Tag Archives: youth

Vaccinating Adolescents Against COVID-19

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Health Canada recently expanded the approved ages for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to include 12-15 old adolescents. The Nawash Health Centre has since received a number of requests for COVID-19 vaccinations for youth family members.

Our vaccination clinics are operated in cooperation with the Grey Bruce Public Health Unit, which distributes the available vaccines. We have been advised by Dr. Ian Arra, the Grey Bruce Medical Officer of Health, that Ontario provincial health authorities have not yet provided direction to health units in the province about administering the vaccine to youth.

While we will make the vaccine available to all members and their families who are eligible to receive it, as soon as we are able, we cannot give the vaccine to the 12-15 year old age group yet. Dr. Arra suggests that eligible youth may begin vaccinations in June or July, with the goal of having them fully vaccinated by the start of the new school year in September.

We will update the community and members as we receive new information regarding COVID-19 vaccine availability.

Whether vaccinated or not, all community members are asked to continue to observe pandemic protocols to help keep the community safe.

  • Wear a mask outside your home.
  • Wash your hands frequently.
  • Watch your distance and stay 2 meters away from people you don’t live with.

Chippewas of Nawash Continues Second HelloFresh Meal Program

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This is a reminder to all members that the HelloFresh food support program is still open. If you haven’t taken advantage of this great benefit, apply today!

The COVID-19 pandemic has lasted longer than most of us expected and the Council understands that the crisis has increased the stress on all households. Whether members are struggling due to lack of employment, worry about the health risks of simply shopping for groceries, or have mobility limitations that are made more challenging by lockdown orders, we know it can be hard to put good food on the table.

The Council increased the resources of the Nawash Food Bank significantly when the COVID-19 pandemic began, so that it could better serve the Neyaashiinigmiing community. We are continuing to support our local food bank, but also know that our members outside Neyaashiinigmiing are working hard to feed their families too. To help, the Council is offering off-reserve member households meal boxes from HelloFresh Canada, the meal subscription service. HelloFresh packages meal ingredients and recipes into one convenient box and delivers them directly to your home.

We also want to specifically support our youth, who have been so greatly impacted by the pandemic. The Chippewas of Nawash Board of Education, Kikendaasogamig Elementary School, Journey Together and Healthy Living programs are collaborating with the Nawash HelloFresh Program to give our youth and scholar members the simple joy of good, healthy family meals, wherever they live.

Applicants to the new Nawash HelloFresh Program must be a Chippewas of Nawash Band Member, living in Canada. Under the new rules, your household is eligible if:

  • Your primary residence is off-reserve. You do not live in Neyaashiinigmiing.

    -OR-

  • You live in Neyaashiinigmiing AND your household includes a youth member of Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation, up to 18 years old, or a member enrolled full-time in secondary or post-secondary school.

Visit the Nawash HelloFresh page for more information on the program and application instructions.

Seniors and Youth Engagement Project

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Dear Seniors!

We’re launching a project to keep life interesting despite the pandemic gathering restrictions.  We are going to pair up volunteer seniors and youth to communicate with each other in creative ways.  This could be by writing to each other on organized topics, completing online puzzles together, talking to each other virtually, or exchanging artwork.  To begin, we’re looking for seniors that are committed to developing a relationship with a youth in grade 7 or 8 from our community.

To keep everyone safe at this time, there will be no in-person visits. Interactions between our seniors and youth will be facilitated by Home and Community Care staff.

Home and Community Care will do all of the preparation and provide participants with any required supplies.

Give our youth the benefit of your life, experience, insight and wisdom!

Interested seniors are asked to please call Norma Tobey at: 519-374-4178, by January 27, 2021.

CONUFN Youth Celebrate Academic Success

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It has been a challenging year for students of every age. Schools closed for the majority of the semester, and hastily prepared online classes have only been a marginal substitute for in-person learning. Still, that hasn’t stopped many of our students from continuing to excel.

Neebin and Neebeesh Elliott, the twin sons of Councillor Geewadin Elliott, are off to Michigan State University next year. The young men have earned acclaim for their academic and athletic achievements, as well as community activism and pride in their Indigenous heritage. We are all proud of everything they’ve accomplished already, and the promise of greater things to come. The CBC recently profiled the high-achieving twins in an online article that you can read here.