On March 1, the RCMP Foundation is launching a youth program in Gold River which is part of Acadia First Nation. The program is funded in partnership with the RCMP Foundation, through a generous donation from Mr. John Risley, a local businessman. Mr. Risley requested his donation be used to fund programming for Indigenous youth in the area.
The youth program was developed by Ms. Sheila Porter, the Co-Ordinator for Acadia First Nations in Gold River and Cst Rod Francis, School Safety Resource Officer for Lunenburg District RCMP. Porter has taken on the role of director of the seven-week long program, which is tailored specifically to the needs of Indigenous youth from 12-14 years. It will cover the following topics:
- Indigenous Culture (Talking Circles, Shields)
- RCMP specialized sections (Police Dog, Forensics, and others)
- Role Models
- Traditional Moccasin making
- RCMP Detachment tour
The program has been named the Gold River Eagle Feather Youth Program. The launch of the program and registration night for the sessions is being held on March 1 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Gold River Health Care Centre. The program is expected to be finished this fall, at which time a celebration will be held to mark the participants' achievement.
The RCMP Foundation's mission is to support community-based efforts by RCMP members and community partners with emphasis on youth at risk across Canada for the purpose of creating safe neighbourhoods. For more information, please visit: http://rcmp-f.ca.