Project 9:  Information: The Power to Strengthen Native Families

Principal Partners:  To be named Action Committee Chairman:  Juanita Toledo, Vice President, National UNITY Council, Executive Committee  (juanita@pnyteam.org) Project Date:  Project to take place in the Summer of 2008 – specific date to be determined Objective:  to provide information to youth councils and their members represented by the National UNITY Council as well as to others within the Native American community that is useful in designing and carrying out projects to strengthen Native families within their respective communities.

Project Description: There is a wealth of information targeted to Native people that is available from government agencies, Native American organizations, colleges and universities, and tribal programs that directly relate to the National Initiative's objective of strengthening Native families. Therefore, it is the objective of this Initiative related project to selectively identify this information and help to make it readily available to youth councils and their members as well as to others within the Native American community. In addition, original materials such as summary reports written about the various Initiative projects, videos of project activities, and promotional materials - such as brochures and posters - will be produced and made available to affiliated youth councils, to other identified Native youth groups and to institutions and organizations that may have an interest in the subject matter and an ability and willingness to make the collected information available to Native youth and their families.

The collected information will be distributed -- as appropriate -- by:

• Digitally reproducing the printed material provided by the originating entities on DVDs and mailing to member youth councils, youth groups and others at their request,

• Uploading the material as appropriate to the UNITY, Native Youth Magazine, Rezkast.com, and AISES Websites,

• Uploading the material to Websites hosted by others who share an interest in strengthening Native families,

• Providing a mailing list to the agencies, organizations and institutions that produce the material so they may send information to those who request,

• Distributing packets of information at the 2008 National UNITY Conference, 2008 National AISES Conference, 2008 National American Indian Physicians Association Conference, and at other meetings and conferences to be identified, and by

• Sharing the informational packets with others who have a means of distributing the materials to those in the target audience.

A series of audio, video and print Public Service Announcements (PSA) will be produced and distributed to the appropriate outlets in markets where there is a significant Native American population. These PSAs will promote the objective of strengthening Native families, encourage involvement and provide the information needed to request project related materials.

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