Nine projects awarded Crime Prevention and Victim Services Trust funds in fall 2023 intake

Crime Prevention and Victim Services Trust fall 2023 recipients:

FH Collins School Council – FH Collins Indigenous Academy Hide Camp Program was awarded $15,000 to host Youth Hide camp, a 10-day program which will allow students to travel off-campus and spend time on the land working on traditional hide tanning methods, as well as activities such as drum making and Elder talks. The goal is to ignite a passion for culture, learning and leadership while promoting positive interactions with peers and community role models.

Inclusion Yukon – Insight for Life Inclusive Youth Group was awarded $16,356 to deliver a nine-week program tailored for mindfulness and emotional intelligence, in their efforts to create healthy, peer to peer opportunities for marginalized, isolated youth (in pre and early adulthood). Weekly sessions will teach neurodiverse participants a variety of skills and tools in a low barrier, supported delivery model.

Japanese Canadian Association of Yukon – Anti-Racism Workshop was awarded $2,465 to host an Anti-Racism Workshop for their members, consisting of two separate workshops - one for adults and another for children and youth - where participants will reflect on their identities, cultural backgrounds, stereotypes, racial dynamics in Canada and how these factors influence various aspects of their lives, including mental health, employment and parenting.

Larrikin Entertainment Ensemble – Jenny Hamilton – Teenage Cult Leader was awarded $31,000, a professionally staged production that will be comedic, heart-felt and occasionally, a little bit sad. Jenny will tell of her tumultuous early years, growing up "gay and different" in 1980s Whitehorse, the courage and resilience she had to find to endure and survive in the face of the bullying, abuse and prejudice which was prevalent in small town northern Canada in that era, and the incredible power of finding the right mentor in those important, early years.

Nakai Theatre Ensemble – Safer Artistic Spaces Programming was awarded $2,250 to train local arts organizations in order to equip them and their staff or membership with essential skills to prevent crime, to help others protect themselves from being victimized, and to support victims. Some of the areas of focus will be understanding consent, the impacts of gender-based violence, bystander intervention training, de-escalation skills, reporting and documenting training. 

Tr'ondek Hwech'in First Nation – TH First Hunt 2023 was awarded $14,800 to host their fall harvest traditional camp for youth, where they’ll be on the land learning about the moose and caribou harvesting process, conservation, traditional medicines and foods, Han language, traditional and justice systems and addiction and its effects on family and community. Youth will take part in traditional healing and cultural activities with positive role models, Elders, mentors and strong social support.

Victoria Faulkner Women's Centre – Sisterhood Peer Support Group for Moms and Grandmothers with Kids in Care was awarded $29,632 for their bi-weekly support group, special workshops and a land-based gathering for participants with children or grandchildren in care. The program will be led by a lived experience facilitator and the group will focus on culturally relevant healing and mental health tools, parenting skills, self-development and personal advocacy skills – this will be the only group of its kind in the territory. 

Village of Teslin – First Assist Community Program was awarded $27,757 to bring First Assist, an Indigenous-run charity that advances educational achievement in Indigenous communities through sport, to Teslin to help rural students - especially those hardest to reach - find success in school by using sport as a motivational tool to promote attendance, increase classroom engagement and promote healthy habits for life. Additionally, they aim to revitalize the Teslin Minor Hockey program.

Yukon Aboriginal Women's Council – Medicine from the Land Healing Program was awarded $36,600 to expand their current Medicine from the Land Healing project so victims of violence and the communities of MMIWG can participate in more on-the-land activities in support of healing and community building. These additional on-the-day days will help victims of gender-based violence have access to culturally appropriate services and support and will include invitations to extended family, community members and friends of victims to attend – encouraging holistic community healing and supporting gender-based violence prevention efforts across the Yukon.