Jordan’s Principle: Child First Initiative

What is the Child and Youth Liaison Program?

Who We Are:

The Chiefs of Treaty No. 8 (Alberta) created Treaty 8 Urban Child and Family Services with the responsibility and Vision that “each child, youth, and family within the Nations of Treaty 8 are healthy, safe, and supported to reach their full potential”. The Governing Board of Directors are Chief appointments from Treaty 8 Tribal Councils with a mandate and responsibility to preserve and protect children’s inherent Treaty Rights, customs, traditions, language, heritage, and connection to the land.

Guiding Principles

Guidance from Treaty 8 Elders supports our collective goal of ensuring Treaty 8 children have access to social, educational and health services, supports and/or products they need, when they need them free from racism and discrimination. We are in the best position to make decisions that affect our children. We are promoting the right to life, survival and development and safeguarding the best interests of the child; providing culturally appropriate services based on our standards ensuring they have access and availability of service, supports and products when they need them without denial or delay, regardless of residency, on and off-Reserve.

What Engagement Sessions Do We Offer?

The Child and Youth Initiative is based on the following guiding principle engagement sessions:

• Healthy Relationship

  • What is a dysfunctional family
  • What is self-care
  • What is conflict resolution

• Grief & Loss

  • What is depression
  • What are the five steps of Grief
  • What is your time-line in the grieving process

• Suicide Awareness

  • What is suicidal thoughts
  • What is peer pressure
  • What is bullying

• What is Addiction?

  • What are the effects of addiction on yourself and family/community
  • What is anger
  • What are triggers and how to cope

• Mental Health

  • What is anxiety
  • How to change negative thinking
  • Dreamcatcher (Learn: self regulation and patience-self confidence

• Trauma

  • What is trauma
  • What is PTSD- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • What is resiliency

• Parenting

  • What is power control
  • How important is resiliency in parenting
  • What is budgeting

• Land Based Teaching

  • Medicine picking
  • Moccasin making
  • Seven Sacred Teachings

How Much Do These Engagement Sessions Cost?

All our engagement sessions are completely free to Alberta Treaty 8 members.

When Is The Next Engagement Session?

We offer them at different times all throughout the year. For more information or to enroll please find the worker for your area below and they can provide you with more details.

Who We Serve:

Treaty 8 Urban Child and Family Services promotes access to needed services with Treaty 8 children, youth, families, and communities. Child and Youth Liaison and Youth Ambassadors have connections and knowledge of community culture, living situations and promote a wraparound service model. We have established relationships and understandings with Treaty 8 Sovereign Nations with an estimated population of over 38,000 members, on and off-Reserve. (Data source, Indigenous Services Canada, Indian Registry System, March 2022).