Looking Forward
Your goals. Your future.
What is Neegaan Inabin?
Neegaan Inabin, which means “Looking Forward” in Oji-Cree, provides culturally-appropriate, holistic services supporting youth aging out of care and young adults formerly in care (up to age 26) from Tikinagan's 30 First Nations.
What we offer
Neegaan Inabin provides you with culturally-appropriate, holistic services to support your transition into early adulthood. We will help you navigate resources you need to succeed by connecting you with existing supports within your communities. We promote safety, security, and stability to develop necessary life skills for you to achieve independence and build your future. Our program is easy to access and prioritizes your self-identified best interests.
Who can access it
The Neegaan Inabin program supports youth currently or formerly in the care of Tikinagan Child & Family Services. Planning begins as early as your 17th birthday and services are available throughout your transition into young adulthood up to your 26th birthday. The Neegaan Inabin program is voluntary and does not require any legal status or commitment.
Eight Pillars
of Neegaan Inabin
Starting out on your own as a young adult can be a scary, overwhelming, and lonely experience. At the same time, it can also be a time full of potential and growth.
We want to help you navigate this new path. Our approach is culturally-appropriate, holistic and youth-centred, and encourages the involvement of all who have a vested interest in your potential. We want to give you the tools to thrive as you begin looking forward to your goals and your future.
The foundation of Neegaan Inabin is based on eight Transition Pillars – the supports youth and young adults need to transition equitably from childhood through to adulthood.
Learning doesn’t stop after high school, and you deserve to learn and keep learning into adulthood. We understand you are going to grow in meaningful ways. We want you to succeed in schooling and training opportunities by moving at your own pace and with the resources to help you get there. This also includes the pursuit of cultural and spiritual learning.
Life is expensive, which is why you deserve to have a financial footing -- one that keeps you fed and a roof over your head. We want to provide you with the resources required to meet your financial needs and pursue your career interests and dreams. We recognize how foundational this pillar is, as you cannot thrive in other areas if your basic needs are not met in a secure and consistent manner. All key supports listed under each pillar must be accompanied by financial support.
From our Indigenous culture and traditions, we believe that all people are spiritual beings. We want you to have the freedom to choose your own spiritual practices and (re)connect to your culture in ways that are meaningful to you. It’s important to know where you come from, including the land, your language, and your community and their traditions.
The right to a normal life begins with a place to call home and the stability that comes with it. We want to help you find accessible, safe, and affordable housing reflecting your community’s realities. This doesn’t mean you can’t still live with your family or Foster Parents. Rather, this gives you the opportunity to begin moving toward greater independence, which could include getting your own place or furniture to get you started.
The people in your life and from your community are part of Tikinagan’s Wee-Chee-Way-Win Circle of Care. It is important to have people in your life that you can count on. For some, this might even include the companionship of having your own pet. We will support you in establishing positive relationships and professional supports.
As an adult, you must take responsibility for your own health. But that doesn’t mean you have to do it alone. We will provide you with ongoing supports that are timely, trauma-informed, and use a non-judgmental preventive approach. From appointments to nutritional training, you deserve to have access to ongoing services and benefits that support your lifelong health and well-being. This could include exercise and hunting equipment, as well as access to trap lines.
You deserve to be respected and empowered to define your own goals for success based on your lived experience. It should not matter that you are currently or were formerly in care. Nonetheless, you still have rights and benefits because of your transition, and this includes access and use of our Neegaan Inabin services. We will advocate with you to ensure you understand and exercise your rights.
As a part of your emerging adulthood development, you need to experience environments that cultivate personal growth and development. We want to take your lead, following your wants and desires by supporting you like a mentor, not a Worker or a Parent. We understand this time is filled with uncertainty and setbacks. This means you may require a longer and more flexible transition period with room for trial and error. We recognize not all supports will fit the same for everyone, so our supports will tailor to your needs.
Types of Support
How to Apply
To apply or learn more, please call our Intake Team at 1-800-465-3624 or fill out our contact form below.
About Neegaan Inabin
How does Tikinagan play a role?
The sacred responsibility for nurturing our children and youth and strengthening our families takes us as Indigenous people back to the past to prepare our children and youth for the future. The concepts, principles and values practiced in the past are the strengths we need now to encourage and ensure healthy children, youth, and young adults, which is the foundation of strong and healthy communities. Neegaan Inabin Services are an extension of Tikinagan Child & Family Services’ Mamow Obiki-ahwahsoowin Service Model, which means “everyone working together to raise our children.” Mamow Obiki-ahwahsoowin was designed by First Nations people and recognizes the involvement of the family, extended family, community, First Nation, and other resources.
About the Logo
Weagamow First Nation youth artist Memekwe Apetawakeesic (Morriseau) drew the Neegaan Inabin logo. The image features a young bull crossing over a bridge.
“My drawing is signalling young adults learning how to adult and the transition into adulthood,” explained Memekwe, 16.
The image, which took Memekwe several days to imagine and about half an hour to complete by first sketching it on paper, then digitized on her iPad. The logo was then tweaked slightly by changing the blue background, adding the program’s eight pillars on the bridge, and adding the project’s name around the circle.
“I hope people see that my logo represents strength and durability, as moose are very strong and durable animals. And people as well, especially how hard it is to live now after the pandemic now that it’s nearly over.”
The colours around the circle are part of the traditional First Nations medicine wheel. The yellow and maroon are altered to match Tikinagan Child and Family Services’s primary colours. The blue is associated with another one of Tikinagan’s future-orientated projects, Niigaanshkaawin, which means “breaking trail.” Memekwe drew the logo for Niigaanshkaawin logo, as well as the winning design for the anti-bullying campaign Tikinagan held during the pandemic.
Youth Know
Youth Know is Tikinagan’s Youth Team of experts. Our youth are a resource. They have knowledge about youth culture, living in their communities or an urban centres and how to interact with their peers. We tap into these expertise, skills, and hear their ideas how we can make Tikinagan Child & Family Services better for children, youth, and families.
We are growing and still accepting youth to to join the team!
