Empowering Indigenous Youth Focus Forward for Indigenous Youth

Province: Ontario

Community: Thunder Bay, supporting northern First Nations

Date: 2024-2025

Focus Forward for Indigenous Youth implemented a multi-site initiative between September to June 2025, aiming to empower First Nations youth through culturally grounded employment and skills training. The project partnered with the Timmins Native Friendship Centre and the Matawa Education and Care Centre to reach youth from 13 northern Ontario First Nations. Participants engaged in cultural workshops, safety certifications, career planning, and hands-on learning to build skills and confidence for the labour market.

In Thunder Bay, youth participated in a 12-week welding-focused construction project, which included certifications such as WHMIS, First Aid, and Working at Heights. Meanwhile, in Timmins, a week-long cultural workshop introduced youth to traditional skills like moccasin-making and market weaving. “Youth learned this skill through a member of their community who was contracted for the week by Focus Forward,” the organization noted.

The initiative was developed in response to urgent needs among youth from remote communities, many of whom face barriers related to “historical trauma, social determinants of health, economic disparities, educational obstacles, cultural identity preservation, mental health concerns, and geographic isolation”. These challenges, Focus Forward explained, required holistic support grounded in cultural identity and local mentorship.

Evaluation relied on a culturally responsive framework, including surveys, sharing circles, and feedback forms. Key outcomes included increased self-esteem, new certifications, and enhanced employment readiness. As one measure of success, Focus Forward reported that youth “gained specific skills to go forward into the labour market” and were expected to “attain a job successfully” due to increased confidence and awareness of their own capabilities.

Focus Forward emphasized that this project was built on earlier successful partnerships and reflected its long-term goal to “foster connections with Indigenous culture” while building a foundation for “a brighter and more prosperous future for individuals and their communities.”