Feathers of Hope Inc.

At the first Feathers of Hope forum in 2013, more than 100 youth (representing 62 of the 91 northern First Nations communities in Ontario) came to Thunder Bay to talk about the realities of life in their communities (i.e. mental and physical health, culture and identity, the legacy of residential schools, employment and opportunities for youth). Their voices and ideas for change were captured in a

ground-breaking report entitled, Feathers of Hope: A First Nations Youth Action Plan. Some of the themes identified in that report include:
1. Education & Skill Development
3. Recreation and Programming
4. Health

Feathers of Hope is committed to providing culturally safe spaces for youth to amplify their voices and to affect the change they desire. Feathers of Hope will ensure the empowerment of First Nations youth, so they can continue to be their own leaders. Feathers of Hope will respect protocol in all that we do. Feathers of Hope will follow the principles of the seven grandfather teachings – Humility, Bravery, Honesty, Wisdom, Truth, Love, and Respect – and model these values to the young people. Our team works towards the revitalization and retention of culture, identity, and belonging among First Nations youth. We will strive to keep the movement youth-driven so it may stay true to what young people want.