Phoenix, Arizona — January 19, 2026 During the UNITY Midyear Conference in Phoenix, the National UNITY Council (NUC) officially adopted a powerful resolution titled “Restoring Balance: Healing Trauma & Ending Violence in Native Communities.”Approved at the National UNITY Council Business Meeting with a quorum present, the resolution establishes a unified, youth-driven framework to address some […]
At the National UNITY Council (NUC) Business Meeting on June 30, 2025, during the National UNITY Conference in San Diego, California, more than 130 Native youth leaders representing over 60 affiliated youth councils across 23 states gathered to identify the most urgent challenges facing their peers and communities. Guided by both regional discussions and survey […]
Brown University, March 3, 2023, Pictured, above: Anagali (Shace) Duncan smiles in Brown apparel at his high school athletic field. Sequoyah High School is a boarding school for Indigenous students in grades 7-12. Meet 20-year-old environmental advocate Anagali (Shace) Duncan of the Cherokee Nation. “Respect, humility, and reciprocity describe Anagali best” shared Laura Smith, Program Coordinator with […]
A relationship with a mentor can be a valuable resource for a young person during life’s critical moments. OJP.GOV Click here for more information Successful mentoring relationships can improve a child’s self-esteem and academic achievement while deterring substance use, delinquency, and other high-risk behaviors. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has long supported […]
Click here to Read the full article on OJJDP News @ a Glance When Colby WhiteThunder first joined the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas youth council 11 years ago, he says he was “that kid who sat in the back and didn’t say nothing.” He never raised his hand, and rarely called attention to himself. “I […]
Mentoring PUBLICATIONS & RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO NATIVE YOUTH The mentoring literature focused on American Indian and Alaska Native youthi is growing, and it is further informed by empirical work from other countries, such as Canada and New Zealand. Nevertheless, rigorous research remains limited in understanding the strengths and needs of this group. Studies to date demonstrate […]
OJJDP PUBLICATIONS & RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO NATIVE YOUTH OJJDP-Sponsored, October 2017. This fact sheet provides information about the Safe Routes Program in which youth identify a place they can go when they feel unsafe in their own home. NCJ 252020. 6 pages. Abstract | PDF The UNITY Peer Guides and Healing Indigenous Lives Initiative is […]
Mentoring PUBLICATIONS & RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO NATIVE YOUTH This resource contains tips and recommendations for mentoring practitioners for enhancing cultural competence in their work with Native youth. It includes information about cultural norms and cross-cultural communication as well as tips for training and retaining mentors, with specific information about training non-Native mentors. Guide and Handbook […]
OJJDP PUBLICATIONS & RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO NATIVE YOUTH Model Programs Guide Literature Review: Tribal Youth in the Juvenile Justice System OJJDP-Sponsored, April 2016. This literature review cites research on Tribal youth in the juvenile justice systems and details protective factors that can contribute to resiliency and reducing negative outcomes and behaviors. 10 pages. NCJ 249809. […]
Mentoring PUBLICATIONS & RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO NATIVE YOUTH Often these programs emphasize mentoring relationships for youth who are early in their engagement in the juvenile justice system or diverting them from involvement altogether ⎯ after an initial arrest or in lieu of sentencing for a minor crime. Recent years have also seen substantial investments, particularly […]
