Description
Engaging and Empowering Aboriginal Youth: A Toolkit for Service Providers is the second edition of the popular guide book for service providers and educators working with Aboriginal youth and teens in a variety of capacities. This new edition contains a self-assessment guide to identify strengths and weaknesses in any youth organization's program. The authors include two non-Aboriginal mental health workers, Claire V. Crooks and Debbie Chinodo, and Darren Thomas, a motivational consultant from Six Nations. The book is well organized into four main sections: background and overview section provides a historical context for understanding the challenges facing Aboriginal youth; guiding principles section identifies four key tenets of effective programming with Aboriginal youth; working with schools section highlights challenges and opportunities in working with partners in the educational system; and the research and evaluation section offers a range of considerations for program evaluation and other types of research. The toolkit offers ideas and suggestions for anyone who works with youth violence prevention, Aboriginal health issues, substance use prevention, and youth programming. The sections are laid out in well-organized bullets and power point formats. They issues discussed include cultural identity, the importance of language, strategies for engaging youth, ethical guidelines for youth engagement, the role of mentoring, the importance of recognizing youth strength and accomplishments, honouring Aboriginal learning styles, engaging Aboriginal parents in the school system; and Indigenous methodologies in research. The toolkit contains several evaluation forms and checklists as well as useful information about how to approach an Elder and an overview of the Seven Grandfather Teachings. The book also contains a bibliography and a glossary of terms. Also available in French as Engagement et Responsabilisation Des Jeunes Autochtones: Trousse d'outils destinée aux fournisseurs des services .