R’Native Voice is a youth mental health program for ages 12-18 and is a prevention program to reduce drug use, incidence of suicide, depression and community violence through learning about Syilx identity and belonging, life skills and culture and language.

The R’Native Voice Coordinator works with the Band Youth Worker to plan and coordinate this program which is delivered once per year. R’Native Voice continues to work with school districts to provide school credits for participants.

The program is delivered in the seven member communities and three urban centers over 8-12 weeks, depending on community needs. In each community, a Community Liaison Worker is assigned to assist in delivery of program. The curriculum is structured in a way that encourages each group to invite local resource people such as Elders, Storytellers, Mentors and other community teachers to participate and share their knowledge. The curriculum has been revised utilizing captikwl and nsyilxcәn in all components.

R’Native Voice Curriculum

1. Orientation
2. Write It On Your Heart: ɋʹayantx l aspuɁɋʹus
3. Our Roots Our Beliefs Part 1: iɁ skcxˇ wiplaɁtət
4. Our Roots Our Beliefs Part 2: iɁ skcxˇ wiplaɁtət
5. Depression: spaɁa
6. Grief: qəlspuɁus
7. Loving Yourself: xˇ ast spuɁus
8. Physical Health: kwu͜ xiɁtmíst (we run)
9. Drugs & Alcohol: nkncintn uł nxˇ wus (poison and alcohol)
10. Sexual Health: iɁ scxwəl xˇ wáltət (our health or our life)
11. Community Project: iɁ snqsilxwtət
12. Self Esteem: npútaɁtn (respect)
13. Bullying: nxilsm (respect one’s feelings)
14. Social Justice & Current Issues: scmʹ aɁmʹ áy (news)
15. Wrap Up: paƛmcín (end of a story)

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k^wu x̌ast is a prevention program that creates a space for children to safely express and explore their creativity through a variety of art forms and settings. Participants will at times work in one large group, small groups or individually.

As a large group, children will come together to talk and decide about a group art project. While in small groups children will participate in role-playing games and a variety of fun activities to further develop their social interaction skills. Individual work may include working on one’s own art project. Such projects may include photography, shadow puppetry, theatre, singing and more. Some of these activities will take place on the land, to allow children to connect with nature.

k^wu x̌ast encourages children to expand their creativity while also learning new skills to express themselves, and become their authentic self through personal development.

The k^wu x̌ast Program Coordinator works with the community contact to arrange and plan delivery of the k^wu x̌ast Program.

 

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ONA’s Fish in Schools program is one of the key fish education programs for youth in the region, particularly the Sockeye salmon, so that students may become future advocates for both salmon and their habitat.

Since 2003 Okanagan Nation Alliance’s FinS (Fish in Schools, previously S2S-Stream to Sea) in-class program has been educating regional students and teachers about the salmon lifecycle and the importance of their ecosystem so that they may become future advocates for both salmon and their habitat. FinS supplies the necessary equipment and support needed for students to raise from egg to fry stage. ONA provides a 29 Gallon tank with cover, stand/cart, aquarium chiller, and start up supplies; gravel, filters, filter replacements, siphon, insulated cover, thermometer, water conditioners as well as the salmon spawn.

Beginning in mid-January, ONA staff delivered the fertilized eggs to the participating schools and explain the lifecycle and habitat requirements to the students. We also explain the external physical attributes of both male and female Sockeye and answer any questions. Once the eggs have hatched, and buttoned up, the fry will be fed daily until ready for release. During incubation and rearing, the tank will be monitored to ensure that water and temperatures are within the healthy limits for raising sockeye.

2023 Participating Schools

Okanagan Subbasin
Casorso Elementary
Dorothea Walker Elementary
Sensisyusten
Enowkin Centre
Outma Sqilxw
PIB Health Centre
West Bench Elementary
Queens Park Elementary
KVR Middle School
Columbia Elementary
Wiltse Elementary
Penticton K-12 Excel
OK Falls Elementary
Tuc-el-nuit Elementary
Senpokchin Elementary
Oliver Elementary
Southern Okanagan Secondary School
Osoyoos Elementary
Osoyoos Secondary
Ntamqen School
Cawston Primary
Similkameen Elementary Secondary School
John Allison Elementary

Upper Columbia
Hutton Elementary
Christina Lake Elementary
South Nelson Elementary
Hume Elementary
LV Rogers Secondary
Mount Sentinel Secondary
Ecole des Sentiers-Alpins
Twin Rivers Elementary
Kinnaird Elementary
Glenmerry Elementary
Rossland Summit School
St. Michael’s Catholic School
Perley Elementary
Greenwood Elementary
WE Graham (Slocan)
Brent Kennedy Elementary
JL Crowe Secondary
Webster Elementary
Robson Community School
Fruitvale Elementary
Burton Elementary
Nakusp Elementary
Lucerne Elementary
Edgewood Elementary
Ecole des Sept-Sommets
Big White Community School
Christina Lake Stewardship Society

When the sockeye fry are ready, they will be transferred to the Penticton Channel where they will be released with the rest of the Hatchery fry at the Annual ONA Sockeye Fry Release.

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