Your Still Not Listening To Us: What First Nations Youth are Saying

Abstract This paper explores the methodologies and principles of Indigenous youth leadership. The author carried out 30 face-to-face interviews with First Nations youth leaders in Alberta, Canada regarding their knowledge and experiences regarding leadership. The results show that although some Indigenous youth leaders are acquiring traditional leadership knowledge, the practice of this knowledge, is exceptionally limited. In addition, it was found that while family is prominent in the sharing of knowledge of Indigenous leadership ways of knowing, youth leaders had limited access of that knowledge. The results also show that teachers, Elders and educational programs have played a part in the formal learning of leadership. The author makes recommendations for Indigenous Youth leadership practices that include the development of an Indigenous Youth Leadership centre