Visionary Programs

Visionary programs are programs that Gedakina views as being central to our long-term goals. When Gedakina first organized, we decided to work on smaller scale programs that would make significant and immediate impact for our constituency, while moving towards the longer-term goals of developing the visionary programs. Our visionary programs are programs that we plan on achieving within ten years of obtaining our 501c3 status. We envision these programs to be full time endeavors, and therefore we will have to insure that we have adequate funding, resources and the capacity to deliver the programs, before we implement them.

Cultural and Environmental Education Center

The purpose of Gedakina's Cultural and Environmental Education Center (CEEC) is to provide Northeastern Native American youth with a healthy, supportive environment in which to learn their traditional cultural teachings and the knowledge and skills that will allow them to positively transform their lives and communities. Gedakina's multigenerational educational approach will provide Northeastern Native American youth with the opportunity to learn from traditional elders and serve in leadership roles on the Youth Council after they have completed the program.

CEEC will provide programs and seminars on traditional cultural knowledge and skills, outdoor adventure and wilderness survival, and environmental conservation and stewardship. Programs will be developed and implemented by a diverse group of instructors with experience and certification in the program areas. CEEC will offer seasonally specific programs throughout the year.

Young people participating in the programs will come from rural, urban and reservation communities from across New England. The duration of individual programs will depend on the availability of resources, time of year, school vacations etc. Ideally, summer programs (camps) will be two to five weeks in duration, and spring, fall and winter seasonal programs will take place on weekends and possibly during school breaks. Many programs will be financially supported through grants and other funding resources, which will result in their being available at no charge to youth participants, while other programs will require participants, their families and/or their tribal governments to provide some level of contribution.

Traditional Cultural Teachings

As Gedakina, Inc. aims to restore, develop, and strengthen the cultural knowledge and identity of Northeastern Native American people, programs will be designed to reintroduce cultural knowledge to young people. Key program areas will include language revitalization, traditional arts, seasonal festivals, and restoring the practice of oral traditions through stories and music. Gedakina's multigenerational educational approach will bring elders and young people together to share and learn these traditional ways.

Environmental Conservation

The central theme of the interconnected concepts of Gedakina's Cultural and Environmental Education Center and Conservation Land Trust is environmental conservation and stewardship. Gedakina will embody these concepts in our facility and in our educational programs. To achieve our goals we will create an environmentally conscious center that will demonstrate respect for the land and sustain itself for many generations to come. This will be accomplished by implementing sound environmental practices such as organic farming, composting waste systems, and recycling, while utilizing renewable energy systems such as solar and wind power. CEEC participants will learn first-hand how to responsibly manage their environment and preserve it for the future by participating in environmental preservation programs such as sustainable land management and wildlife conservation. CEEC will be a state-of-the-art environmentally conscious facility, which will serve as a model for all people who wish to live with respect for the land.

Outdoor Education

Gedakina's outdoor education programs will develop and build the self-esteem and confidence of Northeastern Native American youth. Programs will be based on the age and abilities of participants and include activities such as ropes courses, historically-oriented hikes, snowshoe trips, canoe journeys, camping trips, and wilderness survival courses. Programs will be developed and implemented by teams of instructors including outdoor education specialists and traditional cultural leaders.

Specialized Programs

Recognizing that many Northeastern Native American youth face challenges in their home communities and in mainstream society, Gedakina's specialized programs will include training in life skills, social skills, and healthy living. Specific program areas will include conflict resolution and substance abuse and violence prevention. Gedakina, will offer these programs at both basic and advanced levels according to the age and current knowledge of program participants.

Educational Outreach

As part of our educational outreach initiative, Gedakina's Cultural and Environmental Education Center will provide cultural exchange opportunities with mainstream educational groups by sponsoring lectures, conferences, and other events aimed at creating a better understanding of Northeastern Native American history and culture.