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Robert Pourier Jr. Oglala Lakota
Researcher/Academic
Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, United States of America

 

Young Medicine Movement: Community Youth Empowerment Model

Pourier Jr., R. E., KillEagle, D., Brockie, T.
Pecha Kucha Presentation
Tuesday 10 December, 1:20pm

Purpose: The Young Medicine Movement (YMM) was created to build nursing, STEM, and public healthrelated career pathways for youth and to reinvigorate cultural and community competencies. Fort Belknap Aaniiih and Nakoda youth hold a profound vision of healing and reclamation of their culture, language, and community. 

 

Methods: YMM is a 7-week culturally tailored, preparatory educational program for Native American high-school students, with aims to promote wellbeing and increase representation of Native Americans in nursing, public health, and STEM. We maintain a focus on building the cultural and historical knowledge of our scholars. 

 

Results: Three years of implementation has confirmed program acceptability and feasibility, while highlighting necessary adaptations for program sustainability. Our experience emphasizes the importance of culturally adapted programming and demonstrates the potential for scaling to other reservation communities. The cultural and community competency of our scholars has grown, enhancing their cultural identity as a protective factor. 

 

Conclusions: The YMM provides a model for enhancing the capacity of Tribal communities to implement a multi-level approach to current and future youth wellbeing through the development of youth skills, connection to culture, and career pathways. 

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