Snuneymuxw First Nation Youth Centre

Snuneymuxw First Nation Youth Centre is a safe environment. Youth ages 6 years and up are invited to drop in for a variety of activities.
We have one Brighter Futures Co-ordinator and one Recreation Director and four Youth Workers currently working within our Youth Programs.
Our programs and activities include some of the following:

• Recreation
• Arts & Crafts
• Video Nights
• Cooking Nights
• Youth Conferences
• Fields Trips: (movies, skiing, etc.)
• Educational Programs: Lifeskills, STD Awareness, etc.

We have a Pool Table, TV/VCR, Fooseball, Air Hockey and Computers. We also have a fridge, stove, and microwave and a work space available for youth to do homework on the computers with Internet service.

It's a fun, safe learning environment that encourages all youth to participate in. For more information please feel free to drop in!

Snuneymuxw First Nation Youth Work Experience Program

The Nation welcomes Rachel Wuttunee, the new Coordinator for the Youth Work Experience Program. She will be spending the next 24 weeks helping six student-youth make a transition into the work place and/or school.

She is the appointed youth representative of her nation Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (KI) on international issues, Aboriginal mentor with VIU, a successful hip hop artist from a musically successful family, mother of two daughters. She is also a recent graduate of VIU with a Bachelor‘s in First Nation Studies. In these and other ways Rachel relates to the challenges youth face in today‘s world.

In her current work Rachel will use both modern and traditional forms of knowledge to help prepare the students, (three men and three women), for some career choices and life changes. We‘ll be guided by the Snuneymuxw Elders so that we stay true to the Snuneymuxw identity.

Rachel‘s travels have already taken her to Europe and across North America and she feels very much at home in Snuneymuxw Traditional Territory. She lived here while attending VIU and during that time benefited from the support networks developed by Dr White and other Snuneymuxw members. "The community helped me enormously while I pursued higher education here and I‘m pleased to be able to participate in the community and to give back." You can visit Rachel online at www.myspace.com/okimaskwesis .

Summer Recreation

Youth Employment Program

The SFN Youth Centre has six new employees whom have started their positions early this fall. The youth are responsible for supervising and planning daily events that can enhance and aid our young students ability to cope and manage with an ever-changing peer environment.

The successful applicants are: Billy Ann Seward, Jennifer White, Sheana Brown, Jillian White, Bill Vautour and Samantha Wesley. Congratulations!

Youth Centre hours of operation are Monday to Friday, 4:00pm to 9:00pm until further notice.

The Breakfast Club

The Breakfast Club is back! Bill Yoachim was instrumental in getting this program and the After School Program going again. This program is being provided for all children in our community who are attending school. Cooperation between the SFN Health Centre and Youth Centre has allowed the Breakfast Club to be situated, this year, at the Health Centre kitchen on I.R. # 1. A health-team representative will be present each morning to talk with children about study habits, social skills and nutrition and also a wide range of youth oriented topics will be included. Hours for the Club are 7:30am to 8:30am, Monday to Friday.

After-School Program

An after-school program is currently being worked out and will also be starting early this fall season. Details and times will be posted when finalized. Thank you to all participants who help make such programs viable and accessible, also we look forward to seeing our youth come out and take advantage of these opportunities.

Youth Centre Hours

Monday - Friday: 4:00 - 9:00 pm

Example of our Calendar of Events:

Mondays: Drop-in Activities
Tuesdays: Activity Night
Wednesdays: Gym Night 7:30 - 8:30 pm
Thursdays: Craft Night 4:00 - 7:00 pm
Fridays: Gym Night for ages 6 years - 11 years old, 6:00 - 8:00 pm at John Barsby Gym

Youth Centre Staff

Brighter Futures Coordinator
(250)754-1300
Recreation Director
(250)754-1300

Location

474A Centre Street, Nanaimo