Creating employment opportunities for Indigenous youth with disabilities starts with relationships, not job placements. Before we can help youth find meaningful work, we must first mobilize the community—building trust, listening to elders, and engaging those who know the land, culture, and people best. This panel brings together tribal members who have worked to strengthen local connections and create spaces where employment conversations can begin. They will share how trust and relationship-building must come first before any real change can happen. Attendees will learn how to engage tribal communities, honor cultural knowledge, and support the groundwork needed for employment services to be accepted and effective in tribal communities.
Learning Outcomes
- Why Trust Comes First – Learn why relationship-building must happen before employment programs can take root in Tribal communities.
- Mobilizing Community Leadership – Understand how engaging elders, families, and local leaders creates a strong foundation for employment efforts.
- Honoring Culture in Employment Services – Discover how to align employment programs with tribal values to ensure they are accepted and effective.
Speaker(s)
Rojas Franco, Spencer, Honeyestwa, Lomayaktewa, Tree Top, Chatter