Empowering Girls in the Enoch Cree Nation

As described by Ever Active Schools, a national charity designed to create and support healthy school communities and positive social outcomes in children and youth in Alberta through a comprehensive school health approach, “our journey with Enoch Cree Nation is a partnership, a friendship, and a commitment to the wellbeing of the community.”

The Enoch Cree Nation 135, previously known as Stony Plain no. 135, is a First Nations reserve of the Enoch Cree Nation no. 440 in Alberta. It is adjacent to the city of Edmonton to the east and Parkland County to the north, west, and south (source: Wikipedia). As this First Nation community emerged from the pandemic, like so many others, there was disconnectedness among residents, and young girls were among the most affected. To support the rebuilding of relationships, and provide a safe space in which to build confidence, leadership, and community, the Girls Group began, initially with the support of Ever Active Schools and the Alberta InMotion Network. Ultimately, the goal is to build the capacity in the school and community to sustain the program over time. Leading up to the Empowering Girls program, Ever Active Schools had been working with the Enoch community for over six years developing relationships. Part of the focus was on the development of a wellness hub connected to the school, with a particular focus on supporting physical activity. According to Chantell, “sport and overall wellbeing drive school engagement, community connections, and positive mental health.

Enoch is most proud to have a foundation of wellness that they are building on.”This hub was also a step towards reconciliation. At the time, the situation was that students would only come to school on days when there were physical activity options, but girls in particular were looking for alternatives to “Phys Ed 10,” which consisted of traditional sports such as basketball and volleyball. It was out of this that the Empowering Girls initiative was born, to offer a comprehensive “Circle Project” on Fridays for half to a full day. It was generally held on the school site. A picture is worth a thousand words – the video “Empowering Enoch Cree Nation: A Journey of Health and Wellbeing” on YouTube provides an overview of the program. As is so often the case, grants are extremely helpful, particularly in the early stages of program development. A $50,000 grant from Canadian Women and Sport in 2023 provided the opportunity to integrate multiple field trips for the girls. They were able to experience different places and activities, and develop even stronger relationships among participants through longer times together. A trip to Canmore was a highlight. All the trips were organized as school ventures to ensure things such as insurance were covered.

The Alberta InMotion Network was also able to support the initiative through their granting program, which included Sport Canada funds during the pandemic. There is a multigenerational mix of those identifying as female in the initiative: the direct participants of those in grades 4–6 (as they approach junior high), those in grades 10–12 who act as mentors, and community elders who share cultural aspects such as ribbon skirts, blankets, earrings, and medicine necklaces. These elder-facilitated sessions are typically the last Friday of the month. The girls meet once a week after school for an hour for activities that teachers from the local school facilitate. Typically, there are 12–28 girls per session which run between January and May each year.

One of the important impacts of this, is the sense of pride that it instills in the older girls while building the confidence of the younger ones to try things they would not be comfortable doing in physical education class with boys around.

The involvement of the older girls takes an Indigenous Youth Mentorship Program approach. One of the important impacts of this, is the sense of pride that it instills in the older girls while building the confidence of the younger ones to try things they would not be comfortable doing in physical education class with boys around (e.g., boxing, skateboarding, roller derby). Other activities include making smoothies, art projects, journalling, and mood balls.

The costs for the weekly program are typically divided as follows: 

• $50-$100 a week for healthy snacks
• $150 a week for transportation • supplies for activities (e.g., rattles, ribbon skirts), which vary by activity. The program has become so popular that now a boy’s version has been created once a week. When asked about lessons learned with the program, Chantell Widley, the Coordinator with Ever Active Schools, offered the following insights: • Providing transportation home after the program for the girls is critical.
• The teacher who facilitates the program is key to its success.
• Give the girls a strong voice in shaping the program.
• Actively look for opportunities to build relationships among the girls.

So, what impact has the program had?

• The development and deepening of relationships among the participants has happened on many levels: between the younger girls, between the older mentor girls, between the older and younger girls, and between all girls and the elders. This outcome is significant given the initial program objectives of addressing the social isolation within the community.
• The older girls came out of the program with transferable skills (e.g., first aid training, food handling certificate, driver’s license) that led to future employment opportunities.
• One key outcome of the overall work in the Enoch community is the building of a cultural sweat lodge. This has spiritual, cultural, and practical purposes as a place to connect with the Creator and nature and restore order and balance in life. The sweat lodge is also a place to connect with Indigenous heritage and culture.

A picture is worth a thousand words – the video “Empowering Enoch Cree Nation: A Journey of Health and Wellbeing” on YouTube provides an overview of the program.