Aboriginal Youth Resources

Youth Resources Order Form

• The Gathering Tree:

A beautifully illustrated children’s book about HIV/AIDS.  Written by award-winning First Nations author, Larry Loyie and co-author Constance Brissenden, this is a gentle, positive story of a First Nations family facing HIV.  This story reveals how knowledge brings understanding and self awareness and addresses aspects of physical, mental, emotional health.

The Gathering Tree Press Release The Gathering Tree Poster Resources for Teachers on HIV/AIDS Information about the Authors Publisher and Ordering Information

• Chako, Coming of Age DVD

This resource shows that utilizing traditional teachings, skills and community supports a healthy transition from youth to adult. HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections are today’s reality. In this project, Chee Mamuk partners HIV education with traditional coming of age teachings. Chako is a 20 minute DVD geared towards people who live and work in Aboriginal communities. This DVD documents four weeks during which six youth from different Nations come together to participate in a contemporary coming of age project.

• The Chako, Coming of Age Guidebook explains how to run your own coming of age project.

Aboriginal Youth DVDs

Star in Your Own Stories Star in Your Own Stories is a success story. It is a creative, engaging sexual-health project that allows Aboriginal youth to use their voices.  This collaborative project brings together Chee Mamuk, the STI/HIV Outreach Program, BC Centre for Disease Control and Good Company Communications, a new media company, to work with Aboriginal youth from various BC Nations.  The project-team works with youth for two-and-a-half days covering health issues such as HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted infection (STI) information, healthy sexuality, condom use, healthy self-esteem, how to create positive messaging, and camera equipment instruction.  The project-team then transitions the youth to create a short DVD with a positive sexual health campaign. For more information on Star in Your Own Stories, go to www.youthhavethepower.com.

• Stand True, A Film by Haisla Youth

Stand True was created by twelve Kitimaat youth in January 2007 with guidance from Chee Mamuk, STI/HIV Outreach Program and Good Company Communications. The main story line addresses how two things can spread in a community: rumors and STIs. The youth talk about how they will “Stand True” against rumors and “Stand True” in their sexual health decisions. The DVD has many positive messages on sexuality and condom use and contains a “making of” piece, which talks about HIV issues and what the youth learned in the project.

• Step Up, A Film by Chemainus, Malahat and Halalt Youth

Step Up is a creative, engaging youth sexual health project. This DVD was created in November 2007 by six Halalt, Chemainus, and Malahat youth under the guidance of Chee Mamuk, and Good Company Communications. Project partners include STI/HIV Outreach Program, BC Centre for Disease Control, AIDS Vancouver and the host of the project H’ulth-etun Health Society. As well as the having some light-hearted animation this positive messaging project focuses on the importance of getting tested for sexually transmitted infections.

• Strong Path, A Film by Stolo Youth

Strong Path DVD is a youth DVD revealing the hopes twelve Sto:lo youth have for the future of their people. This engaging DVD includes hip-hop music, traditional-inspired drumming, and storyline dealing with "partying", drinking-and-driving and condom use. The overall theme reveals the importance of sticking together and coming home to culture as important steps towards keeping our communities safe. The youth talk about their commitment to choose the "Strong Path", protect themselves and ask for help when they need it.

• By My Name, A Film by Nak'azdli Youth

By My Name DVD is a youth DVD created by 12 Nak’azdli youth. In a decolonization activity during the Star in Your Own Stories workshop they were asked, “What do you want to be called? First Nations? Aboriginal?”. They responded with, “Just call me by my name”. These youth identified colonization as part of the underlying issues for HIV and STIs in their community. Their DVD carries messages of cultural pride, transmission of culture and importance of community as ways to decolonize, counter isolation, and lower the numbers of HIV and STIs. These youth are “Proud to be Carrier”, “Carry the Message”, “Share the Facts on HIV”. They believe “Culture is Power” and know “Knowledge is Power”.

Education Materials

Education Materials Order Form
Education Accessories Order Form

• Aboriginal Women’s Empowerment, Support, Healing Pamphlets - in revision, look for new version March 2011

This series of pamphlets includes education and support resources on HIV, sexually transmitted infections, hepatitis, birth control, safer sex and safer drug use. These pamphlets are geared towards Aboriginal women and come packaged in a small folder with First Nations art through out.

• Flip Book: Put on Something Sexy

Flipping fun - a pocket-sized flip book that models condom use. Order using the Condom Resources Order Form.

• A Guide to Wise Practices for HIV/AIDS Education and Prevention Programs

This guide presents some ideas on planning HIV prevention programs for Aboriginal communities.  It is based on research and practice.  These ideas have been gathered from successful projects conducted both locally and around the world.

• Healing Hands: Aboriginal HIV Pamphlet Series - in revision, look for new version March 2012

This series of pamphlets includes information on HIV/AIDS. These pamphlets are geared towards Aboriginal people and come packaged in a folder with First Nations art through out.

• Healing House: Hepatitis C Teaching Toolkit

This series of pamphlets includes information on Hepatitis C.  These pamphlets are geared towards Aboriginal people and come packaged in a folder with Coast Salish art through out.

• HIV Testing Handout

A one-page handout geared for the Aboriginal community that explains HIV testing.

Posters

Poster Order Form

• What is Hepatitis C?
• How is Hepatitis Spread?
• Living with Hepatitis C

• Reclaiming Our Traditions Women's Poster, Sticker and Magnet
• Reclaiming Our Traditions Women's Postcard

Resources for Aboriginal Educators

• Reclaiming Tradition, Around The Kitchen Table: a Model for HIV, Hepatitis and Sexual Health Education

Reclaiming Tradition, Around The Kitchen Table: a Model for HIV, Hepatitis and Sexual Health Education is a guide that outlines the successes and challenges Chee Mamuk had in the creation of this model as well as recommendations for future implementations. The guide is geared for health educators working with Aboriginal communities and could be adapted to any health topic or population group. ATKT follows a traditional approach, recognizing that traditional knowledge and skills are passed through informal day-to-day activities. ATKT also honours Aboriginal women as natural teachers and leaders in their communities. By building on traditions and bringing women together to learn about HIV, ATKT helps increase healthy self-esteem and identity. The goal of the ATKT model is to train women in Aboriginal communities to be ATKT leaders. These leaders then implement a series of ATKT sessions with women in their own communities. These sessions combine information about HIV, hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) with cultural activities such as cedar bark weaving or beadwork.