This past February, more than 250 participants from a wide range of backgrounds came together to reflect on and mobilize themselves around the important issues affecting the children and youths of the First Nations. Further to promoting exchanges among the various people from the communities (leaders, directors, child and youth workers, etc.), we had the opportunity to discuss our realities with our fellow citizens in Quebec, as individuals and as representatives of external organizations.

Restoring to our children the conditions necessary for ensuring their development and guaranteeing them a future – that was the source of our motivation! We talked about the unfortunate realities of colonization, about the uprooting of our people, and about the misery and poverty it has caused. But we also talked about identity, pride, self-esteem, traditions, languages and cultures. We looked back at our past, discussed our present and dreamed about our future. We experienced memorable days together, united by the same spirit and infused with the same desire to bring about meaningful changes.

Background of the Children and Youth Forum

The First Nations Children and Youth Forum is one of the actions making up The Quebec First Nations Health and Social Services Blueprint 2007-2017: Closing the Gaps… Accelerating Change, which stresses the importance of working with children and young people. The Forum gave involved organizations and workers the opportunity to come together for talks and workshops on children and youths. It allowed them not only to gain an overview of the situation but also to reflect jointly on the changes that must be made and on the means necessary for bringing about those changes.

Impacts of the Forum

Following the Forum, several actions and activities for promoting the healthy development of children were given concrete shape at several levels:

First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Chiefs’ Assembly

First of all, during the week following the Forum, the Chiefs met in assembly and gave special emphasis to the initiative taken by the FNQLHSSC to organize the Forum, which had proved to be highly unifying and motivating. They also declared 2008 to be the year in which our priorities would be based on our children and youths.

In addition, the profits from the AFNQL golf tournament will now go towards creating a summer camp for First Nations children. The concept will be developed in the coming year; this work will be done jointly with the regional commissions and organizations. Various partners will be asked to provide their expertise and financial support.

First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Health and Social Services Commission

For purposes of preparing our three-year strategic plan as follow-up to the Quebec First Nations Health and Social Services Blueprint 2007-2017, we will analyze all of the recommendations that were made at the workshops held during the Forum. These recommendations will ensure better support for the communities and cohesion in our actions and activities.

We will also emphasize support for parental skills in the coming year. In that regard, the health and social services sector and the early childhood sector will work together to develop tools in order to provide better support to First Nations workers and families in the area of parental skills.

Foundation

A foundation will be created with various partners for combating First Nations poverty. It will serve to fund projects developed with the specific objective of improving the health and living conditions of First Nations families and children.

First Nations Head Start program (FNHS)

The First Nations Head Start program (FNHS) is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. To mark this anniversary, the FNQLHSSC will assist the regional office in organizing an event for all workers and educators at the FNHS sites and for the families of children aged 0 to 6. This will be an excellent opportunity for mobilizing ourselves around an issue of concern to us all – the future of our children and youths.

Special needs

Following the submission of the report entitled “Regional portrait of the situation concerning special needs of the Quebec First Nations clientele aged 0 to 6,” the FNQLHSSC will develop an action plan for special needs children.

Custom adoption

Finally, a working group on Aboriginal custom adoption will be created in the very near future to analyze custom adoption in the Quebec Aboriginal communities and to propose the conditions and means and other various things that can be put into place in the event that recognition is given to the practices of custom adoption in the communities.



The final report on the Forum is available at our website, along with video excerpts and the content of presentations.

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