Young Indigenous Women's Circle of Leadership

Support the Young Indigenous Women's Circle of Leadership program and you inspire girls for the future. The leadership skills they learn will give them strength throughout their lives. The cultural teachings they receive will increase their sense of belonging. And by holding the program at a university, young women are introduced to the possibilities of further education. All of which advance the journey started by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.

The program also helps young women forge a future without violence. Studies show Indigenous women are almost three times more likely than non-Indigenous women to be victims of violent crime in Canada. Experts say empowering Indigenous girls, through programs like the Young Indigenous Women's Circle of Leadership, is part of the solution.

Strong as a Bull

As one of only a handful of First Nations students in her school, J'Vin Bull's days used to be lonely and stressful. "I felt really out of place," says the Edmonton teenager. Some students mocked her by imitating war cries from old movies. Bull felt hurt and didn't know what else to do but stay quiet. One summer, she found her voice.

Bull went to the Young Indigenous Women's Circle of Leadership, held every summer at the University of Alberta. The two-week program is open to Indigenous girls 10-16 years old. To remove financial barriers, the program is free of charge. The program is popular - with around two dozen girls taking part each year and another 22 on the waiting list.

Participants learn traditional dances, songs, beading and prayers. They meet with elders, go to sweat ceremonies, take day trips outside the city to pick wild sweetgrass and sage, and perform skits that help them stand up for their cultural identity.

"Now I'm not that shy. Now I love myself more."
- J'Vin Bull, program participant

For participants like Bull, the Young Indigenous Women's Circle of Leadership is a chance to learn teachings and culture with which they may have had little experience. Bull has incorporated practices like smudging and prayer into her daily life. She has kept in touch with other participants and says she has gained more confidence.

"Now I'm not that shy. Now I love myself more," says Bull. The lessons Bull learned and the friendships she made helped her deal with bullies when she returned to school. The next time she was teased, she turned to her classmates. "I said, 'It's not funny to make fun of other people's cultures, and that's my culture. And I feel offended by that.' I felt good because I actually stood up for myself."

The bullies never teased her again.