The Akwe:go Program provides urban aboriginal children ages 7-12 with the support tools and healthy activities which will build upon and foster their inherent ability to make healthy choices. The design of this program is based on one fundamental principle: to improve the quality of life of urban Aboriginal children through the delivery of culturally appropriate programs and services. “Akwe:go” is a Mohawk word that means “All of Us”. Akwe:go Naheywatiiseewin – All of Us In Balance
Program Goal
- Assist children and youth development through increasing life skills, safety awareness, and anti-violence education.
- Support circles and one-to-one informal counselling.
- Access to culturally appropriate services for adoptive, foster parents, and caregivers of Indigenous children and/or youth.
- Teaching and learning activities that foster and increase self-esteem and promote healthy behaviors and relationships.
- Support children and youth through institutional interventions, such as providing school suspension supports, homework help, referrals to tutoring and/or criminal justice prevention and intervention activities.
- After school activities for children and youth (specifically FASD).
- Fostering program integration to provide support for parents and families.
Program Objectives
- Provision of social supports to address self-esteem issues, victimization issues and peer.
- Through outreach, the program aims to increase access to culturally appropriate services for Child in care and their families, and to include support and education for non-Aboriginal adoptive and foster parents;
- Promotion of health and physical development to address interrelated health impacts of poverty, diabetes, and obesity;
- Increase support for children in through institutional interventions, by providing school suspension supports, direct access to computers and literacy initiatives, and encouraging healthy relationships with peers and authority figures and;
- Increase support for children with FASD and/or Disabilities and their families by proving access to tutoring and mentoring, supervised physical activities and incorporating a parent support component.
Program Outcomes
- To ensure the children and their families grow healthy and happy together as a whole.
- To honor and bring back the traditional culture in their lives.
- To provide our clients the best support possible to live a good life.
- To assist our children/youth maintain a healthy relationship, with their families.
- To ensure they feel safe and supported.
Target Population
First Nations, Metis, Inuit and self-identifying Indigenous children ages 7-12.
Services Offered
- Education, Fitness and Nutrition
- Life Skills (cooking classes)
- Transportation
- Workshops (self-identity and self-esteem)
- Cultural teachings, Language classes, traditional activities (ceremonies, drumming, singing, dancing, arts and crafts)
- Mental Health Supports, Resources, Awareness
