Ótáp ímisskaan - Indigenous Youth Leadership Program

Ótáp ímisskaan is a community-based Indigenous youth outreach program supporting UCalgary’s Indigenous Strategy, ii’ taa’poh’to’p. This program offers culturally tailored leadership training to Indigenous youth ages 13-25 throughout Western Canada and builds on three types of leadership: personal, team and community. Ótáp ímisskaan is led through inspiring and engaging workshops that focus on numerous topics including volunteerism, conflict-resolution and Indigenous cultural teachings such as smudge and circle teachings, traditional stories, and activities using traditional language.

The training is designed to address the barriers that Indigenous youth face that lead to low graduation rates and low post-secondary enrolment. Ótáp ímisskaan aims to support Indigenous youth in realizing their innate leadership potential, making informed decisions when developing their future, pursuing post-secondary education and contributing positively to their community. Between Fall 2021 and Summer 2022, the program made 792 points of contact across 10 locations and 77 participants were awarded certificates of completion.

To support intercultural capacity-building and allyship, Ótáp ímisskaan recently welcomed non-Indigenous participants and groups. Its training is approached with explorative educational discussion on Indigenous world view, teachings, and past and present Indigenous resilience and success.

Ótáp ímisskaan has also been involved in facilitating many intercultural capacity-building opportunities for UCalgary students. The team looks forward to co-creating and facilitating a weekend leadership training session rooted in Indigenous Ways of Knowing in collaboration with UCalgary’s Leadership and Student Engagement Office, Office of Indigenous Engagement, and Writing Symbols Lodge.