Debra G. Edzerza (author)
Willow Brown (Thesis advisor)
University of Northern British Columbia (Degree granting institution)

2014

Master of Education (MEd)

Education-Multidisciplinary Leadership

Number of pages in document: 36

The author of this study, a First Nations teacher, has designed a culturally sensitive workshop for northern youth addressing mental health concerns. The ten hour workshop, entitled A Person First!, will encourage youth to consider the harmful impact of stigma on people who have mental health issues. The need for a workshop that appeals specifically to First Nations youth is evident in Yukon and in other northern communities, currently there is a lack of culturally relevant workshops that addresses mental health issues in remote northern communities. A Person First! Is geared towards First Nations learners and will be presented n the context of the cultural beliefs systems within their own communities. The author has presented a leader's guide for local facilitators that includes instructions for the use of video clips, circle discussions, and a self-reflection tool based on the Medicine Wheel. The workshop design, supported by research, recommends community education to promote youth resilience through stigmas reduction and peer support. As community-based education, this workshop was designed to stimulate transformative change in youth thinking and behavior so that peers experiencing mental health issues will experience a supportive environment.

Indian youth -- Mental health services -- Yukon.
Youth -- Mental health services -- Yukon.
Peer counseling
Indian youth -- Mental health -- Yukon.
Youth -- Mental health -- Yukon.

https://doi.org/10.24124/2014/bpgub1675

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