Conference to inspire and empower Indigenous youth held in Regina

WATCH: The White Raven Healing Centre is hosting a conference for Indigenous youth with hopes to inspire. Mick Favel reports.

A two-day conference hosted by the White Raven Healing Centre (WRHC) is underway, aimed at inspiring and empowering Indigenous youth from the File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Council’s 11 First Nation communities.

The WRHC serves 11 First Nations with a holistic approach focused on culture, recovery, and prevention. The services offered include outpatient counselling, addictions and cultural support, and community outreach.

The “Your Power Within” conference centered around the theme of culture as medicine - offering youth a supportive space to explore their identities, culture and a place to share their stories.

“We wanted to offer a space for them to gather, be empowered, and recognize that they have a voice. Their voice matters, and they carry the medicines of our future.” said Dianne Campeau (Ji’Gaabiikwe), the director from the White Raven Healing Centre.

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The conference was aimed at addressing the challenges that many Indigenous communities and people face, including intergenerational trauma and the struggles of mental health and addictions.

“Some of them don’t even realize that they’re carrying traumas that aren’t even theirs. They witness coping mechanisms like alcohol and drug use, and the mental health struggles that come with that. So, we want to reclaim and bring back how beautiful our culture is,” Campeau explained.

Cultural activities like pipe ceremonies, traditional songs, and storytelling form the heart of the event, alongside workshops led by speakers with lived experience in healing, media, sport, and recovery.

One of the voices at the conference is Treaty 4 Powwow Princess Layla Okeeweehow, who performed a song on behalf of her aunt.

“I started singing when I was three years old. My late mushum taught me my first song, and from there my journey of culture began. Being a young person that walks the ceremonial life is a really good experience,” Okeeweehow explained.

Mitchell So’Oyewaste, the youth program coordinator with the WRHC, emphasized the importance of creating a space for honest conversations surrounding trauma.

“Youth are dealing with big issues - mental health, grief, anxiety, identity … and it’s one thing for an older adult to say, ‘You can do it - but when they see someone who looks like them, who’s walked a hard road and made it, it clicks,” said So’Oyewaste.

White Raven’s goal is to offer inspiration through relatable role models like Indigenous rapper Drezus, LGBTQ+ advocate Darren Star, language and recovery champion Novelli Fox, as well as media and sport mentors.

Amanda Okeeweehow, who co-organized the event, said planning began back in January and was created by feedback from youth themselves.

“We wanted to give them those role models to show them, ‘You can be that person,’” Amanda said. “Maybe you’re in a tough place now, but there’s a way out. And culture can be that spark.”

“This generation is more open about trauma and mental health. I think it’s because there are more resources and support available now.” Okeeweehow went on to say.

Organizers hope that this event becomes an annual conference that will offer youth a place to heal, share and grow.

“If we don’t focus on our youth,” Mitchell said, “then the future is a big question mark. So, let’s give them the blueprint. Let’s help them build a better road than the one we had to walk,” So’Oyewaste went on to say.

The White Raven Healing Centre is located in Fort Qu’Appelle’s All Nations Healing Hospital and looks to continue to inspire, heal and empower Indigenous people within Treaty 4 Territory.