Introduction:
Yellow Thunderbird Lodge provides Community Based Prevention Services to the 13 Member First Nation Communities.
North Region: Cote First Nation, Key First Nation, Keeseekoose First Nation
Valley Region: Ochapowace First Nation, Kahkewistahaw First Nation, Zagime Anishnabek.
File Hills Region: Little Black Bear Band, Peepeekisis First Nation, Starblanket First Nation.
South Region: Whitebear First Nation, Pheasant Rump First Nation, Ocean Man First Nation, Neekaneet First Nation
Yellow Thunderbird Lodge firmly believes that the answers to the issues facing our communities lie in the imaginations of our youth, the knowledge of our families and community members and the experience and traditions of our peoples.
The Yellow Thunderbird Lodge community-based prevention services process is similar to a participatory community development tool that actively engages young people and community members, through conversations and activities. This community-based approach is a “bottom up” systems change strategy to create positive, sustainable change in children’s lives.
This community-based approach focuses on “mapping” assets, opportunities and capacities for dignity, belonging and justice within a child’s social and natural environment, as well as identifying weaknesses in accountability to these determinants of children’s life, survival and development. Through the application of the community-based prevention process Yellow Thunderbird Lodge is making its best effort to meaningfully engage and connect with the following people from our communities: parents, grandparents, Elders, children and youth, leadership, service organization representatives, as well as community members with valuable knowledge and insights about children’s day to day lives
All Prevention Services requests must identify who the request will benefit from the following ISC Prevention Funding Criteria:
- Children in Care
- Children at-risk
- Repatriation/Reunification of Children
Enhanced Community Based Prevention Services
Enhancement of existing services will be developed without duplicating existing service mandates and without prejudice to existing funding agreements;
New Community Based Prevention Projects
New Community Based Prevention Projects may be identified and prioritized as needed by the community or community members.
Request for Collateral Services:
Case Specific prevention/Family services have been identified in a formal case plan with family involvement and assistance in developing unique prevention services can be requested through a completed request for collateral services form by YTCCFS Child Protection Services.
Member Nations Services:
Member Nations services to community members can be provided by YTCCFS where First Nations clientele have been identified as being ordinarily a resident on reserve as per Indian Affairs policy designations.
1. Primary Prevention Services
- Primary prevention activities are directed at the general population and attempt to stop maltreatment or other risk events before these occur. All members of the community have access to and may benefit from these services.
- Primary prevention activities with a community focus will seek to raise the awareness of the community population, service providers, and decision-makers about the scope and problems associated with child and family vulnerability and exposure to levels and sources of possible, imminent and actual risk events.
2. Secondary Prevention Services
- Secondary prevention services will focus on Secondary prevention activities are offered to groups in the community that have one or more risk factors associated with child maltreatment and/or other negative outcomes, such as poverty, parental substance abuse, young parental age, parental mental health concerns, and parental or child disabilities.
- Projects may target any or all of these risk factors that have a possible, potential or actual impact on individuals and the community.
- Projects will target individual, family and community assets for strength building.
3. Tertiary Prevention Services
- Tertiary prevention activities focus on families where maltreatment or risk event has already occurred and seeks to reduce the negative consequences of the maltreatment or risk event and to prevent its recurrence.