Mino Bimaadiziwin

In Fall 2023, the Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Mino Bimaadiziwin School Mental Wellness Pilot Program launched in six separate First Nation schools, reaching nearly 1,000 students from grades 1 to 10. This initiative is designed to empower and equip students with the necessary skills to effectively comprehend, express, and navigate their mental health and wellness. By integrating Indigenous knowledge, the program focuses on fostering healthy relationships and communication skills and aims to strengthen emotional resilience among students.

The program features 14 culturally safe virtual mental health lessons and two community visits. Developed by Indigenous educators who embed a two-eyed seeing approach for wholistic learning and wellness, the pilot curriculum braids Indigenous perspectives with the Ontario Ministry of Education’s Health and Physical Education curriculum (2019).

The Mino Bimaadiziwin initiative showcases the collective efforts and gifts of school leaders, teachers, and Indigenous mental health providers to support the well-being and healing of students. It also celebrates the students' ownership and leadership, recognizing them as pivotal change agents for this transformative intergenerational healing. Their invaluable dedication and contributions reflect their generation's resilience and highlight our deep gratitude for their role in creating a healthier, brighter future for themselves and the next seven generations