Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation (PBCN) is holding a youth empowerment conference in Saskatoon this week.
Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation vice-chief and Pelican Narrows councillor Weldon McCallum said the theme for the conference is suicide prevention.
“We wanted to bring all our youth together from all our PBCN communities to do workshops and raise awareness on youth suicide,” McCallum said. “It happens all too often and it’s unfortunate, but we are doing what we can to address the issue.”
The conference began on Sunday and will be held until Tuesday for ages 10 to 14, and ages 15 to 18 will gather from Wednesday to Friday.
The event’s opening ceremony was held on Monday morning at the Saskatoon Inn and Conference Centre.
Nearly 1,000 Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation members are expected to attend the conference this week at the Saskatoon Inn and Conference Centre.
“We’re hoping to make it an annual event to have all the eight communities of PBCN coming together,” McCallum added.
Callie Kennedy spoke at the event on Monday about losing her sister, Brianne, to suicide at the age of 19.
Callie and her sisters Jaclyn and Shalyn Kennedy started an awareness campaign and clothing line called Life is Worth Living to help reduce the stigma surrounding suicide and mental illness.
All the proceeds from Life is Worth Living products are donated to the Canadian Mental Health Association.
(PHOTO: Callie Kennedy and conference coordinator Simon Jobb hand out Life is Worth Living bracelets to Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation youth attending the suicide prevention conference on Monday at the Saskatoon Inn and Conference Centre. Photo by Brendan Mayer.)