Right To Play – Indigenous youth are the fastest-growing segment of the Canadian population, yet they are faced with significant social, economic, and systemic barriers. One in four children in First Nations communities live in poverty, and suicide rates among Indigenous youth are five to seven times higher than those of non-Indigenous people in Canada.

Progress begins by investing in people, and that’s what Right To Play is doing with their Promoting Life-skills in Aboriginal Youth (PLAY) program.

Join me in making a donation to the PLAY program!

Like all Right To Play operations around the world, PLAY works in partnership with communities to address their unique challenges. Programs provide a safe space for youth to build resiliency by enhancing their self-confidence and building positive relationships; offer consistent access to physical activity and healthy food; further education by offering homework support; and increase employability by providing mentorship and skills training. Last winter I met an inspiring young man named Jordi who has been a PLAY Community Mentor for two years. In that time he has watched youth in his hometown of Whitefish River First Nation build critical life-skills. He has witnessed an increase in self-esteem and a lower suicide rate among youth and he believes these are just two of the impacts that PLAY has had in his community. Meet Jordi and the kids of Whitefish River by watching the video below:
 

Thanks to the generosity of supporters like you, the PLAY program currently reaches more than 90 First Nations communities and urban Aboriginal organizations across Canada, but there are many more that would benefit greatly from partnering with Right To Play. We can’t grow our reach without your support. Please give today.

Next week, Canada will celebrate National Aboriginal Day on June 21^st and you’ll be hearing more from my friend Jordi. I hope that you’ll join me in supporting the PLAY program and the tremendous potential of our Indigenous youth today. Together they will make real change in this country, and so can we!

Thank you,
 

Clara Hughes

PS. I hope you’ll agree with me that it is our collective duty to ensure every child in this great country has an equal opportunity to thrive and succeed. With your support, Right To Play can continue to provide Indigenous youth with that chance.