Youth Corrections Lodge Donated to Thunderchild First Nation – SK Government

For Fred Tarr and Ira Horse, saving space for youth to reconnect with traditional First Nations culture has been a profound personal and professional quest.

The pair worked together in youth corrections at the former North Battleford Youth Centre (NBYC) and were a driving force to get the cultural lodge from that site donated to Thunderchild First Nation on Treaty 6 Territory by the Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety. When they celebrated the reopening of the Ochipwao Cultural Centre in December 2022, their shared vision for cultural connection came full circle.

A Cultural Tie

In the 30 years he spent working with youth in custody at NBYC, Fred witnessed the significant positive impact of cultural teaching. He says many young people came in with limited ties to their heritage and traditional cultures but were motivated to engage in ceremonies.

Read More: https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/our-stories/youth-corrections-lodge-donated-to-thunderchild-first-nation