Strengthening Indian 

Country Through 

Tribal Youth Programs

By Sarah S. Pearson

2009
Acknowledgements

Members and youth from Tribal 

Youth Programs whose participation made this report possible include:

Absentee Shawnee Tribe: George 

Blanchard, Sue Blanchard, Michelle Lopez, and Scott Miller.

The Confederated Tribes of Grand 

Ronde: Lisa Leno, David Fullerton, Tony 

Johnson, Travis Mercier, and Norma Lee.

Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe: Greg 

Davis, Kimberly Benjamin Rivers, and 

Doug Sam.

Old Harbor Village: Gwen Christiansen, Rolf Christiansen, Teacon Simeonoff, 

Mark Overbeek, Joyce Elvejhem, Sven 

Haakanson, and Stella Krumrey.

Mescalero Apache Tribe: Sonia Geronimo Hiles, Eloise Damon, and Ardena 

Orosco.

And we would also like to thank the 

folowing individuals for their assistance 

with this project: 

Laura Ansera, Tribal Programs Coordinator, Office of Policy Development, OJJDP

Janet Chiancone, Research Coordinator, 

Office of Policy Development, OJJDP

Melodee Hanes, Special Advisor to the 

Administrator, OJJDP

Catherine Doyle, Policy Advisor for 

Communications, OJJDP

Patrick Dunckhorst, Program Manager, 

OJJDP

Monica Robbers, Senior Research Associate, CSR, Incorporated

Patricia San Antonio, Senior Evaluation 

Specialist, CSR, Incorporated

Jennifer Tyson, Program Manager, OJJDP

This project was supported by Grant No. 

2006-MU-FX-K001 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency 

Prevention, Office of Justice Programs, 

U.S. Department of Justice (OJJDP). 

Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not 

necessarily represent the official position 

or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.

An in-depth version of this report featuring the stories and viewpoints of those 

who have been involved in and touched 

by the Tribal Youth Program may be 

found online at www.aypf.org. 

About the author

Sarah S. Pearson serves as the Deputy 

Director for the Coalition for Community 

Schools, housed at the Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL), in Washington, 

D.C., where she works to bring together 

leaders and networks in education, family support, youth development, community development, government, and 

philanthropy to support a shared vision 

of community schools. Before coming 

to the Coalition and IEL, Sarah worked 

at the American Youth Policy Forum 

where she led national level discussions, 

conducted site visits, and served as the 

principle investigator of research on education reform efforts, service-learning, 

juvenile justice, tribal youth, youth with 

disability, and other youth policy issues. 

Sarah is a published author of numerous 

policy briefs and reports. 

Report design and layout: Kevin Brown, 

Smart Set, Inc., Minneapolis, MN

Photography Courtesy of: Gwen 

Christiansen, Patrick Dunckhorst and 

Sarah Pearson

American Youth Policy Forum with the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 

Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice

ISBN# 1-88703-99-5
[ 1 ]

Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Case Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, Oregon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, Minnesota . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Old Harbor Village, Alaska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Absentee Shawnee Tribe, Oklahoma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Mescalero Apache Tribe, New Mexico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Youth Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

TYP gives youth opportunities to use their time productively . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

TYP helps youth learn about their culture 

 and reconnect with family and community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

TYP helps create opportunities for youth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

TYP helps youth avoid negative behaviors and manage their problems . . . . . . . . . . . 13

TYP helps youth improve school performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Themes of Success . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Building Capacity, Expanding Services, 

 and Coordinating Resources through Partnerships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Funding and Sustainability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Restoring Native Identity by Honoring Culture and Traditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 

Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Training, Technical Assistance, and Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Communication with Agencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Funding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Program Needs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Appendix

1 Note on Methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

2 Additional Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
[ 2 ]

Introduction

Grants awarded by the Office of 

Juvenile Justice and Delinquency 

Prevention (OJJDP) Tribal Youth 

Program (TYP) support and enhance 

tribal efforts to prevent and control delinquency and improve the juvenile justice system for American Indian/Alaska 

Native (AI/AN) youth ages 17 and under. 

TYPs operate in tribal communities, supporting tribal efforts to help youth who 

are at high risk of turning to alcohol, 

violating the law, and engaging in risky 

behaviors. 

The mission of the OJJDP is to strengthen 

the juvenile justice system by providing 

training, technical assistance, and information on trends, new approaches, and 

innovative techniques to juvenile courts 

and court personnel, law enforcement 

agencies, detention and corrections departments, youth service providers, and 

child advocacy organizations. 

This report, prepared by the American 

Youth Policy Forum (AYPF) in partnership with OJJDP, provides preliminary 

findings based on site visits with five 

Tribal Youth Programs in 2007 and 2008. 

The purpose was to investigate how individual programs are succeeding in 

improving the lives of at-risk youth and 

strengthening families in tribal communities. An AYPF staff member and an OJJDP staff member conducted focus groups 

and formal interviews with 137 individuals, including program staff, community partners, tribal elders, tribal council 

members, parents, and youth in the following tribal communities with TYPs: 

• Confederated Tribes of Grand 

Ronde, Oregon

• Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, 

Minnesota

• Old Harbor Village, Alaska

• Absentee Shawnee Tribe, Oklahoma

• Mescalero Apache Tribe, New 

Mexico

The best way to understand the TYP’s role 

in strengthening youth in Indian Country 

is to understand how the program works 

in a community. This report begins with 

case studies of the five tribal communities—their experiences with TYP, and 

their future plans for their youth and 

the programs. The report continues with 

youth views of the programs, “Themes of 

Success” drawn from the TYPs, and recommendations for the TYP based on the 

experience of the five tribes.
[ 3 ]

The Confederated Tribes of Grand 

Ronde (Grand Ronde) occupy 

land near the Oregon coast in a 

verdant inland valley at the base of Spirit 

Mountain. The Grand Ronde comprise 

five unique tribes—the Umpqua, the 

Rogue River, the Molalla, the Kalapuya, 

and the Chasta. Grand Ronde has 4,900 

members, including 500 youth ages 10 

to 17. 

Background

After the Termination Act was passed, 

many tribal members from this region 

moved away from reservations to major 

cities in the hopes of improving their 

lives. In 1983, after testimony by tribal 

members, including youth, Congress restored Federal recognition of the tribes. 

In 1988, a 9,811-acre reservation was reestablished. 

Grand Ronde youth and adults face social and economic challenges from the 

impact of termination. Most of the elders 

still on the reservation grew up in boarding schools, and few have knowledge of 

their Native culture or language. 

To help heal their people and gain economic independence, tribal leaders have 

adopted policies that foster self-sufficiency. In managing reservation timberland, 

they use the revenue generated to address community needs, setting aside a 

portion to provide capital for future economic development. The tribes acquired 

additional land in the 1990s and built 

community, health, and tribal governance centers. Their economic development program includes Spirit Mountain 

Casino. 

The Grand Ronde TYP

The Grand Ronde tribe was awarded 

a TYP grant in 2003. The tribe formed 

the Youth Project Team (YPT), an advisory board of personnel from tribal departments in Housing, Youth Education, 

Recreation, Indian Child Welfare (ICW), 

a Health and Wellness Clinic, and law enforcement, which manages the TYP grant. 

The YPT provides intensive afterschool 

and weekend services for 35 to 50 tribal 

and non-Native youth on the reservation and surrounding communities who 

are at risk of becoming court involved 

Case Studies

Following are case studies of the five tribal communities, their experiences with TYP and their future plans for their youth and the 

programs. All programs included in the study have been working with a TYP grant since 2003. They were selected by OJJDP program 

managers for their geographic diversity and program maturity. The tribes included in this report are recovering from the effects of the 

1954 Termination Act, which terminated the U.S. government’s recognition of tribes as sovereign nations.

Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, Oregon

or entering close custody. According to 

Oregon Youth Authority, close custody 

is their most secure setting for youth offenders, including youth correctional facilities, accountability camps, and work 

study camps. It does not include residential treatment, group homes, or foster 

care. Up to 300 youth engage in YPTsponsored community events annually. 

Through a community assessment process, YPT staff acquired an understanding of the community-wide problem with 

drugs and alcohol, and through a second 

TYP grant in 2006, they adjusted their 

prevention strategy to deal with a growing methamphetamine problem.

The YPT screens youth by collecting data 

on five risk factors: poor school performance, low self-esteem, substance abuse, 

poor peer relations, and low family functioning. Youth entering the program may 

be experiencing substance abuse or exposure to sexual abuse or neglect, and 

they may exhibit antisocial behavior. 

Grand Ronde YPT youth actively participate in community meetings, lead their 

peers in activities, and learn the Chinook 

language and culture. Through meaning-
[ 4 ]

ful civic engagement and exploration of 

cultural traditions, activities increase selfesteem and improve peer relations. Each 

quarter, the YPT provides a girls’ night 

out and boys’ night out. The girls’ night 

involves a field trip with prevention talks 

woven in, or board games followed by a 

conversation on issues such as safe sex, 

drug use in the community, and personal hygiene where girls receive gift bags 

of personal products. The boys’ night 

involves activities like paintball or basketball and engagement in a similar discussion of personal hygiene and healthy 

relationships. From these activities, youth 

develop a sense of identity, meaning, and 

purpose, and begin to mature. 

The Youth Canoe Club is the heart of the 

Grand Ronde TYP. A canoe called Stankiya (the coyote) is used as a catalyst for 

lessons in culture, language, and leadership. Cultural advisors engage youth 

after school in a yearlong curriculum 

where youth take the lead in activities 

that prepare them for a 2 1⁄2-week canoe 

journey. The club is linked to the school 

through grade requirements, and much 

of the club experience takes place out 

of the water. From January to late July, 

youth prepare for the journey. As they 

prepare, youth participate in a host of 

activities, such as hammering out cedar 

strips and weaving them into a workable 

rope; sewing shawls; practicing dancing, 

singing, and drumming; planning meals; 

creating a schedule for paddlers; and determining seat assignments for the canoe 

journey. To attract adults and families to 

the program, the YPT periodically sponsors a family night with a meal and cultural activities to demonstrate progress in 

canoe journey preparations. 

The club’s family-like environment puts 

a premium on responsibility, caring, respect, and teamwork. Experiential learning methods establish a safe and healthy 

lifestyle for youth who have had little 

guidance growing up. Youth respect the 

ideals and people in the club and see 

the fruits of their investment of time and 

care. YPT staff use this setting to establish 

a relationship where they speak candidly 

and guide youth to stay with the program 

and out of trouble. Said a YPT staff member, “We tell them, ‘You cannot paddle our 

canoe or come to meetings if you are under 

the influence. You cannot be the face of the 

club during the week and on weekends be 

someone different.”

A cultural advisor who leads Canoe Club 

activities predicts that it will be here that 

the tribe finds emerging leaders: “Never 

have we seen such success in reaching youth 

as with the canoe experiences. There is positive peer pressure generated that extends to 

families. Youth take their work in the club 

seriously.”

Staff described a young man whose older 

brother has chosen to participate in the 

gang lifestyle. The older brother came 

to a club activity dressed in gang colors, 

and his younger sibling said, “You can’t 

be around here. We are trying to do things 

differently and we don’t want people to see 

us that way.” According to staff, it is unusual for a sibling to stand up to an older 

brother. Youth return to the program year 

after year and help run some of the activities. Said a YPT staff member: “It is not a 

start-treatment, finish-treatment, and then 

you are clean, program. It’s an approach 

similar to diets that slowly change a person’s 

beliefs and behaviors rather than prescribing 

a quick fix.” 

Future Plans

Grand Ronde YPT leaders plan to expand the program to meet the needs of 

older youth and provide more opportunities for them to learn about their Native culture and traditions. The cultural 

advisor and the team want more support 

from the tribal government to allow them 

to take youth to historic locations and 

build an experiential learning curriculum 

around language and place. Through the 

Cultural Resources Department, a course 

in Chinuk wawa, a derivative of the Chinook language, is offered year-round for 

all ages and as an immersion program at 

the tribe’s preschool. Local high schools 

and some colleges in Oregon accept the 

course as a credit for the language requirement for graduation.

The Grand Ronde community is experiencing a revival of its Native traditions 

and language. Children under 10 years 

old are the first generation in more than 

half a century to grow up in an environment that supports Native culture and 

language.
[ 5 ]

Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, Minnesota

The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe 

occupies wooded, lake, and 

stream-filled lands of east-central 

Minnesota. The reservation lands appear 

as a checkerboard pattern spread across a 

number of districts and serve as home to 

3,660 members, including 500 youth. 

Background

A treaty with the U.S. Government established the reservation in 1855. The band 

is a leader in culture restoration among 

the larger Ojibwe Tribe, whose people 

now live in reservations across Michigan, 

Wisconsin, and Minnesota. In the 1980s, 

as a sovereign nation, the band set up a 

separation-of-powers form of government with an executive, legislative, and 

judicial branch. 

The 2000 U.S. Census revealed that 30 

percent of the band’s adults have less 

than a high school diploma, and the unemployment rate is triple the national 

average. One-third of households are 

headed by single parents, nearly half have 

incomes below $25,000, and 42 percent 

of pregnant women claim addictions or 

addictive traits such as smoking. 

The Ojibwe strive to maintain their connection with Mother Earth by hunting 

and fishing; making nets; gathering local 

wild rice and berries; producing practical 

objects from birch bark; and harvesting 

sugar from maple trees, a process called 

sugar bush. The Mille Lacs Band’s Cultural Workforce Program, supported by 

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families 

(TANF), provides funding for 200 people 

to work 20 hours a week harvesting and 

processing the bounty of the land. This 

allows some tribal members to balance 

their job responsibilities with traditional, 

seasonal work to support the continuation of cultural traditions. The band operates two casinos and several businesses, 

providing employment for members and 

non-Natives. Funds generated provide for 

and improve services to band members 

and surrounding communities. These 

services include support for hospitals, 

law enforcement, preschool programs, 

youth services, a scholarship program, 

the Workforce Education and Development Center, a tribal health insurance 

program, assisted living units, services 

for elders, and ceremonial buildings.

Mille Lacs Band of 

Ojibwe TYP

Using TYP funding, Community Youth 

Services (CYS) is applying prevention 

services to reduce risk factors for delinquency and for alcohol and drug abuse. 

The program serves 125 youth, some 

adjudicated and some in foster care. The 

CYS is the only afterschool and weekend 

youth service provider on the reservation 

and works in partnership with other tribal programs such as Family Services and 

Law Enforcement. It provides a blend of 

instruction and activity with a focus on 

culture and language. The program has 

already shown measurable results: Data 

collected from a demographic survey 

show that juvenile delinquency cases 

have dropped significantly—from 270 in 

2004 to 44 in 2007.

Seen as a change agent in the community, 

the CYS, with the aid of elders and adult 

mentors, offers activities and services to 

youth and families after school and on 

weekends, year-round. They include cultural language institutes, cultural counselors at CYS centers located in a school 

or tribal college, dance and drum groups, 

tutoring and mentoring with community members, and building the cultural 

grounds at the Four Season Camps (described below). Experiential learning 

methods at the sacred campgrounds 

build leadership skills, self-esteem, and 

cultural awareness. At the CYS centers, 

activities include Karate, swimming, softball, powwows, basketball, roller skat-
[ 6 ]

ing, and pool. Formal leadership training 

is provided for both youth and adults. 

Family gatherings are organized to allow 

members to bond as they enjoy bingo or 

watch a play that exhibits Ojibwe culture 

and language. 

Future Plans

CYS is transitioning to the Path to Identity (PTI) program, a life-skills program 

for youth who are in and out of school. 

PTI builds their knowledge, skills, and 

identity as individuals and as Native 

Americans. The PTI’s activities focus on 

the Four Seasons Camps, which broke 

ground with funding from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. At 

the camps, run by an elder and lead cultural advisor, tribal members and youth 

are building roads and trails around 200 

acres that surround the sacred campground. They are developing the camps 

as they learn the Ojibwe language, basket making, medicine, spiritual awareness, cultural awareness, survival, and 

other skills. An upcoming evaluation will 

inform staff of areas to improve before 

moving into full implementation. 

The tribe plans to forge an affiliation with 

the Boys & Girls Clubs to open up greater access to grant funding and services 

and use the youth mentorship program, 

Kettle Kinship. To launch the mentoring 

program, the tribe will enlist the assistance of a Federal program, Learn and 

Serve America, from the Corporation for 

National and Community Service. The 

tribe also will focus on plans to inspire 

youth to become the future leaders of PTI 

through a youth council, in which teens 

acquire leadership skills while learning 

how to organize and conduct meetings, 

explore parliamentary procedure, plan 

events, coordinate community service 

projects, and work with tribal leaders. 
[ 7 ]

Old Harbor Village is located on 

the far end of Kodiak Island, 

Alaska, 220 air miles southeast 

of Anchorage and 30 minutes by plane 

from the city of Kodiak. There is no direct 

road access to Old Harbor, and the local 

airport consists of a simple gravel landing strip with groupings of bald eagles 

nearby. A small commercial barge delivers groceries, fuel, building supplies, and 

other necessities to the 230 residents, including 59 children and youth. 

Background

Old Harbor residents are mainly of Sukpiak and Alutiiq heritage. The Russian 

Orthodox Church is an important presence in the village. Old Harbor operates 

under a complex system of tribal, local, 

regional, and state government. The City 

of Old Harbor, incorporated in 1966 

under the State of Alaska, has a sevenmember city council responsible for the 

village’s water and sewer service, public 

buildings, airport, and small harbor. The 

harbor, which has a dock, is home to 

seals, sea lions, and a variety of fish. 

Old Harbor’s economy, as with her sister 

villages, is depressed and losing population annually. Youth who remain face the 

challenge of ongoing Federal and state 

regulation of their fishing rights, resulting in the loss of tribal knowledge and 

tradition, and restricted economic development. Kodiak Island residents struggle 

with the restrictions of fishing permits, 

the residual impact of the Exxon Valdez 

oil spill; decreasing wages; and a stagnant 

local economy. Families suffer from negative behaviors and a rising suicide rate 

among village youth. Evidence of excessive drug and alcohol abuse revealed by 

a survey prompted community members 

to address cultural identity, environment, 

economic development, governance, and 

education in a community plan. 

The Native Village of Old Harbor, a federally recognized tribe led by an elected, 

seven-member tribal council, serves the 

Native community at-large. The tribal 

government administers social and cultural programs and provides funding to 

maintain the village’s small road system, 

spanning four miles. The Kodiak Island 

Borough operates like a county, and residents of the island are served by health 

and social services provided by Kodiak 

Area Native Association (KANA), a regional nonprofit. Under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) of 

1971, Alaska Natives have organized into 

corporations to receive settlements of 

land and money allocated under the law.

Old Harbor’s TYP

Old Harbor was awarded a TYP grant in 

2003 to serve all youth in the village. The 

program director chose to design a program focused on family values, Alaska 

Native cultural traditions, subsistence 

skills (hunting, processing game, fishing, gathering), and youth development. 

Staff used TYP funding to transform an 

existing, underutilized youth program 

into a thriving cultural center for youth. 

The cultural center also supports a developing, year-round campground called 

Nuniaq Camp where subsistence activities occur. A subsequent TYP grant provides for development of a care team of 

adults and service providers in the village 

and daily youth programming.

The TYP is the only youth-based programming in the village. It incorporates 

Alutiiq cultural values and traditions to 

reduce the prevalence of juvenile delinquency and to increase and improve the 

village’s mental health and substance 

abuse counseling services. Staff have 

recruited a diverse group of people to 

share their cultural knowledge and skills 

through seminars and classes. Youth 

Old Harbor Village, Alaska
[ 8 ]

learn about the program through word 

of mouth and a newsletter distributed 

village-wide. Food, used as a lure, includes Subway sandwiches or pizzas that 

are flown in, or tasty subsistence foods 

such as clams.

In just six years the Old Harbor TYP has 

transformed youth behavior in the village. 

The activities engage youth positively in 

their rustic, natural environment, teaching them to distinguish between poisonous and edible plants, and, if they get 

lost, to live off the land until found. On 

Kodiak Island, where bears are common, 

TYP youth know how to track and respect the big beasts. Program staff look to 

museums, elders, and experts outside the 

village to build on efforts to recapture traditional Native ways. As they reach back 

to reclaim the language, youth and staff 

are learning together to carve historical 

Alutiiq masks, preserve meat, and hunt 

and fish. 

The culture center, home base for TYP 

activities, is open each day after school 

and into the evening for youth to engage in supervised activities or simply 

visit with friends. The center provides 

a safe, warm place with healthy snacks 

and a caring adult ready to lead activities. 

Nuniaq Camp serves as a center for outdoor experiential learning. Youth learn 

about subsistence and survival skills as 

they build camp, hunt, fish, and clean 

their kill, preparing it for consumption 

and pelts. In the winter, a smaller camp is 

maintained, and deer and mountain goat 

hunting continue. Youth come to the 

camp during colder months to engage 

in discussion with staff and sometimes 

enjoy the steam heat of the banyan, an 

Alaskan sweat lodge. Many youth served 

by the program have been subjected to 

abusive behavior that has weakened their 

trust in adults. Time at the camp allows 

staff to listen to youth, initiating a deeper 

level of conversation that builds trust and 

promotes learning and healing. TYP staff 

also use individual and group discussion 

to teach youth values or correct social behavior, discussing substance abuse and 

mental health issues on a regular basis. 

Positive attitudes are emerging from 

those deemed most at risk, and among 

many youth, personal appearance and 

self-esteem have improved. 

While there is no policy on what constitutes successful completion of the 

program, staff consider a youth to be successful if he or she is drug and alcohol 

free, in school, planning to attend college, 

and bolstered by a positive sense of self.

Future Plans

Plans to improve the quality and quantity of services in Old Harbor include a 

tribal wellness court that would support 

the TYP’s efforts to improve the lives of 

youth and to serve families. The TYP will 

seek an accountability component of the 

wellness court that includes a system for 

dealing with parents who are drinking 

excessively and allowing their children to 

attend school unprepared. One week of 

therapy at the program’s camp can make 

a lasting difference. In the meantime, 

TYP staff are maintaining weekly care 

team meetings and keeping an eye out for 

future funding opportunities. They are 

assuming a hunting-gathering mentality 

regarding sustainability as they seek new 

grants to support future growth.
[ 9 ]

The Absentee Shawnee Tribe is located west of Pottawatomie County in Oklahoma. The tribe has 

about 2,500 members. Approximately 

10,000 youth live on or near tribal lands, 

including those from neighboring tribes: 

the Citizen Band of Pottawatomie, SacFox Nation, Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma, 

and Kickapoo Tribe. The Absentee Shawnee comprise two bands: The White Turkey Band and the Big Jim Band.

Background

Until the 1800s, Shawnee Indians lived 

in areas now known as Ohio, Indiana, 

Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania. At that time, according to the 

tribe, the U.S. Government removed the 

Shawnee to Kansas. The term Absentee 

Shawnee was coined by Federal officials 

after a portion of the tribe absented itself 

from its appointed reservation in Kansas, 

relocating instead to Indian Territory, 

now the state of Oklahoma. Absentee 

Shawnee tribal government is composed 

of a judicial branch; a combined legislative and executive branch that includes 

the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary, treasurer, and representative; and an 

election commission that runs tribal elections annually.

The poverty rate among all youth in 

Oklahoma is 20 percent, but among Native American youth it is higher still, at 

29.9 percent. At the juvenile detention 

center in Pottawatomie County, there are 

35 to 40 intakes each month, as reported 

by Juvenile Services for the county. According to the Oklahoma State Report on 

Educational Indicators, the dropout rate 

for Native American males and females is 

rising. It was 43 percent in 2004, 46 percent in 2005, and 47 percent in 2006.

Financially, the tribe relies on annual 

funding from the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Indian Health Services, U.S. 

Department of Health and Human Services. Tribal tax revenues from the Absentee Shawnee casino and businesses 

support the tribe’s general fund, which in 

turn help support programs like the TYP. 

Gaming tax revenue is the main source 

of economic development for the tribe. 

Pumping new life into the casino is a 

concern for tribal leaders as they obtain 

new gaming vendors and a casino management group they hope will produce 

greater revenue.

Absentee Shawnee TYP

The Two Stars program uses TYP funding to address the mental health needs 

of 200 youth, ages 12 to 17, and their 

families. The program provides comprehensive delinquency prevention and 

intervention services through intensive 

treatment, including substance abuse 

and anger management counseling. It is 

the only year-round prevention program 

serving Native youth in the county, working directly in school, after school, and 

in homes as needed. For the most intensive mental health needs, program staff 

collaborate with a psychiatrist who sees 

youth monthly. The local family clinic’s 

managing physician sends referrals to the 

Two Stars program. 

Two Stars has an office in the tribe’s social services building. Staff network with 

leaders in the community, Indian Child 

Welfare, and tribal social services to stay 

in touch with the needs of at-risk youth. 

They are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days 

a week and because the community is 

rural, staff provide transportation for 

youth who cannot get to counseling on 

their own, and in some cases, they bring 

the counseling directly to them. The program team includes a program director, 

a university-level intern, and a part-time 

administrative assistant. 

Staff work with youth who have anger issues by allowing them to talk about problems privately, using group meetings, and 

conducting supervised activities to redirect negative energy. The TYP provides 

counseling services directly in schools, 

where staff teach skills such as dealing 

with confrontation, anger management, 

and respect, goal setting, maintaining 

good grades, and staying in school. Staff 

discuss addiction, the stages of alcoholAbsentee Shawnee Tribe, Oklahoma
[ 10 ]

ism, what a father or mother may be going 

through while addicted, co-dependency, 

and steps to take to stop the destructive 

cycle. The program’s summer leadership 

camp provides life skills as a prevention 

service, and older youth (at least 16) may 

serve as camp counselors, receiving a 

stipend paid by the tribe. During camp, 

staff members administer an instrument 

called the SASSI (Substance Abuse Subtle 

Screening Inventory) to all youth referred 

to the program to assess their need for 

mental health intervention. 

Outside the school, Two Stars staff members initiate mental health interventions for up to 50 court-involved youth 

through a voluntary 10-week juvenile intervention program open only to Native 

American youth. Staff make drug, alcohol, and mental health assessments and 

begin treatment through one-on-one and 

group counseling. 

Many of the youth served are at risk of 

or are suffering from substance abuse, behavioral disorders, depression, fetal alcohol syndrome, ADHD, or alcohol or illicit 

drug use, and are or may have spent time 

in foster care. Treatment plans for oneon-one counseling sessions are updated 

weekly and include specific goals. A depression index is used to assess youth involved in a crisis, and as needed, youth 

are referred to St. Anthony’s hospital for 

suicide prevention treatment. Staff seek 

to reduce recidivism to below 25 percent 

of youth who complete the program, as 

measured by a 6- and 12-month followup. 

Two Stars sponsors a monthly afterschool 

youth council and engages adult volunteers to help youth develop leadership 

skills through community event planning. The youth council sponsors a New 

Year’s Eve dance, promoting it with flyers advising other youth to remain drug 

free and gang free, and to maintain abstinence. The program is the only venue 

that works with youth to help them develop goals, stay in school, plan for college, and stay away from gangs.

Future Plans

TYP staff are fundraising to build a mentor connection for Two Stars. Ten volunteers already have signed up to receive 

training. With more funding, the school 

would enlist the Two Stars services daily 

to work with youth at risk. More resources would allow the program to provide 

conflict management tools to help youth 

deal with what it means to be a Native 

American in a community where racism and discrimination exist. Youth are 

requesting more field trips during the 

year and an improved summer camp 

with more supplies and access to a campground that features Native culture and 

crafts. TYP staff members hope to have a 

Boys & Girls Clubs just for Native youth. 

A youth center would provide private 

space for youth to explore Native culture 

and to be themselves. 

Professional development would help 

Two Stars staff offer new strategies for 

dealing with anger issues, as well as activities that develop self-identity through 

Native traditions and history. And, a bigger staff would give the program time to 

build stronger community partnerships, 

such as with the local law enforcement 

agency and elders.
[ 11 ]

The Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation is located in the forests of Otero County in south-central 

New Mexico, surrounded by mountains 

revered as sacred by the tribe. The reservation has a population of approximately 

4,440.

Background

The name “Mescalero” comes from Spaniards who remarked on the abundant use 

of the mescal plant in preparing a staple 

Apache food. In 1873, Ulysses S. Grant 

established the reservation for the 400 or 

so Mescalero Apache who survived confrontations with the U.S. Army. In 1903, 

members of the Lipan Apache band, and 

in 1913, 200 members of the Chiricahua 

band of Apache were relocated to the 

Mescalero reservation. Over the years, the 

three bands have intermarried, and under the Indian Reorganization Act, all became members of the Mescalero Apache 

Tribe as formalized by Congress in 1936. 

The Mescalero Apache government rules 

under a constitution and has been a Federally Chartered Corporation since 1936. 

The tribal council has 10 members who 

are elected annually by popular vote. 

Approximately 65 percent of tribal members have graduated high school, and under two percent have earned a bachelor’s 

degree or higher. The tribe’s economy 

consists of a casino and resort, a telecom 

firm, a cattle operation, timber mills, and 

a ski resort. Revenue generated from the 

tribe’s businesses is applied to assets that 

serve the community, such as a new K-12 

school and senior health care facility.

Mescalero Apache TYP

The Mescalero Prevention Program has 

received OJJDP funding since 2003, using 

it to provide a biweekly life skills class, a 

graduation requirement for students at 

Mescalero Apache High School, and an 

afterschool program serving 35 middle 

and high school youth. In the afterschool 

program, youth meet from 4 to 7 p.m. 

daily in a community center shared with 

the local Boys & Girls Club, which serves 

younger children. Ninth-grade students 

make up the largest cohort of youth 

reached by the TYP. Educational field 

trips and supervised recreation time are 

scheduled on most weekends. 

The prevention program tracks progress 

and changes in individual youth behavior using a state-approved instrument. 

Evaluation of data collected from the 

instrument revealed that the Mescalero 

Apache youth, unlike youth from other 

TYPs covered in this report show much 

lower levels of risk factors (perception 

of harm, non-parent adult support, drug 

availability in the community, etc.) and 

higher scores on resiliency factors. 

The TYP staff has successfully reached 

out to school staff and community members, amassing in five years more than 60 

partner programs and school districts in 

a coalition to serve tribal youth. Youth interviewed say they bring respect and an 

open mind to the prevention program, 

because it provides experiences their 

families cannot provide, such as field 

trips to the Grand Canyon, SeaWorld, 

Carlsbad Caverns, and the Albuquerque 

Balloon Festival. Under the watchful eye 

of program staff, youth make friends, 

play, and tutor other youth. 

The Prevention Program has adopted a 

portion of Route 70 that runs through the 

reservation, removing litter on scheduled 

pickup days. Youth collect roadside debris, separating out alcohol- and tobaccorelated trash. Through this project, they 

earn credit toward the 80 hours of community service needed to graduate high 

school. 

A summer program called Youth Impacting Youth (YIY) partnered with the TYP 

to train youth in one week to produce 

a professional video on a crime prevention topic. YIY engaged youth in teambuilding exercises and then divided them 

into production companies. Each team 

developed a mission statement, a company logo, a script, and a storyboard, 

and they received instruction in acting 

and filming. YIY staff handled final editing. The TYP and its partners covered 

the $300-per-student cost and provided 

meals and snacks. Staff and youth say the 

YIY project provided opportunities for 

youth to develop career skills and work 

products that can be viewed on the Web 

by potential employers. Some parents of 

participating youth enroll in the prevenMescalero Apache Tribe, New Mexico
[ 12 ]

tion program’s Dare to Be You, a 10-week 

parenting class that helps adults develop 

decision-making skills, assertiveness, responsibility, and self-esteem. 

Funding for Mescalero Apache TYP 

comes mainly from the TYP grant and 

fundraisers conducted by staff and youth 

participants. Fundraising efforts include 

involving youth in creating holiday baskets throughout the year and food booths 

during ceremonials.

Future Plans

The TYP staff are looking at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 

Administration (SAMHSA) Drug-Free 

Community grant and considering collaboration with the local Workforce Investment Act program to expand the 

program, as they would like to be able 

to serve more youth. The team wants to 

start a Teen Court and establish a hotline 

for youth to report crime. A drug court 

may be started, which will help with prevention efforts. Because the local school 

district does not have a system to deal 

with truancy, future plans include starting a mentoring program for youth who 

need extra guidance. 
[ 13 ]

I

n interviews with youth about their 

experiences in their tribe’s TYP, a 

number of themes emerged. As detailed below, they commented that participation benefits them as follows: It (1) 

gives them opportunities to use their time 

productively, (2) helps them learn about 

their culture, (3) creates opportunities 

for them, (4) helps them avoid negative 

behaviors and manage their problems, 

and (5) helps them improve school performance. 

TYP Gives Youth 

Opportunities to Use 

Their Time Productively

When interviewed, youth ages 10 to 

17 said that if they were not in the program, they would be spending time alone 

watching TV or playing video games. 

Some even admitted that they would be 

drinking or engaging in risky behaviors. 

In Old Harbor, Alaska, for example, the 

TYP is the only youth-based programming in the village. Before its introduction, there was little for youth to do 

besides homework, watch TV, play video 

games, and stand on the dock watching 

boats pass by.

TYP Helps Youth Learn 

About Their Culture and 

Reconnect with Family 

and Community

When describing what they enjoyed most 

about the program, many youth reported 

that it exposed them to opportunities 

to learn about their Native heritage and 

language, and to go beyond the tribe to 

explore the world. Youth described their 

appreciation for spending time with elders and adults. For example, in the 

Grand Ronde Youth Canoe Club, participants seek acceptance by adults for their 

skills and talents in cultural activities. A 

15-year-old male participant said, “It’s 

good to show that youth are still into their 

culture. We see a lot of people stop and look 

at the canoes.”

Based on their experience, Youth Canoe 

Club participants described how participating in preparations for the canoe journey taught them how to be part of a team 

and get along with others. Grand Ronde 

youth also learned to apply the concepts 

of respect, balance, and cooperation in 

their canoe journey preparation, values 

that will continue to help them throughout their lives.

Mille Lacs Community Youth Services 

TYP youth have confidence and know 

how to express themselves, something 

that can be a great challenge for Native 

youth who have found a way to survive by 

being silent and invisible. The CYS uses 

the sweat lodge as a counseling session to 

relax youth, build trust, and provide time 

for healing. A 14-year-old girl said, “The 

program helps me learn about my culture 

and spend more time with my grandparents. 

I have been dancing at powwows and I just 

made my first dancing shawl.... In the heat 

of the sweat lodge, troubles melt away. It 

clears your mind. I think the program should 

get more kids into it and they will stop their 

bad habits. I try to tell my friends, but older 

kids may not come because they may have 

other priorities.”

TYP Helps Create 

Opportunities for Youth

By participating in TYP activities, youth 

said they received opportunities in their 

communities. For example, a 14-year-old 

girl from Grand Ronde described how 

participating in cultural activities opened 

doors for her: “While we were dancing, a 

lady came up to me and asked me how old 

I was and what grade I was in. Later she 

came up and asked me if I would go to the 

preschool and show the little kids the dances 

and if I would work in a youth employment 

job this summer.”

Mescalero Apache TYP youth are venturing out and gaining experiences that 

strengthen their knowledge and life skills. 

Youth described their excitement over 

the field trips they have enjoyed, which 

take them beyond the boarders of the reservation, as well as the exercise and the 

homework guidance they have received. 

Said one boy, “We learn about drugs and 

ways to prevent people from using them. We 

have fundraisers to go on trips. I learn things 

I never thought of.” 

TYP Helps Youth Avoid 

Negative Behaviors and 

Manage Their Problems

Youth said their participation in TYP gave 

them a resource for avoiding negative behaviors and managing their problems. As 

a 14-year-old boy commented, “I would be 

drinking if I were not in this program. I had 

a long-term drinking problem. I was locked 

up for two years. Through the program, I 

have learned patience, and during sweats, 

pray for taking pain away from other people. During the breaks, in between the doors, 

the elders talk and we listen. If someone has 

something to pray about, we pray. In there, 

everyone is brother and sister...In the past, 

I was lost, but I’ve learned a lot of culture 

and I want to start an AA club in the area 

for kids my age.”

Said one 16-year-old boy: “The program is 

very helpful to people, not just youth, for the 

Youth Views 
[ 14 ]

healing process and for learning your own 

culture. It helps me personally. People come 

there for healing who may have had problems with their families, in addition to drugs 

or alcohol. The drum and outfit making is 

part of healing. There is not a time when we 

are not laughing. Maybe that is why it is such 

a good feeling. It might come from a negative 

thing that has happened to you recently...

The program puts you on the right track—to 

respect people and forgive, pray for, and try 

to help others. In the sweat lodge, we all contribute. We all teach the little ones different 

songs. I invite others to a sweat lodge. It is 

their decision to come or not. It is like asking 

someone to go to church.”

TYP Helps Youth Improve 

School Performance

Tribal Youth Programs collaborate with 

schools and often share program staff 

and space. One TYP cultural advisor described truancy as the biggest problem 

at school and cited the TYP program as 

working with schools to re-engage students. 

One boy on the Mescalero Apache Reservation was among those who related 

how his participation in TYP helped him 

in school: “They feed us healthy food and 

drinks. They also talk to us about our grades 

and behavior. Since I started [the TYP], my 

grades started to go up.” Said another boy 

from the same community, “We exercise 

every week. We talk about drugs, everyday 

things, and college. I will go to college when I 

graduate from high school.”

A third boy in the same program commented: “We do one hour of homework every day. After that, we do a fun activity, and 

arts and crafts. Even exercise is fun...we do 

a lot of fundraisers to earn money to buy 

things the program needs like exercise equipment, fishing poles, and tents for camping.”

The Absentee Shawnee Tribe’s TYP staff 

work after school with middle school 

students. In the program, youth enjoy a 

snack as they describe trouble with teachers and listen attentively to advice from 

adults. The overall sense from youth regarding their TYP is that it is something 

that belongs to them; it provides a safe 

place to visit with friends, vent concerns 

to caring adults, receive help with schoolwork, and learn about Native culture and 

language. 

In sum, the youth who participate in the 

TYPs described in this report cited the 

productive use of their time, the opportunity to learn about their cultures, the 

opportunities created by the programs, 

the ability to deal with negative behavior 

and manage their problems, and an improvement in their school performance 

as benefits of the programs they valued. 

The TYP programs provide activities that 

youth describe as both fun and useful.
[ 15 ]

I

n interviews with TYP staff about 

the successes of TYP in the five communities visited, three major themes 

emerged: (1) building capacity, expanding services, and coordinating resources 

through partnerships, (2) funding and 

sustainability, and (3) restoring Native 

identity by honoring culture and tradition.

Building Capacity, 

Expanding Services, and 

Coordinating Resources

through Partnerships

Successful TYPs serve at-risk youth by 

building support through local partnerships and connecting to tribal, state, and 

regional networks. The TYPs described in 

this report are plugged into the community, and their leaders seek out opportunities to build capacity by reaching out 

to others. They serve as ambassadors and 

advocates for youth, procuring venues 

for collaboration on community projects, 

supplies, and resources for activities, 

health services, and political support for 

funding and meaningful opportunities 

for youth to serve the community. Tribal 

advisory boards are also recruited to develop and coordinate plans to serve atrisk youth and reduce juvenile crime. 

Successful TYPs see health care as part of 

the continuum of services. TYP staff serve 

as role models of a healthy family, demonstrating an alternative to negative behaviors. Some staff interviewed pointed 

out that some at-risk youth may not have 

experienced what a healthy family is or 

understand how it operates. Through exposure to healthy family experiences and 

activities sponsored by the TYP, youth 

learn how to be healthy people and break 

the cycle of abuse and addiction in their 

lives. 

Depending on the tribe, tribal council 

leaders may get involved with the TYP at 

the ground level or stay on the periphery. 

Some tribal council members support the 

TYP by purchasing equipment and attending activities, speaking at prevention 

and leadership conferences, and interacting with youth directly during visits to 

the program’s activities. Some tribal leaders have children or relatives who participate in the TYP. 

Collaboration with community partners 

is a necessity and allows TYPs to build 

program capacity for delivering services, 

attain youth referrals, increase visibility 

within the community, connect to funding streams, and tap into other resources. 

In larger tribal communities, TYPs are 

joining with other national programs 

such as the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and mentorship efforts to strengthen 

programming. Law enforcement officers 

are excellent sources for referrals to the 

program, and they often are invited to 

TYP trainings and events to break down 

barriers among youth and adults who 

may perceive the police as cynical or hostile.

Funding and 

Sustainability

The TYP grant provides the core funding 

for TYP programs. Some programs do not 

receive a youth prevention budget from 

their tribe, although other in-kind support may be provided. According to the 

TYP staff interviewed, another significant 

source of Federal funding to support 

their TYP is the SAMHSA grant. SAMSHA 

grants may be used for mental illness and 

substance abuse prevention, treatment, 

and recovery support programs. They 

fund culturally appropriate programs addressing issues such as suicide prevention programs in schools, programs for 

children and youth with severe emotional 

disturbances, and alcohol- and methamphetamine-abuse prevention programs. 

For some TYPs, tribal council contributes in-kind resources such as program 

facilities and staff time. For example, the 

Grand Ronde tribal council has instituted 

a policy to reduce the administrative indirect costs for tribal programs to allow 

more dollars to go directly to youth serThemes of Success
[ 16 ]

vices. This policy makes it possible for 

the TYP and its partners to apply for private foundation grants that often restrict 

indirect costs to fewer than 15 percent of 

the total funds requested. The Mille Lacs 

TYP has supplemented its TYP grant with 

two community service state block grants 

targeted to combat poverty. In addition, 

revenue generated by the tribe’s casino 

and businesses provides extra support. 

Community partners of the Mille Lacs 

TYP, including the tribal school system, 

provide in-kind support such as office or 

activity space. 

To sustain funding for TYP programming, 

the tribes profiled here have sought funds 

from a variety of sources beyond the 

federal government. They have sought 

grants that support social economic development, native language preservation, 

posttreatment services, and methamphetamine and other drug and alcohol 

prevention services. State grants received 

by some TYPs are funds passed from 

Federal sources, including tobacco prevention and/or alcohol and drug prevention dollars. Some state grants cover only 

prevention activities and do not support 

funding for treatment, making them less 

flexible to use. All TYPs interviewed are 

engaged in some form of local fundraising events such as car washes, a talent 

contest, and craft and bake sales. 

The Old Harbor TYP annual budget is 

supported by a complicated combination 

of Federal, state, tribal, and private grants 

and donations. The tribe covers some of 

the program director’s position with support from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. 

Some program costs are covered by funding from a Native American Housing and 

Self Determination Act grant awarded 

through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Donations 

come from the regional nonprofit association KANA and the regional for-profit 

Koniag Inc. A grant from the State of 

Alaska’s Department of Health and Human Services Early Intervention and Prevention Program provides professional 

development support. 

Funding is less complicated at the Mescalero Apache Prevention Program, 

where staff and youth work year-round 

to raise money to supplement their TYP 

grant. They do not receive a budget from 

the tribe. Youth-led fundraising occurs 

during holidays when they create festive 

baskets for sale. Their fundraising profits 

pay for field trips to a variety of locations 

in and out of state. Similarly, the Absentee Shawnee Two Stars program operates 

exclusively through the support of the 

TYP grant and from fundraising events 

held throughout the year by TYP participants.

Restoring Native Identity 

by Honoring Culture 

and Traditions

Building Native identity is a prevention 

measure used by the TYPs profiled in this 

report to reach youth, engage them in activities, and get them to participate regularly in the programs. Many TYPs use 

cultural advisors to serve as role models 

and resources for language and tribal traditions. TYPs also rely on the support of 

elders to help the programs support Native traditions and language. The cultural 

content of the TYP programs described 

in this report are meaningful to youth 

participants and help them connect their 

lives and choices to the traditions and 

culture of their respective communities.
[ 17 ]

Through interviews conducted for 

this report, TYP leaders and staff 

offered recommendations for Federal and state policymakers, agency staff, 

and practitioners operating or considering a tribal youth program. Recommendations focused on training, technical 

assistance and technology, communication with agencies, evaluation, funding, 

and program needs. 

Training, Technical 

Assistance, and 

Technology

Improve TYP training by providing 

knowledge of best practices and fresh 

ideas to attract youth, especially older 

youth, to activities. TYP leaders and 

staff recommended training that will:

• Demonstrate or describe what leading 

TYPs have accomplished;

• Include ways to integrate more Native 

American beliefs;

• Provide examples of experiential learning that is culture driven;

• Provide program facilitation skills; 

• Provide grant writing and fundraising 

tips; and

• Provide public relation skills, tips on 

keeping the community informed, and 

practice working with the media.

Provide leadership training that serves 

both youth and adults. It was suggested 

that youth be included in training workshop or conference planning committees. 

Staff talked about seeking out role models for youth and inviting them to speak 

at regional trainings or TYP conferences. 

Cultivate qualified staff from within. 

No feeder system has been established to 

reach professionals who work in a TYP. 

Finding qualified, acculturated staff in 

rural areas is both time-consuming and 

challenging for programs. A certification process or degree program vetted 

through the Tribal Colleges could help 

prepare entry-level, mid-career, or second-career American Indian and Alaska 

Natives to work in the justice or prevention field. Federal agencies should consider working with tribes to spearhead 

an initiative to reach out to Tribal College 

staff, inviting them to TYP trainings, and 

fostering partnerships between TYP and 

the Tribal Colleges. It would be beneficial 

to “grow” qualified staff from within the 

tribe by helping tribes invest in existing 

staff through incentives for certifications 

and continuing education that supports 

program goals. 

Provide cultural sensitivity training for 

those in public service working with 

tribes. State and local policymakers and 

administration staff that interface with 

tribes should receive training on Native 

American culture, history, and the landscape in which tribes live when creating 

or updating policies that involve tribes. 

Use technology to provide training.

Given the remote location of many tribes, 

federal agencies should provide for technology or computer upgrades to help 

programs improve their communications 

and training. For example, TYPs could 

receive technical assistance or training 

through online meetings and communications with other agencies and programs. Technology could be used to help 

provide information on program sustainability through important program 

updates, funding opportunities, accessing volunteer staff assistance from other 

programs, and allowing TYP programs to 

share best practices.

Communication with 

Agencies

Work across departments and agencies 

to coordinate grant notices, related 

trainings, and professional development. There already is an effort through 

an OJP initiative to bring together agencies that work with tribes, but this is not 

yet reaching some in the field. Agencies 

should endeavor to coordinate the reRecommendations
[ 18 ]

lease of requests for proposals or grant 

announcements to help build program 

sustainability, because Federal funding 

is currently the main resource for tribal 

programs.

States should improve their communication with tribes about tribal programs receiving state grants or Federal 

pass-through dollars. Oregon is a good 

example of a state working closely with 

tribes. Since 2001, Oregon has operated 

on a government-to-government relationship with Oregon tribes. As a result, 

the state has developed a system that 

provides liaisons to tribes for assistance 

with translation and interpretation of 

Federal and state funding and reporting 

requirements. The state’s technical assistance helps tribes translate terminology 

featured in requests for proposals and 

program outcome reports. 

Evaluation

Improve the coordination across reporting systems at the Federal and 

state levels for tracking data, strategies, and outcomes for TYPs and other 

youth programs. Staff then would need 

to learn only one system. 

Maintain flexible program measure 

reporting requirements. TYP leaders 

and staff suggested that Federal and state 

policymakers and agency staff should be 

sensitive when considering the implementation and data collection of programs that are culturally based. Some 

tribes are inhibited from pursuing Federal grants because initiatives developed by 

those in Indian Country are rare to nonexistent among listings of best practice 

models approved by the Federal Government which makes it difficult for tribes to 

select programs that are sensitive to their 

needs. Tribes should have more time to 

design their own research and evaluation 

tools using culturally appropriate methods. Federal and state agencies should 

acknowledge that tribes often need and 

want to develop culturally-based prevention and treatment services and not limit 

them to government lists of best practices.

Funding

Extend the grant period to no less than 

five years or even a 10-year period. As 

many grants are short-term, program 

leaders and staff spend a great deal of program time seeking other funding sources 

to sustain programs. It takes time for the 

community to embrace a program, see its 

benefits, and invest in sustaining it.

Lower the indirect cost rate for grant 

awards. TYP leaders and staff recommended that the tribes lower the indirect 

cost rate for grant awards. Many tribes do 

not have an established tax base that provides an infrastructure of services and, as 

a result, cannot compete for grants with 

counties and universities whose established systems afford a far lower indirect 

cost. In some cases, tribal program indirect rates (utilities, rent, administrative 

tasks, etc.) can be as high as 50 percent. 

Grant or award requirements that impose 

restrictions on a tribe’s indirect cost rate 

hurt their ability to compete for grants. 

Be aware of the limitation of support 

for social programs. TYP leaders and 

staff stressed that Federal, state, and local policymakers need to be aware that a 

casino on the reservation does not guarantee greater funding for youth services. 

Most tribes do not provide direct funding 

to the TYP. Rather, in-kind support from 

the tribal government will sometimes 

cover equipment, vehicles, staff support, 

and facilities. 

Program Needs

Support Transportation. One of the 

most common areas underfunded is reliable, fuel-efficient transportation for 

youth to get to and from TYP activities. 

Fuel-efficient buses or vans to transport 

youth would improve the lives of those 

who must negotiate rides or walk home 

at night. The rising costs of transportation and fuel are barriers to providing 

services and getting the support of rural 

families to attend TYP activities.

Expand TYP to a general audience of 

American Indian/Alaska Native youth. 

One tribal leader recommended that federally-funded programs address the needs 

of not just troubled youth, but all youth. 

The program target of at-risk youth creates a stigma for the youth who participate, and families may not want the TYP 

service because they do not want others 

to know that the youth have problems.
[ 19 ]

Often the only afterschool and 

weekend youth service provider on the reservation, the Tribal 

Youth Program, we found, is usually the 

center of the community. This perhaps is 

because TYPs reach out to engage families and build networks of local partnerships of support among tribal leaders, 

elders, and members. The program, with 

its focus on Native culture and language, 

appeals to tribal members who see the 

renewal of Native pride through the resurrection and application of cultural beliefs, values, and traditions, to the benefit 

of the community. The TYPs featured in 

this report have found a way to empower 

youth to lead the community in activities 

that build a sense of attachment to heritage, promote belonging, and support 

personal development. The TYP serves 

as a healthy alternative to negative activities and risky behaviors that provide a 

breeding ground for substance abuse and 

gang-related activity. 

Some practitioners view the program as 

an incubator for emerging tribal leaders. And in larger tribal communities, to 

strengthen programming and build leadership among youth, some TYPs are joining with other national programs such as 

the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and 

coordinating programming around mentorship, service and youth leadership efforts. At least one TYP interviewed plans 

to apply to the Corporation for National 

and Community Service for a VISTA (Volunteer in Service to America) volunteer 

grant to build program capacity.

Tribal Youth Programs focus on prevention and intervention, concentrating on 

youth development and building civic 

and life skills as well as providing exposure to career-related skills that allow 

at-risk youth the means to function and 

succeed on and off tribal lands. 

More specifically, youth, families, and 

the tribal community enjoy a number of 

benefits: 

• Fewer youth engage in risky behaviors 

that require the attention and resources of the police, sheriff’s departments, 

schools, and courts;

• Regularly scheduled activities are held 

in a safe environment that (1) engage 

youth and their families in Native culture and language and (2) provide an 

alternative to unsupervised time that 

can lead to delinquency, underage 

drinking, unprotected sex, and other 

risky behavior;

• Life skills are learned as youth engage 

in and lead projects that make a difference in the community;

• At-risk youth are transformed from the 

ones being helped to the ones helping 

others;

• Youth break the cycle of abuse in their 

lives as they spend time with and receive guidance from caring adults that 

help them make informed decision 

and/or choices that help them plan for 

their future;

• Greater trust, learning and healing 

among youth and families; and

• Opportunities for intergenerational collaboration.

Finally, it is the author’s recommendation 

to support the expansion of the TYP to 

serve as a growing, living network and 

resource for tribes in their pursuit to reconnect youth to the community. Because 

the TYP touches many sectors of a youth’s 

life, before, during, after school and into 

the summer months, it would serve as a 

natural center for youth development for 

all tribal youth, not only to prevent criminal behavior through redirection, but 

intentionally strengthen academic and 

non-academic skills, including leadership and a connection to careers, with an 

emphasis on Native history, culture, and 

intergenerational relationships. Through 

coordinated efforts with other federal 

agencies that provide grants to tribes, 

TYP could expand further to serve youth 

and tribal communities. 

Conclusion 
[ 20 ]

This report, prepared by the American Youth Policy Forum (AYPF) in partnership with OJJDP, provides preliminary findings on how TYPs 

are succeeding in improving the lives of 

at-risk youth and strengthening families 

in tribal communities. The information 

is based on site visits, focus groups, and 

individual interviews conducted in 2007 

and 2008. Before visiting the communities, the AYPF researcher received approval from an Institutional Review Board 

through OJJDP’s Evaluation Management 

contractor, CSR, Incorporated. 

The study was an exploratory attempt 

to capture a snapshot of TYPs that have 

been operating for at least six years and 

from a variety of regions across the United States; all programs included have 

been working with TYP grants since 

2003. AYPF held formal interviews with 

137 individuals, including program staff, 

community partners, tribal elders, tribal 

council members, parents, and youth 

in five different tribal communities: the 

Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, 

Oregon; Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, Minnesota; Old Harbor Village, Alaska; the 

Absentee Shawnee Tribe, Oklahoma; and 

the Mescalero Apache Tribe, New Mexico. 

The communities were selected by OJJDP 

program managers for their geographic 

diversity and program maturity. 

Each site visit was conducted over three 

to four days with two interviewers, an 

APYF staff member and an OJJDP TYP 

program manager, and included a tour 

of the reservation, interviews, and observations of TYP activities. The interviews were conducted with individuals 

and groups, using a formal qualitative 

method of inquiry and a prepared list of 

questions to acquire an “insider’s” perspective of the program. Interviews were 

conducted with TYP staff, youth participants, parents, tribal leaders, elders, 

program partners, and community members. Site visits were scheduled according 

to the convenience of TYP staff.

The TYP program directors selected participants for interviews, including 55 

youth, 16 elders, 42 TYP staff and partners (including tribal council members), 

and 24 parents and other adults. Conversations were recorded and program 

materials collected. The findings and recommendations are based on information 

gathered from direct program observation, program materials, and data collected through interviews. Observations 

included youth participating in discussions and engaging in activities. Signed 

consent and assent forms were collected 

from individuals participating in the interviews.

Interview questions were prepared, 

adapted for each focus group, and sent 

to tribes in advance of each visit. Questions addressed: (1) a general overview 

of the program and program services, (2) 

program capacity and infrastructure, (3) 

use of volunteers, (4) funding, (5) youth 

participants, and (6) perceived impact 

on youth and the community. Program 

staff and tribal leaders were asked how 

the TYP has improved services for youth 

by (a) instituting or adjusting policies 

that affect organizational structure, and 

(b) leveraging resources, such as grants, 

volunteers, donations, and other funding 

streams. Some answers were obtained 

through information packets provided by 

the TYP. 

The limitations of the research are that, 

while a Native American supervised the 

study, the field research was conducted 

and written by a non-Indian. The number of representatives (five tribes) interviewed for the study is relatively low. 

For a more comprehensive view of the 

program, further research should be conducted with more tribes that receive TYP 

grant funding.

The Hopi tribe was originally included 

in the sites to be involved in the report; 

however, due to scheduling issues the assessment timeline could not be met.

Appendix 1: Note on Methodology
[ 21 ]

Confederated Tribes of 

Grand Ronde, Oregon

http://www.grandronde.org/

Youth Canoe Club

http://www.grandronde.org/template.

aspx?id=6890

Youth Education

http://www.grandronde.org/template.

aspx?id=3932

Mille Lacs Band of 

Ojibwe, Minnesota

http://www.millelacsojibwe.org/

Newsroom

http://www.millelacsojibwe.org/Page_

FactSheet_ServingOurCommunity.aspx

Old Harbor Village, 

Alaska

http://www.oldharbornativecorp.com/

Absentee Shawnee Tribe, 

Oklahoma

http://www.astribe.com/

Two Stars Program

http://www.astribe.com/FamilyServices.

html

Mescalero Apache Tribe, 

New Mexico

http://www.mescaleroapache.com/

Mescalero Apache School

http://www.maschiefs.org/

Appendix 2: Additional Resources
American Youth Policy Forum with the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 

Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice

ISBN# 1-88703-99-5