A Brief History

The 2020 Indigenous Youth Conference was a two-day virtual conference designed by and for Indigenous youth leaders in the North Sound region and took place on October 22 and 23, 2020. The conference was designed to be a safe space for youth and young adults (18-24) to share their ideas and experiences. As identified by the conference planning committee, the overall goals of the 2020 Indigenous Youth Conference were to:

• Get youth’s attention in the North Sound region.

• Inform youth of opportunities their communities offer.

• Get youth and young leaders active and involved in the community.

Within the North Sound region, as well as across the nation, youth and young leaders are leading the way in their communities and families. Unfortunately, the public and private school systems as well as the healthcare systems in place, have historically been constructed without intentionality for access to services by and for Indigenous youth and/or young Indigenous people. North Sound ACH heard a call to action when Indigenous youth and young leaders vocalized that as a result of systemic design and racism, it is easy for marginalized communities to feel alone or isolated. Further, Indigenous youth expressed that it remains difficult to know how to get the right kind of help for the specific needs of Indigenous people and communities.

Read more about the inaugural two-day conference here.