Raven - Now in its fourth year (as at August 2006), the Raven Aboriginal Youth Employment Programme is a successful outreach programme designed to build bridges between Aboriginal
communities and the Canadian Forces.

The Aboriginal trainees, with an average age of 17, are from across British Columbia and Western Canada.


After an initial weeklong culture camp, led by First Nation Elders, the participants successfully completed six weeks of basic military training including drill, physical fitness, weapons handling, first aid, and survival skills.  

This training was designed to promote self-confidence, self-discipline, team work and physical fitness while enhancing an awareness of career possibilities with the Department of National Defence, and Canada'
s Navy.


For the duration of the training camp the youth are enrolled as naval reservists.  

Any of the participants wishing to continue with the Naval Reserve after their graduation will receive qualification credit for the training they received from the Raven programme.  

Trainees will also receive high school credits toward their graduation.  

In the past three years five former trainees have gone on to apply to join the Canadian Forces.

The Navy's seven-week Raven Aboriginal Youth Training Programme.

Contact: PO2 Allan MacRae at 363-0930 or macrae.al@forces.gc.ca

Aldeen Mason at Mason.AA@forces.gc.ca or at (250) 363-7626.


Recruits are provided with transportation to and from the program, all required clothing and equipment, meals and accommodations, and the same pay as any other private recruit -  about $500 a week.

Catering to the unique background of its participants, the program begins with a four-day Culture Camp that focuses on common spiritual components unique to Aboriginal culture.

Recruits, some unfamiliar with the traditions of their heritage, learn drum and dream-catcher making, how to pull a canoe, and traditional singing and dancing.

"The Culture Camp is to prepare them for the military phase, and also to bring them back into their own culture," says Sgt Connie Lapointe, the program's administrative coordinator.

"Songhees and Esquimalt First Nation Elders build them up to understand what their culture is all about, so they learn to appreciate it."

The goal of both the Culture Camp and the six-week military recruit training course that follows is to foster self-confidence, self-discipline, teamwork skills and physical fitness.

Once the group is mentally and spiritually ready the physical challenges begin.

"The military phase encompasses everything any other recruit or regular force would go through, only it's compressed into six weeks," explains Sgt Lapointe.

Trainees learn the rules, regulations and rank structure of military life, as well as how to operate a C-7 rifle.

Runs of up to six kilometres become a part of their daily fitness routine, along with wall and rope climbing, forced marches, and a thorough drill regimen.

"At first they're like anybody else walking down the sidewalk," says Sgt Lapointe. "At the end, on graduation day, you can see the pride because they're trying to make their families proud. Drill teaches them self-confidence, focus and pride."

After becoming certified in standard first aid and CPR, the recruits go off for a week of field training in the wilderness.

There they develop map and compass competency, and learn how to use a radio, handle a weapon in the field, build a shelter, and camouflage themselves.

"Parents have said, "We didn't know who it was when they came home," (talking about their sons and daughters)".

"The changes in attitude can mean anything, from something as simple as they're cleaning their rooms, to getting along with their brothers and sisters now, to doing better in school."

PO2 MacRae and Sgt Lapoint say their hope is to increase the number of spots in the Raven Program to 50 some day.

"If this becomes an annual thing, the hope is that more Aboriginals will take an interest in joining, either the regular force or the reserves, or even the RCMP," says Sgt Lapointe. 

"This is a door opener for them, and from there the sky's the limit."