The programs we have are working really well the weeks are filled with programs we have a support circle every monday we have homework help every wednesday and every other tuesday we have our youth council meetings the programs have brought so many youth together and honestly the most I’ve seen them smile.
Tashie Broadbent
My name is Natasha Broadent. I am 15 years old and I live in Manitou Rapids. I used to live in a southern city named London Ontario, I liked living there but mostly because of the people there like my friends and family. Our family has always wanted to move north but we never really put enough enough. We moved because of my dads family, My dad was part of the 60s Scoop and never met his parents, him and my mom vigorously searched for any of his family, it was a real struggle for my dad because he often would fall into the belief that they did not want him. After a few years my dad found his mom in Rainy River First Nations. It was a very emotional reunite and we decided as family to move up to Manitou to reconnect with the family and who we are as aboriginal people. It was hard to leave everything behind and have a brand new environment, but I do not regret it. Living here and being a youth means I get to see first hand on what my peers are going through. They are wonderful people filled with laughter and happiness, but they still have immense amount of trauma and mental health issues, the worst part is that no one listens to these youth, they often turn to unhealthy resources like drugs, alcohol and self harm. I noticed this and new that all they wanted was to be somewhere where they are not judged and they are not looked down upon, they just want to be loved and accepted. I was determined to do what I can to help them.
Natu Broadbent
My name is Nathaniel Broadbent I prefer to go by Natu. I’m 15 years old and live in a small community called Manitou Rapids. Compared to where I live now I use to live in a southern city called London Ontario I lived there all my life however I do not remember over half of my life only small little glimpses of good things that happened but I believe it’s good I don’t remember the bad parts the only reason I lived in London was because my father was a victim of the sixties scoop and my dad was adopted to a British family in Timmins Ontario and my father was actually on his way to Sarnia Ontario for a job and met my mom in Strathroy Ontario and they pretty much stuck with each other forever still together this day my mom was a big change in his life my dad has been looking for his birth family for 38 plus years and found his mother 5 years ago and their first time meeting was the first time his mother has ever touched him after 30 something years of not knowing if he was alive until 2015 when she got an email saying her son was trying to find where his mother is and if she was still alive but now after a few years my whole family moved up to Manitou Rapids.
Marcel Horton
Marcel was raised in his community of Rainy River First Nations/Manitou Rapids, where he currently resides with his wife and two children. Marcel holds strong ties to his home and has worked throughout his adult life in positions of employment that would allow him to support his community, whether that be suring his time as both an OPP and First Nations police constable, community Education Counsellor, or community leader during his tenures as a Council Member. Being active in the community has helped ground Marcel in the realities and challenges that face many First Nations and the need for all to work collaboratively to ensure the community is home, a safe place, a place of acceptance, understanding and support for its Members.
