HealthyNativeYouth.org contains health promotion curricula and resources for American Indian and Alaska Native youth. The site is designed for tribal health educators, teachers, and parents – providing the training and tools needed to access and deliver effective, age-appropriate programs.
We welcome you to submit your own curriculum for consideration. Learn More
At first I didn’t know what I was to be doing because the Native STAND curriculum was given to me and I didn’t have any idea what I was getting myself into with the program. As I worked and communicated with other educators, it was great that others were willing to share what and how they have been implementing Native STAND in their communities. Since our tribal program had strong collaborations with the local and neighboring schools, we decided to implement Native STAND at these three sites. Working with students at all three school was a great experience! I, too, had learned from the students as they taught me new teen vocabulary about sex which changed a lot since my days in school! We had the chance to build a great relationship, the trust they had in us as educators was strong, and all the students started to open up more. They talked about anything they wanted to talk about — Native STAND class was an open and safe place for them to learn about sensitive topics — not one student at any of the schools were left but used their voice. The Native STAND curriculum has given me the opportunity to be more confident in what I do at work, while also opening me up on how to communicate and work with students. It also taught me how to gain trust. Implementing Native STAND was extremely awesome! I’m really happy that I was the one to implement this curriculum. We will keep continuing to implement Native STAND!
Native VOICES was helpful for the students to have relatability to the Native American characters. Students wanted more videos to help with other peer pressure subjects like drugs, fighting, and friends. I very much enjoyed having the ability to show this film because it kept the students engaged and helped them ask questions.
The students enjoyed the Native VOICES videos in conjuntion with Positive Prevention Plus (P3) commenting on how many P3 lesson themes they noticed throughout such as getting tested for STDs, bullying, condoms, dental dams, and that anybody can be infected.
I enjoyed the Native It’s Your Game homework assignments! Seeing parents discuss these issues with their students is SO important!
The youth were very glad they attended the viewing of the Native VOICES videos.
The Native VOICES content seemed to really resonate with the students!
As a 30-year veteran teacher, I can say the Healing of the Canoe is the most flexible curriculum to work with many diverse groups of students! I have had the privilege and honor of using it to build resiliency and hope in many youth. They are our future! They are worth our time! This curriculum gives you tools to guide them in knowing who they are, helps them say no to things that take them off their path, and yes to things that keep them on their successful journey. I’m truly grateful to be working for the Cowlitz Indian Tribe & honored to facilitate HOC ❤!
I have had the honor of participating in the Healing of the Canoe program for the Cowlitz Tribe as the Elder mentor/cultural educator. I find this program to be extremely beneficial to our youth. The outreach to schools is so successful. This is due to our staff’s dedication.
The students enjoyed the Native It’s Your Game lessons!
This is a great program! It has given many of the students the information that they were seeking, but were afraid to ask the questions. This program has also opened the door for discussion with parents – their children were able to show them fact sheets – and has helped them discuss their concerns. I have an even closer relationship with my own children. We were able to discuss some of the fact sheets and now I feel that this has helped in my own home to move things in a more positive direction in our communication with one another.
Native It’s Your Game is a very cool program! And helpful! As a single mother with a boy, these are not topics that I could handle by myself. I know that it is a bit embarrassing for him to talk with me about some of these subjects, but I also know that it will be good for the both of us. I wish they had something like this when I was young!
I had the opportunity to teach the Native STAND curriculum after-school in the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community to several tribal prevention and youth programs. It’s a great program to teach skills to young people about healthy decision making and reducing risky behaviors. Once a teen completes this program, they can then serve as a peer educator or youth leader for their community with information, resources and referral. I plan to continue to teach as it is having a positive impact.
I believe that the curriculum for Native STAND was great at starting conversations among students because it made the topics less intimidating. I also liked that Native STAND was able to be tailored to fit our community and our goals. Our ideas were always welcomed and supported in teaching the curriculum within our local schools.
Native STAND has been a powerful and engaging curriculum in our community. The curriculum and developmental resources it has provided has brought youth and community together to learn and pass their teachings on to their peers. The Red Lake Native STAND youth groups are excited and happy to continue groups & educational events on into the future!
The videos are very helpful! You have done a wonderful job putting this curriculum together.
I really believe that the modules in the curriculum are great in how the flow in the timeline of adolescent development. I also find that this curriculum is adaptable to the small rural towns that border and neighbor tribal communities; as the cultures for both have strikingly similar barriers to education based on socio-economic status.
This is a wonderful entertaining video! The students enjoyed watching it!
My students enjoyed the discussion and the role playing activities!
I think the video was VERY well done! The personal experiences in the beginning with the Luke’s family really engaged me and brought the severity of the topic closer to home.
I thought it was really good and would like to be able to use it for trainings with others and as a referral for people. I am a mental health practitioner working in suicide prevention, intervention, and post-vention, and I think it would be a valuable tool for me. Good job!
This training is excellent, especially for those adults working with youth in contexts beyond social services. Being in Indian County involves many social, economic, educational and recreational contexts. It is good that it offers training for people to effectively and proactively support our Native youth.
The training was a great tool and a discussion starter for folks in our community when I brought up the topic.
It was a good movie and I bet it would have a powerful impact in the right setting! For our group, it did raise our awareness of village life. This discussion could really open up some great sharing. Thanks again!
I am so happy there is a curriculum clearing house for Native Youth! I wish there was a broader curriculum website like this for all youth! Evidence-based and medically accurate curricula are so expensive.
“I learned to always bring condoms and use them, not just carry them.”
“It is easier to talk about sex and pregnancy with my son since he went to RCL camp.”
“Having a child is a blessing, but it can also be a burden that affects the family and the whole community.”
“Now I know where I can get tested for STIs!”