(Submitted photo/ Patricia Main)

By Nicole Reis

STAY SAFE

Life-skills and safety training offered to Flying Dust First Nation youth through dedicated educators

Jul 15, 2020 | 5:46 PM

Real-world scenarios often call on children to respond to challenges.

Meadow Lake Tribal Council, the Canadian Red Cross and Flying Dust First Nation are holding a Stay Safe! program to ensure young people are prepared when encountering emergencies when home alone.

Flying Dust First Nation prevention worker Patricia Main told meadowlakeNOW she underwent training and education programs through the Canadian Red Cross to facilitate safety and education programs to youth in her community.

“It’s really important we speak to the next generation and give them some tools and keys on how to look after themselves or even to help out mom,” she said. “[We want to give] our kids some skills and tools to be able to look after their siblings and be a role model by giving them the ability to take initiative.”

The Stay Safe! program is a full day course which will cover topics such as the importance of responsibility and respect while being accountable for yourself, importance of setting and following rules around safety when staying on your own, how to stay safe at home and within the community, how to prepare, recognize and respond to unexpected situations (such as inclement weather, strangers, unanticipated visits) and first aid content. The program is intended for youth ages 9 to 13.

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This year, four facilitators will offer the course in-person at Flying Dust First Nation while a Red Cross facilitator administers additional presentations via Zoom.

Lesley-Anne Morley, manager of the Indigenous Swimming and Water Safety program with the Canadian Red Cross said the organization has been working with Flying Dust since 2016. Often Northern communities and remote areas face challenges accessing life-saving skills education and training.

“Quite often we find there is a demand from the First Nation community especially because there is a lack of access, especially in Northern or more remote areas where the facilitators just aren’t in a local region,” Morley said. “Quite often communities will have a hard time accessing education.”

Morely was proud to say Particia Main has gone through the leadership program to be able to teach these courses as Flying Dust First Nation now has access to their own facilitator who can administer these programs. She added the organization offers education and support to any community interested in first aid or water safety education.

The program runs across four provinces and the Canadian Red Cross is working with Flying Dust, Waterhen, Northern Inter-Tribal Health Authority among many other communities and is expecting to work with 30 additional Indigenous communities this year.

The First Nation is also conducting a babysitting course also in partnership with the Canadian Red Cross for older students to be coordinated toward the end of July.

Stay Safe! will be offered at Flying Dust First Nation administrative office beginning Thursday, July 16 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Main said youth who are eight-and-a-half are welcome to attend the program. Lunch will also be served.

Additional information can be found by calling the Flying Dust First Nation health office at (306) 236-4437.

Editors Note: This story was amended to make clear the name of the program is called Stay Safe! not Stay Safe! at Home as originally reported.

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nicole.reis@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @nicolereis7722