We are buzzing with excitement to announce a $95,000 two-year Basic Needs grant to Cheyenne River Youth Project for youth leadership and workforce development programming.
Tw0-Year Support for Youth Leadership Development
About Youth Leadership and Workforce Training Program
This grant helps Cheyenne River Youth Project (CRYP) facilitate leadership and workforce development programming for Lakota teens ages 13-18 on the Cheyenne River reservation. Programming will include their Teen Internship Program, Lakota Art Fellowship, Youth Advisory Council, and Youth Employment Initiative. Over 380 teens will build leadership and workforce development skills, along with introductory knowledge of arts, culture, food sovereignty, and Native wellness. The program will create more equitable access to training and opportunities that sets youth up for success early on. Long-term, the youth they invest in today become the next generation of culture bearers, parents, leaders, artists, business owners, etc. that guide their tribe into the future and continue to build on the work of their ancestors, elders, and the current generation of social justice warriors and changemakers. They will reach adulthood with the skills they need to build a future in which they will do more than survive. They will thrive.
The Impact
“Each year, we have opportunities to take our youth leaders to tribal council, to our state capital in Pierre, South Dakota, and even to Washington, D.C. There, they have opportunities to meet elected representatives and discuss issues that concern them,” said Julie Garreau, CRYP’s CEO “It’s been an honor and privilege to witness them taking risks, sharing their feelings and thoughts, and advocating for their community. Despite being in new surroundings with new people, they were engaged, positive and open. Our young people are building confidence and learning how to use their voices to make a difference, and we are so proud of them.”
About Cheyenne River Youth Project
The Cheyenne River Youth Project (CRYP) is a Native- and woman-led nonprofit organization founded in 1988 to serve Lakota youth ages 4-18 on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation. Originally a one-room youth center located in a converted bar on Main Street staffed by an all-volunteer team, CRYP has grown into the largest youth development program on Cheyenne River that includes both youth and teen centers. These spaces are known throughout the community as safe for socializing, playing, and learning, and they have provided opportunities for thousands of youth to learn new skills and gain confidence in their abilities. CRYP’s work centers on building strong futures for kids through innovative programming that addresses leadership, food sovereignty, workforce development, Native wellness, and arts & culture. CRYP’s approach to achieving their mission is holistic and grounded in Lakota culture and tradition.
