First Nations kids in care focus of Feathers of Hope conference in Thunder Bay
CBC News | Posted: May 20, 2015 2:54 PM | Last Updated: May 20, 2015
'It's just to have that spark or that little piece of hope again in order for them to move forward '
Over 100 young First Nations people from across the province are in Thunder Bay Wednesday, for the third Feathers of Hope youth forum.
This time the focus is on the child welfare system.
Samantha Crowe, one of the young people leading the event under the title of "amplifier," said First Nations children are vastly over-represented in care, accounting for as much as 65 per cent of the child welfare cases in some provinces.
She said many of the delegates at the conference will have personal experiences to share.
"For this forum we wanted to hear directly from kids who have experienced the child welfare [system], so the majority of the young people have experienced the child welfare system either themselves, or by family members or friends," Crowe said.
"The young people are going to be raw and real and share their experiences whether they are positive or negative and we need to hear what they have to say and their recommendations, because these have been their daily lives for a long time."
Crowe, who lives in Thunder Bay but is from Lake Helen First Nation, said feedback from the forum will be used to compile a report that will be distributed to politicians and other decision makers.
Crowe said the Feathers of Hope initiative, which gives young people the chance to be heard, is having a positive impact.
"It's just to have that spark or that little piece of hope again in order for them to move forward and to do great and amazing things within their own communities, and that is the impact that Feathers of Hope is all about," she said.