The absentee shawnee tribe of oklahoma tribal youth program seeks to improve tribal youths academic performance, prevent problem behaviors, provide a safe and healthy environment, and encourage…

The Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma received a $500,000 Project Grant award from the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance under the Tribal Youth Program (CFDA 16.731). The grant funding will enhance and expand the tribe's existing programs to improve academic performance, prevent problem behaviors, provide a safe and healthy environment, and encourage positive youth development among tribal youth. Key initiatives include improving the referral system between tribal youth programs and law enforcement, expanding the Tribal Explorers program, increasing runaway prevention and awareness efforts, creating new community-based out-of-school activities, and conducting fentanyl awareness campaigns. The grant will also help refine the referral process with the tribal court and police department, leading to an increase in the number of youth and families served. The 5-year project aims to increase yearly enrollment, regular attendance, and engage tribal youth in positive environments to reduce youth crime, delinquency, and runaway incidents.

The absentee shawnee tribe of oklahoma tribal youth program seeks to improve tribal youths academic performance, prevent problem behaviors, provide a safe and healthy environment, and encourage positive youth development through a holistic approach, respecting all aspects of a youths life both within and outside their tribal affiliation. The overall goal is to enhance and expand current programs to provide more opportunities to contact tribal youth, families, and their peers. Five problems have been identified and addressed: (1) lack of an effective referral system between tribal youth programs, indian child welfare department, absentee shawnee tribe of oklahoma (AST) tribal court, and AST police department (ASTPD) to reduce youth delinquency and prevent other issues involving youth such as runaway prevention; (2) minimally developed tribal explorers program to address youth engagement opportunities with the ASTPD; (3) minimal runaway prevention and missing and murdered indigenous women/girls awareness efforts for youth; (4) limited community-based, out-of-school activities for youth and families in the little AXE community; and (5) minimal fentanyl awareness efforts in the community and tribe. The funding will enhance current programming by adding missing and murdered indigenous women/girls awareness to our runaway prevention efforts and fentanyl awareness to the tribe and community. IT will allow new programs to be created, such as a 5TH quarter program and other outreach events. IT will refine the explorers program and create a better-defined referral system for the AST courts and ASTPD, which will lead to an increase in the number of youth and families served. The project will enhance tribal interdepartmental partnerships and enhance youth and elder engagement. The goal is to increase yearly enrollment, regular attendance in all programs, and engage their tribal youth in a positive environment to reduce youth crime, prevent youth delinquency, and prevent tribal youth runaways.