Blueprintforlife returns to Qu’Appelle Valley

QBOW -Family and Children Services is an Indigenous run agency responsible for 5 communities in Saskatchewan. Last year Blueprintforlife was brought to Standing Buffalo to deliver our week intensive healing program and this year we returned to Fort Qu’Appelle to engage both Indigenous youth and local community youth at Bert Fox high school. We also had the pleasure to involve the staff and youth from the Leading Thunderbird Healing lodge. An amazing week where many youth found their voice.  Click the photo to see many more.

Blueprint’s perspective on Gangs and Guns

BluePrint’s executive director Stephen Leafloor interviewed on CBC regarding funding slated for gang prevention.

My CBC interview on Gangs and Guns recently. Complex trauma requires creative and complex engagement that is customized for different communities. Multiyear funding and the need to build trusting relationships, with new role models, and eventually move to honest discussions around mental health, abuse, bullying, forgiveness, racism, impulse control and anger, respect, drugs and alcohol, and filling our life with creative outlets. (our "One Mics" and a spirit to discover more) Not to mention addressing poverty, the money thing related to gangs, and employment. Also lets not set up power dynamics.

Posted by Stephen Buddha Leafloor on Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Ontario Trillium Foundation grant

The Attorney General of Ontario, Yasir Naqvi  presents Blueprint Pathways with an award from the Ontario Trillium Foundation. Blueprint Pathways is honored and grateful to receive a grant of $512,000.00 to do work with diversified youth in the Ottawa area over 3 years.

Urban Healing Intensives

Blueprint Pathways brings its week healing intensives to urban environments. Take a peek at the amazing energy the youth manifest. Funded by the Ontario Trillium foundation.

Kashechewan 2017

This was a great project just before Christmas 2017. We were blessed to work many community members, Had great conversations with Elders, invited to Ceremony, and blessed to partake in the round dance organized by Gabriel Whiteduck. Thx Christine Head for helping put this together and thank you to the parents for trusting us with your youth. Special shout out to my Team and thx to Cody JJ Purcell for offering his music for this video. Thx Steve Haining for capturing all of this as I hope this video puts a smile on the faces of the youth and that they feel proud of their accomplishments when they see it. Feeling grateful for getting to know Kash !

We have some exciting news !

Blueprint has developed a new mental health program to re-engage remote communities we have visited in the past, and engage youth who were to young to attend our program previously. We will still deliver our flagship week intensive where we become the replacement school for a week, but we will not only employ traditional cultural elements but we will be also designing a full community show incorporating, dance, stomping and drumming.

Blueprint Pathways Full Article

Hip Hop Pioneer to receive Meritorious Service Cross

15235606_10157784674935223_8080058695540841053_oStephen “Buddha” Leafloor, 57, is a Canadian B-boy Elder, street dancer, youth outreach worker, speaker, mental health advocate and founder of BluePrintForlife and BluePrint Pathways. On Friday, November 25, 2016, he will receive the Meritorious Service Cross at Rideau Hall in Ottawa from Governor General David Johnston. The Meritorious Service Cross (M.S.C)The Civil Division Cross recognizes a deed or an activity that has been performed in an outstandingly professional manner, or according to uncommonly high standards; the activity is often innovative, sets an example for others to follow, improves the quality of life of a community and brings considerable benefit or honour to Canada.

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TED talk by Buddha on bullying and Arctic work

Blueprint founder does a TED talk from the heart about
growing up with bullying and turning extreme rage into
something positive. Also reflects on the healing work
they do in the Arctic with a story about “Frost Graffiti”.

 

Blueprint launches “Kool to be Kind”

k2bkBlueprint for life recently launched its anti-bullying campaign in the high arctic communities of Resolute Bay and Grise Fiord. We are committed to making the new heroes in communities the kind people by recognizing their day to day acts of kindness. We also recently launched this program in the small Inuit community of Akulivik, Nunavik. Stay tuned for exciting updates of this program.

BluePrint in the Arctic

A great short video on the work BluePrint does -featuring youth from Salluit and Inuvik !

Intergenerational Healing

Intergenerational Healing around the effects of Residential Schools

Am amazing week took place in Kugaaruk Nunavut. Blueprint was partnered with Pauktuutit (The National Women’s Inuit Association). Parents, Elders and Youth were all brought together for Cultural activities, dance, music, art, and lots of healing exercises. To our knowledge this is one of the first inter- generational healing program around the effects of residential schools. A feature documentary is being created on this amazing week and the report and evaluation being developed is hope to serve as inspiration and a possible model for other communities both Inuit and First Nation.

BluePrintForLife weeklong healing workshop around the effcts of Residential schools from buddhafromcfm on Vimeo.

Suicide prevention through hiphop

The 15-minute video was produced through a partnership between NAHOs Honouring Life Network and the Ilisaqsivik Society in Clyde River on Baffin Island.  The video was shot by a local group of youth and features a community program which inspires youth by combining hip hop dancing with hope.