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Indigenous youth rarely describe the future in straight lines. They speak in stories, in relationships, in responsibility to family, community, and Land. They speak about wanting work that supports their Nations and a life that feels whole, not split between who they are and what the world expects.
That’s why “Bundles Unlocked” is more than a title. In many Indigenous teachings, a bundle represents gifts, responsibilities and tools gathered over time which are carried with care, shared with purpose. Career pathways can be understood the same way: not a single ladder to climb, but a bundle of experiences that grows as youth learn, contribute and discover what fits.
Centering youth voices is the key that unlocks those bundles.
Listening that changes the plan
Too often, programs designed to “help” Indigenous youth begin with assumptions: what success looks like, what work matters, what barriers are most important. Youth know the barriers, like transportation, housing instability, caregiving, discrimination, but they also know the solutions that actually work in their lives.
Youth often tell us things like: “Don’t just ask us what we need, build it with us.” They want chances to try, stumble and try again without being written off. They want role models who look like them and workplaces where cultural obligations aren’t treated as “attendance problems.”
“Don’t just ask us what we need, build it with us.”
When youth lead the conversation, the design shifts:
- Orientation becomes relationship-based onboarding rather than a paperwork marathon.
- Mentorship becomes reciprocal because youth teach as much as they learn.
- Job readiness expands to include cultural safety, identity affirmation and community connection.
Youth voices don’t just add insight, they reshape the map.
Introducing NPAAMB Indigenous Youth Employment & Training’s resilient-focused practice
Trauma-informed practice has helped systems recognize harm, avoid re-traumatization and prioritize safety. But it can also unintentionally freeze young people in a deficit story, a story where every reaction is viewed as “a trauma response,” and the focus stays on what’s wrong rather than what’s strong.
Resilient-focused practice asks a different question:
“What skills is this young person already using to survive and how do we support them to turn those skills into healthy, future-focused live-navigation skills?”
In other words: we don’t deny pain. We don’t ignore history. But we refuse to make trauma the only storyline available.
From trauma-based behaviours to live-navigation skills
When youth are stressed, unsafe, or excluded, their behaviours often make sense as protective strategies. Resilient-focused practice doesn’t shame those strategies. It translates them gently and practically into strengths that can be refined and redirected.
Examples of that translation:
- Always on guard – can transition to situational awareness and boundary setting.
- Shuts down in conflict – can be refocused into self-regulation and returning to repair.
- Anger comes fast – teaches youth advocacy and learning healthy expression.
- Doesn’t trust systems – helps youth to practice discernment and choose safe supports.
- Takes care of everyone – leans into leadership, plus learning to share the load.
This shift changes the relationship. Youth are not treated as problems to manage. They are treated as capable navigators who deserve better tools, more choices and more supportive environments.
What youth say they need from pathways
Across circles and one-on-one conversations, Indigenous youth consistently return to a few essentials:
- Belonging before performance – youth want to know: “Do I have a place here?” When they feel respected, they take risks, try again and ask for help sooner.
- Real-world supports, not just advice – career goals collapse without basics: bus passes, childcare options, food security, stable devices, flexible scheduling and safe spaces to decompress.
- Cultural safety that isn’t symbolic – land acknowledgements are not enough. Youth want staff who challenge racism, pronounce names correctly and make room for ceremony, language and community obligations.
- Choice and agency – youth want pathways they can shape, such as paid placements, job shadows, micro-credentials and the freedom to change direction without being labeled “uncommitted.”
How organizations can unlock bundles
Reimagining pathways requires more than good intentions. Here are steps teams can start now:
- Create youth advisory circles with decision-making power (and pay youth for their expertise).
- Replace compliance-based policies with relationship-based expectations and clear, compassionate boundaries.
- Build mentorship into the structure, like regular check-ins, peer supports and Elders/Knowledge Keepers where appropriate.
- Train supervisors in resilient-focused practice: de-escalation, restorative approaches, strengths-based coaching and cultural humility.
Bundles unlocked, futures expanded
When Indigenous youth voices lead, career development stops being a narrow pipeline and becomes a living network rooted in identity, supported by community and flexible enough to hold real life. Youth develop the confidence to navigate their lived experiences and realities while carrying a bundle of culturally significant tools to help them thrive.
NPAAMB’s resilient-focused practice reminds us that the behaviours we see are often the best strategies youth have had available. Our role is to expand what’s available: safer environments, stronger relationships and tools that turn survival into navigation.
Because youth are not waiting to be “fixed.” They are already carrying bundles of wisdom, creativity and responsibility. Our job is to listen, to partner and to unlock pathways that let those bundles shine.
