Stories of our health: Perspectives of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis youth

Combining oral tradition with digital technology to better understand what health
and well-being mean for Indigenous youth

The NCCIH has many resources on First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples’ health however few specific to Indigenous youth. Over 2025, the NCCIH undertook a national digital storytelling project, Seeing the stories of our health: Perspectives of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis youth to better understand what health and well-being mean to Indigenous young people.

Digital storytelling - Video series

Digital storytelling - the art of combining oral tradition with digital technology - is a community-based, learner-centred approach to generating knowledge. It involves using computer software to create a 3-5 minute video to illustrate a personal story. Three digital storytelling workshops took place in Winnipeg, Prince George, and Ottawa with Indigenous youth (aged 14-20). These resulted in eleven digital stories. The youth expressed multiple and intersecting topics in their digital stories related to their health and well-being. These include:

• physical activity and mental wellness
• the importance of social networks and friendships
• displacement from families through child and family services
• reconnecting to family
• tobacco cessation and addictions
• finding internal peace, balance and kindness
• independence, determination and being forward looking
• artistic expressions
• participating in cultural and land-based activities and practices
• healing through connections with animals

Digital storytelling - Podcast series

In addition to the digital stories, this project included the development of a podcast series, Hearing the stories of our health: Perspectives of First Nations, Inuit and Métis youth. Nine of the digital storytellers participated in this podcast series where they could further reflect on their lives, their communities, and what health really means to them in a world that often forgets to ask them.

Youth participants

• Leia Boulette

  I am Leia Boulette, I am from Peguis First Nation (MB). My video is about independence for youth as it’s an important part of Indigenous history. I plan to graduate from high school and see where things take me.
  View the video

• Markel Myers

  I’m Markel Myers. I am Cree from Opaskwayak Cree Nation (MB). My video is about different ways of coping because it is an important part of Indigenous health. I plan on going to trade school to get my red seal for welding. Soon I plan to make a documentary on growing up and living as an Indigenous man in Winnipeg and the struggles that come with it.
  View the video

• Miley Melnyk

  My name is Miley Melnyk, I am Anishinaabe from Sagkeeng First Nation (MB). My video is about friendships and personal connections because it’s an important part of Indigenous health. I plan to graduate from high school in 2027 and to work towards a career in nursing.
  View the video | Listen to the podcast

• Lucy Perswain

  I am Lucy Perswain, I am Oji-Cree from Pukatawagan (MB). My video is about boundaries and how important it is to have boundaries. Most importantly it’s about reclaiming your voice, healing from trauma, and learning how to set boundaries because this is an important part of Indigenous health. I plan on graduating June 2025 from high school and continue to work advocating for Indigenous issues and our youth because our youth are our future!
  View the video

• Anzel Labatch-Patrick

  My name is Anzel Labatch-Patrick, I am from Saik’uz traditional territory and I am sixteen. When I was seven years old my auntie graduated from her university law program and I thought “that’s the direction I want to go in!”. So I am going to pursue being a lawyer.
  Listen the podcast

• Bailey Quaw

  Hadih, my name is Bailey Quaw. I’m fifteen and I’m from Stony Creek, Saik’uz. My future goals are to live on a farm and be a veterinarian. View the video | Listen to the podcast

• Destiny Henyu-Rinsma

  My name is Destiny Henyu-Rinsma. I am originally from Telegraph Creek but I was born and raised in Prince George (BC). I am sixteen years old. I am aiming and working towards becoming a doctor.
  View the video | Listen to the podcast

• Jackson Cameron

  I’m Jackson Cameron. I’m sixteen years old and I’m from Yekooche First Nation (BC). My goals are to help create more opportunities for myself by working hard and to play hockey.
  View the video | Listen to the podcast

• Jesse Macdonald

  My name is Jesse Macdonald. My dad was from Tachie and my mom is from Clay Lake (BC). I was born in Prince George and I am sixteen years old. I’m not sure yet what I’d like to do but I’ve been looking into going to a cosmetology school in Vancouver.
  View the video | Listen to the podcast

• Alexander Anguttautuq

  My name is Alexander Anguttautuq. I am from Sanirajak and Igloolik (NU). I am nineteen years old. I just graduated from an electrician program. My goal now is to work in a construction job to have more of an understanding of how things are made.
  View the video | Listen the podcast

• Halil Ibrahim Napatchie Noah Sundu

  My name is Halil Ibrahim Napatchie Noah Sundu. My mom is from Iqaluit (NU) and I was born in Ottawa. I’m twenty years old and I am half Inuit and half Turkish. My main goal right now is to work towards working in heavy equipment operation.
  View the video | Listen to the podcast

• Jeremy Hague

  My name is Jeremy. I’m from Toronto, but my mom is from Iqaluit, Nunavut and my dad is from Vancouver. I’m seventeen and I currently live in Ottawa. My nationality is Inuk. My future goals are just to be able to cook up nice meals for literally everyone and to live a good life.
  View the video | Listen to the podcast

Youth art zine

A third piece of work related to the Stories of our health: Perspectives of First Nations, Inuit and Métis youth project was the development of a zine. ‘Zines, short for magazine, are an accessible, creative, often DIY and youth-led way to share ideas and perspectives. The inclusion of a zine in this project provided greater reach to more Indigenous children and youth across Canada beyond those who participated in the digital storytelling workshops.

The Expressions of our health: Perspectives of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children and youth zine came about through a call for submissions for a zine art contest for First Nations, Inuit and Métis children and youth. Youth, aged 5 through 18, were asked to creatively express what health and wellness meant to them, through any type of artwork that could be translated to a print format. This included drawings, cartoon, short stories, poems, paintings, collages, or any media that they felt would help them express their thoughts and feelings about health. All submissions received are included in this zine along with artwork and artist statements.

In all, 40 First Nations and Métis artists, ranging in age from 5 through 18 and located within six provinces and one territory, submitted 50 artworks for this publication. Together, their art, and in some cases artist statements, express how these youth understand their own health and wellness. Health and the creation of art are wellness promotions in action. Like Sophia M. (age 13) said:

Earlier this summer I saw lights in the sky and I’m sure it was a UFO. I love spaceships and I love to draw…both of those things make me happy.

Digital storytelling workshop guide

An accompanying guide on digital storytelling has been created so that First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, communities, and organizations have the tools at hand to be able to undertake a successful digital storytelling project and workshops with Indigenous youth.

Project collaborators

This NCCIH project was completed in collaboration with Birchbark Collaborative and Indigenous youth facilitators Victoria Grisdale and Meadow Isabell.

• Victoria Grisdale – Youth Facilitator

  I am Victoria Grisdale, I am an Anishinaabe woman from Brokenhead Ojibway Nation and Filipino. I am 24 and attending the University of Winnipeg studying Human Rights. I have been working and advocating for First Nations youth since I was 19 in multiple roles, from working in a youth shelter to working in youth housing in First Nations government. I am passionate about making real positive changes for First Nations youth and amplifying other youth voices on issues important to us.

• Meadow Isabell - Youth Tech Facilitator

  My name is Meadow Isabell. I’m Métis from a small trappers’ town on the train tracks called Cormorant. I’m 19 years old, currently on a gap year and just trying to get my foot in the door of the industry of film making. I don't have many ambitions, but one I always strive for is a more compassionate and understanding world for everyone.

A special thanks to the TD Bank Group for generously supporting this project.