Strengthening Urban Natives (SUNs)

Siouxland Human Investment Partnership (SHIP) with Urban Native Center (UNC) and Community Initiative for Native Children and Families (CINCF) will deliver Strengthening Urban Natives (SUNs). The goal of this strategic partnership is to further build and expand the capacity of urban Native families in Siouxland’s tri-state Sioux City Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) including Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota.  The project will prioritize Woodbury County, Iowa, focusing specifically on Sioux City, home to 3,000 urban Natives, one of the largest and most diverse, and representative of four primary Tribes. Beneficiaries will include 250 urban Native youth ages 6-17 directly and/or indirectly exposed to violence in their homes, schools, and communities, with evidence-based trauma assessment, youth development, group mentoring, and trauma recovery services.  SUNs will deliver:

Capacity Building. SUNs will leverage system coordination and training with 150 key stakeholders utilizing Healing Centered Engagement, including the Community Initiative for Native Children and Families (CINCF) Planning Team and Memorial March to Honor Lost Children educational event. 
Comprehensive Plan and Blueprint for Success. This inclusive plan will be implemented and monitored to include goals, objectives, deliverables, strategies, and outcomes to reduce exposure to violence for urban Native children. 
Cultural Wellness and Trauma Assessment.  SUNs will conduct initial, ongoing, and post involvement cultural wellness and trauma assessment validated tools. 
Youth Development Services. Youth development will be delivered to 90 youth ages 12-17 utilizing the Youth Relationships Project group model with group skill building for development of protective factors.
Cultural Education and Celebration. Over 250 youth and families will receive culture education and celebration through kinship strategies leveraging the 7th Generation National Tribal Mentoring Program and guided by UNC Youth Council and Elders. 
Trauma Recovery Services. Youth and families will receive evidence-based trauma therapy from a Trauma Therapist utilizing Trauma-Focused, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Wraparound Support. SUNs will ensure coordinated culturally affirming wrapround services from community-based providers.

Outcomes of SUNs will:
A.    Improve youth, family, and community responses to urban Native youth exposed to violence in the geographic footprint.
B.    Address trauma as a result of violence that occurs in the school, home, family, and community.
C.    Increase knowledge and protective factors through youth development and group mentoring.
SHIP is seeking priority consideration for criteria 1A for addressing inequities, 1B for leveraging the expertise of subrecipient Urban Native Center, a culturally specific urban Native organization, and criteria 2 for demonstrating partnerships for its existing planning team CINCF.