made, the adults should continue to step back and let the girls decide what works best for them. Maintaining an approach of respectful empowerment has helped to create an effective and successful program.  Parents appreciated all efforts on the part of program organizers to strengthen communication channels regarding the calendar of events so that last-minute scheduling changes would not

compete with other family commitments or personal plans. Also, continued efforts to provide timely details of arrangements for transportation to events or school presentations worked best for parents or guardians, particularly during times when family members were not available to provide rides to the events.  A good balance between hoop dancing and the healthy relationships workshops/speaker series was optimally beneficial, particularly since the program appeals to a wide age range of participants. In the first year, participants found the teachings portion of the program to be interesting but time consuming, as it frequently cut into the hoop dancing portion of the program. Frequently, the girls only had 15 minutes to practice their hoop dancing, whereas it was felt that they needed at least half an hour to practice and develop their dancing skills. In the second year, the program facilitator arranged for more dance practice time, as well as the demonstrations at Pow Wow Club noted earlier, which allowed them extra time to hone their presentations/routines. The girls greatly appreciated the freedom to just have fun doing dance activities. What Works Best in the Pride Group  Although resources were limited in both years, the Pride Group participants felt that it was essential to maintain the cultural retreat event each year. However, uncertain funding for the event presents a challenge. But, if resources can be accessed, it would be highly beneficial to delve deeper into the cultural teachings; for example, taking the participants on a sweat. In both years, interview feedback (parents/guardians and facilitators), as well as the participants questionnaires frequently indicated a desire for more Elder input. The youth especially exhibited a keen curiosity and interest in further learning opportunities with Elders.  The parents agreed unanimously that communication channels have been well-developed by the Pride Group facilitators, particularly with regards to their use social media (e.g., Facebook). Parent and guardian feedback indicated a high level of respect for the dedication of the program facilitators and their strong organizational skills in maintaining regular communication with them.  Some of the interviewed parents and guardians were particularly appreciative of the Pride program’s instrumental role in referring their children to the Model School high school. From their viewpoint, the possibility of being referred to this school helped their children to get serious about their studies, improve their school attendance, and aspire to future goals.

What Works Best for the Partnering Public Schools  In both years, feedback from school stakeholders was very positive. As indicated in an earlier section, they were impressed with the personable Indigenous leaders and role models who fostered pride in Indigenous identity through their presentations. It helped the Indigenous students in their schools to be proud of their heritage. They appreciated how the presentations used an engaging hands-on approach that encouraged student participation. Most school stakeholders recognized the importance of the contributions made by the two Sacred Seven groups, and they suggested that more of these presentations would be welcomed in the future. In fact, some preferred to have presentations earlier the school year as opposed to late June so that more Indigenous students could attend. This sentiment coincided with the feedback from other participants who felt that it would be useful to spread out the activities, as the schedule was too busy towards the end of the program in June. Had teachers been given more notice of the Sacred Seven presentations, they would have been able to better prepare their students for the event. In some cases, the teachers were not informed of the presentations until the day they were scheduled, and prior notice would have allowed them to incorporate the thematic content of the presentations into their social studies curriculum. Next Steps: Growth Opportunities in the Program The evaluation results strongly indicate that the program had generated positive changes in the lives of the participants. It had achieved its short and intermediate term outcomes of personal growth and development among the participants through their engagement with Indigenous teachings and the community. Moreover, there was evidence that the mentorship and leadership components of the program helped to improve the community’s capacity to support young people in developing healthy interpersonal relationships. Almost all interviewed participants agreed that this is a well-run and successful program that should be continued and nurtured in every possible way so that more target groups are reached. To date, there are opportunities for growth, but the major obstacle is a lack of funding, which is an issue that would have to be addressed in any program expansion. However, the Wii Chiiwaakanak Learning Centre should continue to work at establishing relationships with the public schools in the high-poverty areas of the city, where student success in academics is best achieved through cooperation in school and community partnerships. The Sacred Seven Program provides an excellent model of curricular support by integrating holistic approaches to working with youth; for instance, combining physical activity with cultural teachings, building leadership and role modeling capacity in youth, while at the same time addressing curricular outcomes in social studies, physical education, and health. The program could form a partnership with entire school divisions, such as Winnipeg School Division and the River-East Transcona School Division. As indicated earlier, there is significant social value in exposing both Indigenous and new Canadian children to Indigenous traditions. One teacher had previously observed that, among peers, some Indigenous students were hesitant to openly engage with their culture, but the presentations normalized Indigenous culture, highlighted

young Indigenous leaders and role models (the presenters), and fostered pride in Aboriginal identity and their strong heritage. In the evaluation responses, some participants suggested that the Wii Chiiwaakanak Learning Centre could also build on the strengths of the Girls’ Group by adding a boys’ hoop dancing group. The recommendation was that the groups would be kept separate for sharing circle and the speaker/workshop series (e.g., the boys can be taught some teachings on establishing healthy male relationships). However, this program addition could certainly address a growing interest on the part of boys who currently attend Pow Wow Club or whose siblings already participate in the Girls’ Group. The groups could come together to collaborate on preparing for community presentations. Another suggestion was to incorporate drum making and drumming into the boys’ program. Participant feedback also indicated that there was a strong interest in gaining access to sewing machines so that the girls could make their own regalia for hoop, jingle, and fancy shawl dancing. If the resources are not available to finance the purchase of sewing machines, there may be a possibility of borrowing from other agencies. Unfortunately, the centre’s difficulties in aligning growth opportunities with resources has been one major challenge to expanding the program. Conclusion In Winnipeg, there are few known agencies that work with youth in the same way as the Sacred Seven Healthy Relationships Program. While the Pride Basketball Group was doing exceptionally well on its own, partnering with the Sacred Seven Healthy Relationships Program expanded its mandate and opportunities. This is a desirable outcome as partnerships of this kind invariably generate more community empowerment and unity. The program was delivered in a manner which was consistent with its mandate and objectives. The Pride Group and Girls Group each took a different approach to program development, with the former being focused on basketball and the latter on the art of hoop dancing. Despite their differences, three shared factors contributed to the successes of the Sacred Seven Program: (1) A commitment to empowering youth in decision-making processes in the program; (2) A commitment to the cultural teachings as the foundation of the program; (3) A commitment to the mentoring and leadership development aspects of the program.

Appendix 1: Logic Model

Short-term outcomes

Outputs

Youth enjoyed the program; Increased self-confidence; acquired leadership skills; better understanding of healthy relationships; acquired knowledge of cultural teachings; increased feelings of connectedness to other group members & commitment to contributing to community; youth acquired increased protective factors for positive behaviours & Outputs: Youth develop skills: choices. mentoring; presentation, conflict Registrations: 64 Pride Group & mediation; use seven sacred teachings 7 Girls Group participants in their daily life; youth understand how FIGURE 1: LOGIC Sessions offered weekly from to use their gifts/talents to give back to their MODEL September, 2013 to June, 2015; community & share with others; positive role Regular attendance of registrants; models for younger Aboriginals; positive SACRED SEVEN Participation in workshops, developing impact at the school and community HEALTHY a code of honour, and physical presentations; positive educational RELATIONSHIPS activities; connect outcomes; modeling healthy with healthy relationships & good role models choices. Activities based on the seven sacred teachings: weekly sessions; workshops and speaker series; basketball & hoop dance activities; community events; presentations, including at public schools; weekend cultural retreat; weekly sharing circle; conflict resolution; team building activities

Program components & activities

Intermediate outcomes