Native Spirit: Development of a culturally grounded after‐school program to promote well‐being among American Indian adolescents

Abstract

Culturally grounded after‐school programs (ASPs), based on local cultural values and practices, are often developed and implemented by and for the local community. Culturally grounded programs promote health and well‐being for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) adolescents by allowing them to reconnect to cultural teachings that have faced attempted historical and contemporary erasure. This article is a first‐person account that describes the development and implementation of a culturally grounded ASP, Native Spirit (NS), for AI adolescents (grades 7–12) living on a Southwest urban‐based reservation. NS, a 13‐session culturally grounded ASP, was developed by an academic–community partnership that focuses on increasing cultural engagement as a form of positive youth development. Each session was guided by one to two local cultural practitioners and community leaders. The development of the NS program contributed to an Indigenous prevention science that emphasizes the positive impacts of Indigenous culture and community on health and well‐being. The use of the ASP format, in partnership with the Boys & Girls Club, increased the feasibility of dissemination and refinement of the NS program by tribal communities and organizations.

Community Engagement, The Context for Teachers’ Work-Efficiency? A Tism Approach

“…Students think that their teachers' knowledge management (KM) method is focused on applying knowledge, sharing information, and making new knowledge (Li et al, 2009), where KM and sharing of information within organizations are helped by things like personal traits, attitude, organizational culture, and trust (Santhose & Lawrence, 2023). On the other hand, some education programs that are culturally grounded and based on local beliefs and practices help to spread the native spirit, help the tribal organizations and communities (Hunter et al, 2022); and human capital, KM, and social capital are all affected by employee growth processes, where there is a big effect of KM on human capital, but not on social capital (Al-Tit , 2022). In short, the way educators think and how involved they are in their communities, are influencing their attitude and manage their knowledge in Indian school education system.…”

Editorial: Indigenous knowledge and chronic disease prevention among the first people of North America

“…Indigenous populations of North America face substantial health disparities, which have led to disproportionate rates of chronic diseases, compounded by elevated rates of poverty, lack of educational opportunities, and historical trauma ( 1 , 2 ). The use of local Indigenous knowledge and culturally-anchored interventions have resulted in sustainable programs that support tribal sovereignty and self-determination ( 3 – 5 ). However, case studies illustrating the role of Indigenous knowledge in changing the course of chronic disease health disparities are limited.…”