Fort St John RCMP receive backpacks from Nenan to support children in crisis

On June 24, 2022, the Fort St John RCMP hosted a group of children from the Nenan Dane Zaa Deh Zona Family Services Society to provide a tour of the Fort St John RCMP detachment.

Constable Nataline Cooke walked the children through the detachment, answering many inquisitive questions and ending their time together by letting the children sit in a police car with lights and sirens on.

After the tour, Lori Beech, Indigenous Child Supported Development Manager with Nenan, presented Constable Cooke with multiple children’s backpacks to be used in the event that police are called to a file where a child may need to be removed from the home.

View larger photo - backpack presentation

The brightly coloured backpacks are filled with toiletries, colouring books, pencil crayons, and cases, toys, a stuffed animal, along with reading books, depending on what age they are intended for. Each kit also provides resources for the children and Nenan support information. These backpacks can be used by the child to pack personal belongings while providing them items to make the transition less stressful.

Partnering with Nenan and other community agencies is invaluable for police when working with children, said Constable Cooke, Indigenous Policing Section officer with the Fort St John RCMP. These backpacks are a thoughtful and welcome resource to assist children who could be experiencing a crisis situation.

Youth are a national priority for the RCMP which is demonstrated in the connections officers like Constable Cooke make with individuals and the local schools on a regular basis. The Fort St John RCMP values the partnerships that exist in the community and the collaboration between them further improves the services provided to the public.

Nenan is consistently looking for ways to better support our communities and collaborate with other organizations. We created these backpacks in hopes of providing extra support to children and youth experiencing difficult situations, said Adrienne Greyeyes, Executive Director of Nenan Dane Zaa Deh Zona Family Services Society. Our team looks forward to further opportunities to collaborate in hopes of creating better practices when working with families experiencing crisis.

Nenan would like to express special thanks to MNP for generously donating the backpacks.

Nenan Dane Zaa Deh Zona Family Services Society offers a variety of supports for Indigenous children, youth and families for more information please visit nenan.ca