We aim to create our first urban multi-Nation Warrior program for young Indigenous men that is rooted in traditional Nuu-chah-nulth teachings while leveraging the strengths of the Icelandic Prevention Model (IPM).
The Implementing Upstream Substance Use Prevention for Indigenous Youth in Port Alberni project focuses on Indigenous young men (13-19 years), from all Nuu-chah-nulth Nations and backgrounds, living in the city of Port Alberni on Vancouver Island. While a significant portion of the population is in Port Alberni is Indigenous, primarily from Nuu-chah-nulth Nations, many are geographically and socially disconnected from land and culture.
Indigenous youth, especially young men, are at heightened risk of substance use due to a variety of factors. These include increased access to drugs and alcohol, elevated poverty rates, the ongoing impacts of colonization, and intergenerational trauma, among other risk factors. This underscores the need for targeted prevention measures. This project aims to identify and build a local prevention coalition from diverse sectors, guided by the knowledge and teachings of Indigenous communities within Port Alberni and Vancouver Island. Insights gained over the course of this project will contribute to understanding how the Icelandic Prevention Model (IPM) might be implemented and adapted to specific Indigenous communities.
Nuu-chah-nulth Youth Warrior Family Society’s coalition supports the implementation of land-based and cultural activities to create a sense of hope, belonging, meaning and purpose to Indigenous youth. They will collect culturally appropriate data using the Native Wellness Assessment (NWA), developed by Thunderbird Partnership Foundation, to learn from their young people and adapt strategies accordingly. Through an evaluation with researchers from Chee Mamuk, Nuu-chah-nulth Youth Warrior Family Society anticipates their train-the-trainer model will support sustainability of the Warrior program and scalability across BC and Canada.
The Nuu-chah-nulth Youth Warrior Family Society, an Indigenous-led, non-profit organization, will lead this project. This organization works with local Elders and knowledge-keepers to support transformative change within the communities and social environments of Nuu-chah-nulth Nations. The Nuu-chah-nulth Youth Warrior Family Society possesses well-established relationships and professional networks with various local stakeholders to form a powerful community coalition dedicated to implementing the IPM.
Lead organization: Nuu-chah-nulth Youth Warrior Family Society
Website: warriortoolkit.com
Contact: Ricardo Manmohan, Board Member; Warrior Support Team
Location: City of Port Alberni, Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Port Alberni is an urban hub for Nuu-chah-nulth youth from the central and southern regions of Vancouver Island, many of whom are seeking healthy connections with their culture, lands, communities and peers in this urban setting.
The above video acknowledges the New Relationship Trust’s Indigenous Food Security and Sovereignty Grant Nuu chah nulth Youth Warrior Family Society received in 2025.
This project is funded as part of the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Youth Substance Use Prevention Program (YSUPP). Learn more here.