Connecting With Our Youth

Connecting With Our Youth (CWOY) 

The goal of Connecting With our Youth (CWOY) is to cultivate a community-initiated prevention and intervention strategy in Pennington County, South Dakota, that draws on the strengths of Lakota cultural values of generosity, courage, respect, and wisdom. CWOY’s culturally adapted program components include the support navigator program, partner & community training, postvention, and mobile app initiatives. CWOY serves Natives of any age.

What We Do

CWOY is a values-based initiative to reduce the rate of suicide for Native Americans in the He Sapa catchment area. CWOY is informed by Lakota culture values of caring and compassion for all (Waúŋšila), and youth are sacred (Wakȟáŋyeža) to strengthen connections between American Indian youth and their culture. CWOY uses Lakota values to develop culturally-adapted and evidence-based prevention and intervention strategies to increase social connectedness, reduce death by suicide and suicide attempt rates, and expand knowledge of how to support American Indian youth. CWOY currently deploys support navigators called CWOY support navigators who are entrusted to work with key stakeholders to provide early intervention and long-term support. Support Navigators serve as advocates, mentors, resource connectors, and good relatives to our youth and families.

Our program's foundation is in the 7 sacred universal laws of the Lakota. 

Waunsila (Compassion)
Wawahwala (Humility)
Woksape (Wisdom)
Wacantognaka (Generosity)
Wowacin Tanka (Fortitude)
Wo'ohitika (Bravery)
Wa'ohola (Respect and Honor) 

Services Offered 

• One-on-one mentorship
• Advocacy 
• Individualized care planning 
• Outings, activities, and workshops
• Transportation to appointments 
• Collaboration with behavioral health resources 
• Coordinator for success in academic programs 
• Communication with family members 
• Connecting participants to peer and community programs in support of healing goals 
• Skill-building

Criteria For Program 

American Indians of any age living in the He Sapa area (Pennington County) who have at least one of the following are invited to participate:

• At risk for suicide
• Experience with ongoing suicidal thoughts
• Self-harming behavior
• Severe substance misuse
• Isolationist behavior
• Recent experience with high-level trauma 

Staff

• Keaton Widow - Program Manager
• Marina Hawkins - Lead Navigator
• Jennifer Martin - Licensed Clinical Therapist

*Funding for this project was made possible by award numbers 1H79SM082122-01, 6H79TI083201-01, 5H79SM083039-02, 3H79FG000297-01S1 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services, nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.