A Retrospective Review of Nakoda Dakota Oyaate (NDO) Youth Council Members

The Nakoda Dakota Oyaate (NDO) Youth Council group of youth leaders from Fort Peck Assiniboine, Sioux Reservation, and neighboring communities. NDO aims to promote and nurture understanding of becoming leaders within the schools, community, and reservation. We worked with Spotted Bull Recovery Resource Center (SBRRC) to survey former NDO Youth Council members in February 2024. The survey included three foundational areas: 1) youth development, 2) wellness, and 3) personal resilience. Findings show that NDO taught youth problem-solving skills and how to be leaders for their peers and the people around them. NDO also connected youth to their culture and strengthened their resilience. Recommendations from this work include including Native American speakers at schools, more experiential activities, actively recruiting youth with leadership skills, and increasing the overall number of youth involved in NDO.