We are honoured to release a What We Heard report, Witnessing Through Story: Indigenous Youth Voices on Justice, Safety, & Wellbeing.
Indigenous Youth, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, service providers, and community members have called for a fundamental transformation of British Columbia’s youth justice system. They have asked for more than reform— they have demanded a justice system that doesn’t just ‘include’ Indigenous laws, but surrenders its monopoly on power, one that answers to our lands, our ancestors, and the unbroke jurisdiction our Nations have always held.
Throughout 2023–2024, BCFNJC’s Youth Team sat in circle with over 220 Indigenous Youth and community members from Territories across British Columbia, to inform the Ministry of Children and Family Development’s Youth Justice Services Framework and BCFNJC’s future Youth justice plan (Strategy 10).
Throughout all phases of engagement, Youth expressed that safety, dignity, belonging, and self-determination must be central to how systems engage with them. In these conversations, we witnessed the resilience, determination, and humour of Youth as they shared their challenges, frustrations, successes and priorities for future change. Their strength and knowledge inspire and humble us as they remain undeterred by rigid colonial barriers and political inaction.
The resulting report outlines 80 potential opportunities for change, driven entirely by Youth voices. It is a roadmap to inform the work needed to move from a system of punishment to one of prevention, healing, and land-based belonging. The opportunities range topics like:
- Prevention over punishment
- Strengthened community-based services
- Enhance First Nation court models for Youth
Witnessing Through Story is more than a collection of data—it captures stories of resilience, displacement, and the urgent need for safety, voiced by young individuals who spoke not just for themselves, but for their Kin, their siblings, their cousins, and the generations to come.
We acknowledge and honour the Indigenous Youth who came forward to share their voices, speaking truth to systemic harms, racism, and inequity.
We also recognize the Elders, grandparents, Aunties, uncles, community members, service providers, and community leadership, who stood beside them, offering support and strength reaffirming the true meaning of community for Indigenous Peoples.
To the Youth who shared their stories and their hearts: We see you. We hear you. And we hold you up in what was shared.
