A New Footprint of Wellness in Old Harbor

The Justice Department's grant-making components have created a streamlined approach for federally recognized Tribes, Tribal consortia, Alaska Native villages and corporations, as well as authorized tribal designees to apply for Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 funding opportunities. The Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS) serves as a single solicitation for existing tribal government-specific grant programs administered by the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) and the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). The CTAS solicitation is designed to assist tribes with addressing crime and public safety issues in a comprehensive manner. The CTAS grant-application process was inspired by and developed after consultation with tribal leaders, including sessions at the Justice Department's Tribal Nations Listening Session in 2009, and has been updated based on continued tribal consultations and listening sessions.

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) provides awards under CTAS Purpose Area 9--Tribal Youth Program (TYP) to federally recognized tribes to develop and implement programs that support and enhance Tribal efforts to prevent and control juvenile delinquency and strengthen juvenile justice system for American Indian/Alaska Native youth.

The mission of the Native Village of Old Harbor tribal youth program is to increase the potential for safe and positive choices to be made by the youth, within Old Harbor, through after-school participation in guided and proactive recreational and cultural activities. OJJDP funds will support a new recreation department and local community recreation center with culturally- focused traditional activities tied into sports and leadership activities. This center will offer programming on a consistent basis, especially during the long winter months. The after-school program will support student performance improvement and offer a structured time for fun and activities. The recreation department will periodically host youth activities as well as culturally and self-improvement-relevant camps during the school breaks. In addition, the program will create a Youth Advocate and Youth Mentor position to work in partnership with the school, Public Safety, and the new recreation department to support students struggling with issues affecting their performance and safety. The advocate will offer individual support for youth as well as create incentive programs for positive youth choices at school and at home. The youth mentor will support youth in the after school program and within participation at community activities. Finally, funds will support the development of two (2) gender-based programs to support the development of healthy relationships with peers and elders. These programs will address issues of teen pregnancy and removing the "normalcy" of teen sexual assault. In addition, there will be a community dance team for traditional Alutiiq dancing and folk dancing. This team will bring the girls and boys together for a common purpose that is laced with traditional values to build teamwork, leadership and self-esteem skills.
CA/NCF