who we are and what we do
PROJECTS
Here at PROJECT FIRST NATIONS, we are committed to a single goal: we strive to help youth make connections through sport, the arts and social programs.
Project First Nations is all about empathy. Our founders have been educators for over two decades. Their experience working with teens has contributed to the tremendous passion that is Project First Nations.
Explore our website to learn more about all that we’re doing to make a change. We are dedicated to providing youth with the opportunity to connect in solidarity, while developing meaningful relationships and acquiring new experiences.
Please also get involved by either taking part in our projects or by contributing financially to the cause. Project First Nations can only be effective with your involvement.
To learn how to donate, please contact us now.
Sports Camps
It all began with the implementation of a soccer camp but we are also now working with basketball clubs to mirror what we have done with the game of soccer in our First Nation communities of James Bay.
We are working with community soccer teams and with soccer programs at secondary schools to bring sports to the First Nation communities of James Bay. In June of each year, we implement our annual soccer camp in Attawapiskat, now in its 5th edition, which we hope to continue throughout the summer months. It is our goal to expand to one other community - to be announced briefly - in 2020. Please help us accomplish this goal by becoming a donour.
Chess is another program we started in Attawapiskat, which led to the formation of a chess club at Kattawapiskak Elementary School.
We are also happy to have partnered with secondary schools and basketball clubs to implement a successful inaugural Basketball Camp in Attawapiskat this past March.
The Arts
Music, dance, visual arts, video and photography, and drama are the focus for the arts at Project First Nations. We want to create partnerships that allow youth to work together while participating in stimulating activities.
We partnered with Sony Music Canada and with MDC Media Group in the implementation of our inaugural Attawapiskat Music Festival, which occurred in March of 2017. For the year of 2018, partnered with Home Depot to deliver a music program based on bucket drumming and rhythm.
In January of 2018, we implemented our inaugural annual Attawapiskat Dance Program in partnership with AFNEA. It was such a success that follow-up programs were added for March and November of 2018. We are now about to implement our 4th session.
In March of 2018, we implemented our inaugural multimedia program at Kattawapiskak Elementary School. Students from Bishop Marrocco/Thomas Merton CSS, in Toronto, led the program that included the total student body of the local elementary school in Attawapiskat. Please consult our Media page to see the video documentary that the students made together.
In 2020, we planned to implement programs in Long Point First Nation (Quebec) and God's Lake Narrows First Nation (Manitoba) but our plans had to be canceled because of the situation with Covid-19.
Workshops and Education
Education is the first most important component of every group that we work with before they travel to the communities we serve. There are expectations, norms, and values that are foreign to ours and integration and understanding of the community needs to reflect our mission: to bring youth together in a safe, productive, and meaningful environment.
We recently partnered with First Book Canada to deliver 5,800 books to children and youth who reside in Attawapiskat. In July of 2019, we delivered and distributed the first set at the local community centre. We hope to distribute the rest before the end of 2019 and to not only continue this initiative in Attawapiskat but also expand it to other communities.