While each had created resources that support First Nations youth in various aspects of their lives, a gap was noted. A tool was needed, one grounded in First Nations worldview to support youth to find their way to what they need when they need it.
A working group was formed and in September 2024 members began working on a website together to help youth get what info they might need or want in a given moment. The goal of the website is to be relevant for First Nations youth wherever they live. For this reason, resources for specific regions are only listed when they are available for all regions.
The website launched February 2025. A toolkit to go along with it is being developed and will be launched Spring 2025.
‘Soaring’ as a verb is uplifting and strength based. The word ‘together’ reminds us that we don’t live our lives alone and that we are all part of creation. ‘Tools for life’ refers to the teachings of the Indigenous Wellness Framework, including ways to connect with ourselves, each other, the land, and the world we live in.
The feather is spiritually meaningful. It may bring to mind eagles, what’s possible, being responsible, and our ancestors. Birds have nests that they build their own way, depending on where they live and what they have learned from those who came before them. Their nests may be on the ground, hidden in foliage, or perched on top of a towering tree. This is where they care for themselves and their families: reflecting how they were once cared for, and teaching next generations through their actions.
Barbara Michel
Carol Hopkins
Caroline Parnell-Barry
Carrie Miller
Chris Heffley
Emma Grant
Jennifer Bridle
Jessica Ford
Jody-Ann Henry
Jordan Davis
Karly Macdonald
Kayla Vick
Mary Deleary
Parween Mungur
Ryan Walker-Melton
Sidney Tran
Susan Ibdah
Tina Linklater
Bonnie Jackson
Brenda Restoule
Brittany Mathews
Brooke Duggan
Carla Cochrane
Carla Duncan
Cheryl Thomas
Christopher Mushquash
Cindy Blackstock
Claudia Medina
Deb Dell
Deborah Oladele
Ed Connors
Jacob Genereux
Jacob Wanuch
Janet Newbury
Janice Nicotine
Jeannie Marie-Jewell
Jeff Howard
Jennifer Novak
Jennifer White
Karen Main
Mandi Gray
Manon Nepton
Marion Crowe
Richard Gray
Savannah Labelle
Stephanie Wellman
Tanya Churchill
Tim Ominika
Ursula Larson
Deanna Jones-Keeshig
Thunderbird Partnership Foundation is a leading culturally-centred voice on First Nations’ mental wellness, substance use and addictions in Canada. We support an integrated and wholistic approach to healing and wellness serving First Nations Peoples and various levels of government through research, training and education, policy and partnerships, and communications. Thunderbird strives to support culture-based outcomes of Hope, Belonging, Meaning and Purpose for First Nations individuals, families, and communities. Thunderbird’s mandate is to implement the Honouring Our Strengths: A Renewed Framework to Address Substance Use Issues Among First Nations People in Canada and the First Nations Mental Wellness Continuum.
