Next Generation

NorthWind Family Ministries work with youth and young adults is twofold:

Enhance

Many of our Indigenous youth and young adults live in fear of violence and discrimination daily. Many have also suffered through trauma and grief.

Thunder Bay is at times an unsafe place for our Indigenous youth and young adults. These young people need a supportive environment to learn how to assess safety and address decisions brought about by the struggles of adolescence such as low self-esteem.

In response, we developed a program called Enhance. It is designed as a well-rounded program including relationship-building weekend retreats, volunteer experiences, weekly mentorship, and LifeBuild workshops. Although Enhance is a new program, we have successfully accomplished parts of it in years past as we hosted Aboriginal students for recreation/land-based retreats and offered them LifeBuild workshops. We are confident that Enhance has a great potential of providing effective support to at-risk Aboriginal students.

• Each participant will have a one-on-one mentor to help him/her to succeed in all aspects of the Enhance program. Each participant’s mentor will support success, offer life-affirming feedback as needed. All NorthWind staff and volunteers are vulnerable sector screened. Registered professional counsellors are available upon request.
• The Enhance program concludes with a weekend retreat at Eagle’s Cove; it is geared to encourage and demonstrate personal growth and community connections.
• Participants are encouraged to continue to attend other LifeBuild workshops offered monthly and remain connected to mentors, coaches and other participants.