Prevention Conference: Building Brighter Futures

February registration is now SOLD OUT.
Registration for May is NOW OPEN!

Join us in Saskatoon May 27th & 28th, 2025 at the Saskatoon Inn.

Attendees will leave with valuable information to help their community develop and enhance their Prevention and Child and Family Services programs.

Why Attend?

This conference highlights Indigenous presenters and panelists with expertise in prevention, child and family services, and youth engagement within First Nations communities. These leaders bring valuable experience from their work with First Nations organizations focused on supporting and empowering families, children, and youth.

Designed to foster collaboration, the conference offers networking opportunities for attendees to share knowledge, insights, and best practices. This event provides a platform for Indigenous communities to strengthen their capacity and enhance the delivery of their prevention programs and services.

Children are our future, and the ultimate goal is to create quality, culturally safe family environments that enable them to reach their full potential, thereby strengthening Nations and enhancing the well-being of all. Regardless of the stage or development phase of the communities, this conference will address your needs.

Who Should Attend?

CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICE WORKERS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, PROGRAM MANAGERS, POST MAJORITY CARE WORKERS, FIRST NATIONS REPRESENTATIVE SERVICE WORKERS/LIAISONS, & ANYONE PASSIONATE ABOUT PREVENTION STRATEGIES FOR FIRST NATIONS COMMUNITIES.

Need an additional payment option? Continue through the checkout and choose the option: “Pay by check”

Day 1 Agenda: May 27th, 2025

9:00 a.m.  -   Opening Prayer and Welcome

9:15 a.m.  -   Ice Breaker

9:30 a.m.  -   Presentation: Prevention Services at the Child Level, Family Level, Community Level and Nation Level- This Prevention Conference explores importance of the traditional roles and interconnectedness that were foundational to Indigenous communities, where every individual, including young children, contributed to the well-being and survival of the tribe or community. Traditional laws and practices were in place to ensure harmony and balance within the families, communities and the environment. However, the residential school era and the reserve system intentionally disrupted this balance, leaving lasting damage that continues to impact Indigenous families and communities today. The separation of children from families and their culture, lack of parenting skills and support for parents, and challenges in communities and friction with leadership due to funding shortfalls have contributed to struggles within Indigenous Nations. Despite these ongoing issues, there are now growing opportunities to reclaim and reconnect with cultural values and traditional family systems, to foster healing and rebuild stronger communities and Nations keeping the child as the primary focus. Our hope is this prevention conference provide insights and tools that will support prevention’s efforts in creating brighter futures for children, strengthening families and communities and building lasting change within Nations.

10:30 a.m. - Coffee break

10:45 a.m. - Body break/energizer

11:00a.m Presentation: - Spectrum of Protection & Prevention -Presenters Treena Wynes & Tanis Shanks - Have you ever wondered what the differences are between Protection and Prevention within the First Nation Child and Family Services program (FNCFS)? Find out the differences between the two programs funded through FNCFS, what the requirements are for each, what program is responsible for what service, and where there is overlap

12:00 p.m. -  Lunch

1:00 p.m.  -   Body break/energizer

1:10p.m.   -  Panel Discussion (Panel Speakers TBD) Land-based Prevention Programs -(Panel speakers TBD) Join us for a panel discussion on the crucial role of land-based programming within First Nations communities. This session will highlight the experiences of 3 communities, showcasing how land-based activities can effectively contribute to prevention programming. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from others and explore innovative approaches to land-based prevention strategies.

2:00 p.m.   -   Networking Break

2:30 p.m.  -   Break out session (2 breakout sessions) 45 min sessions

1) Engaging Families, Motivating Change (Panelists: Gloria Greyeyes- Muskeg Lake First Nation, Dawn Jimmy- Onion Lake)- In this session audience members will learn about the importance of engaging families in Prevention programming. Engaging families is a strengths-based approach that creates positive outcomes for families by encouraging and empowering them to make decisions, problem solve, and work towards their own goals. This presentation is a panel of prevention workers who have successfully implemented programs and services that engage families and motivate change.

2) Supporting Youth, Building Leaders (Panelist Speakers: Joran- White Buffalo Youth Lodge, Youth in Care Network Representative) This panel discussion is designed to equip Prevention and Youth Workers/Mentors with effective strategies for fostering Youth leadership and creating impactful Youth engagement programs. The session will focus on cultivating a supportive and trusting environment where young people feel a strong sense of belonging and connection. Participants will learn how to develop youth-led initiatives that recognize and celebrate the unique strengths of youth while teaching essential coping skills to enhance their mental health and well-being.  The panel members will also provide their experiences on how to connect youth with vital services and programs tailored to their specific needs, supporting their personal growth in meaningful ways to reach their full potential.

3:15 p.m.      Break- Closing and raffle draw

3:30 p.m.     Recap and introduction to Day 2

Day 2 Agenda: May 28th, 2025

9:00 a.m. - Welcome & Day 2 Agenda

9:15 a.m. - Opening activity

9:30a.m. - Documentation, Case Management & Record Keeping- Presenters Treena Wynes & Tanis Shanks - Documentation and managing records are an important piece in Prevention work that can sometimes be pushed to the side of our desks. Learn tips on record keeping and how to write and manage case documentation in this interactive session that will keep you on top of your work and support positive outcomes for your clients.

10:30a.m. - Break

10:45a.m. - Body break

11:00a.m. - Panel Discussion: Wrap Around Services: Lessons From Different Models (Panelists: Cori Pederson-  Muskoday First Nation, TBD) ) Wraparound services are an intentional way to provide support to individuals or families with complex needs. In this panel presentation we will go over multiple approaches to wraparound services in an organization including the HUB model, Interagency model and Integrated services model. Presenters will explain how they are different from each other, how they work with multiple stakeholders, best practices on collaboration, and how to maintain confidentiality.

12:00 p.m. Lunch

 1:00 p.m.  Breakout Sessions (2 Breakout Sessions)

1) Post-Majority Services – Youth Aging Out of Care- Post majority support services is a program through First Nations Child and Family Services (FNCFS) that provides support to youth aging out of the child welfare system or young adults who were formerly in care up to the age of 26. Post-majority care funding gives service providers the ability to develop and deliver programs and services that meet the unique needs of youth in care. Find out how your community can access this funding and develop a Post Majority Support program.

2) Lateral Kindness – Presenter, Janice Poitras - Lateral Violence is a major issue on many First Nations and in many First Nations organizations today. Unlike other types of violence, lateral violence is an attack on emotions which can affect one’s spirit. This type of behavior does not align with the indigenous worldview. Learn from Janice Poitras the tools you need to recognize lateral violence, share knowledge and ideas on responding to it within your organization. 

2:00 p.m. Conference Wrap Up, Evaluations, Raffle Draw

2:30 p.m. Closing Prayer