Lakota Youth Development

We fulfill our purpose through a conscious continuum of development for our youth. We implement afterschool and weekend retreat sessions to build relationships, immerse them in cultural life ways with our wolakota camp series and deepen their cultural practices through membership into youth societies. We help them with cultural workforce development through youth led social enterprises in which they conceive, lead and operate with lakota cultural values. They learn practial business and employment skills to prepare them for financial indepencence as young adults in their communtities.

The native american advocacy program established the mato tasunka wakinyan okalakiciye (bear horse thunder youth society) to promote lakota culture to youth on the rosebud sioux reservation. Selected members of the youth- driven society will learn about cultural tourism, beekeeping and medicinal herbs social enterprises through an 18-month apprenticeship. Naap also hosts voulnteer groups that wish to assist native american communities by working with native youth and nonprofit staff to improve youth camp facilities, gardens and outdoor experiential activities and projects. In turn naap offers cultural education and awareness session, tours, tipt stays and nature hikes with storytelling to help break down stereotypes and build relations with other populations.