Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe - Youth and Academic Cultural Intervention

The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe (MLBO) aims to expand their existing Youth Facilitator Program to integrate high-quality cultural programming and personalized plans that will be tailored to the unique academic and disciplinary needs of MLBO youth. This programming will take the form of the hiring or transition of two staff into a Youth Facilitator and Cultural Apprentice position, who will meet with MLBO and other applicable area youth in the development of tailored Youth Service Agreements, which detail personal benchmarks for youth to pursue in the areas of academic or disciplinary performance. The three overall goals for this programming will be (1) the reduction by 10% of absenteeism among MLBO and reached youth, (2) the reduction by 10% of disciplinary referrals or actions for MLBO and reached youth, and (3) the development and integration of benchmarks for a yet to be determined improvement in academic performance among youth. Programming will proceed through all five grant years, although grants funded for these positions will only persist through Year 3, after which time the Facilitator and Apprentice will transition to being fully funded by the MLBO in lieu of grant funds.