YIWCL

Young Indigenous Women's Circle of Leadership (YIWCL) is a not-for-profit educational program for young Indigenous women, ages 10-16.  This program provides an opportunity for young women to learn an Indigenous education.  Immersed in the Cree language, young women receive teachings regarding the value of women, leadership,  and responsibility that is found within Cree knowledge systems.  The importance  of this program is that it provides the young women with access  to the language and traditional knowledge, traditional knowledge holders and Elders.  Many of Canada's policies and legislations regarding Indigenous peoples are responsible for the barriers of knowledge transmission from generation to generation.  For example,  the Indian residential school education policy, and Child welfare policies have removed Indigenous children from their families and land, thus preventing the integral Indigenous knowledge transmission from family to child.  YIWCL provides young women with the human right to learn their language and the knowledge of their ancestors.  This knowledge is integral to their ability to be the strong young women their ancestors prayed for them to be.  

Our program runs for two weeks in the summer and four times throughout the year.   The program is taught by Indigenous knowledge holders who also hold graduate degrees and or have many years experience in teaching.

Young Indigenous Women's Circle of Leadership is held at the University of Alberta who provides the space, however U of A does not provide financial contributions.  Please help YIWCL reach its 9th year of programming!  Previously, Alliance Pipeline and National Indian Brotherhood had provided funding.  However, both sponspors are no longer able to contribute.
The cost per child for this program is approximately $1600.00.  We would like to accommodate 25 young women.  

YIWCL has no funding for our upcoming program and needs your financial help.  This is an opportunity to be a part of the change Canada's Truth and Reconciliation has called for to redress the wrongs of the past, and create a lasting legacy Canada could be proud of.  For more info, please see our website: http://ile.ualberta.ca/YIWCL

For links to articles written about YIWCL - Please see:

http://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/cree-girls-cultural-summer-camp-at-risk

http://www.dorisjeannemackinnon.ca/single-post/2016/09/30/Young-Indigenous-Womens-Circle-of-Leadership

http://illuminate.ualberta.ca/tags/young-indigenous-women%E2%80%99s-circle-leadership

http://illuminate.ualberta.ca/content/healing-legacy-cultural-genocide-through-new-generation-aboriginal-women

We are desperately looking for funding, and anything offered would be so dearly and grately appreciated!
Please share with everyone you know :)