Something Shining, Like Gold -- But Better. The National Indian Youth Leadership Model: a Manual for Program Leaders.

The National Indian Youth Leadership (NIYL) model was created to develop leadership skills for Indian youth to perform their future roles in the family, school, tribe, and nation. The model not only instills leadership skills and values through hands on learning opportunities, but also challenges youth to apply those skills through projects they design and implement in their communities. A key element of the model is an eight to ten day intensive camp experience. Young people who will be in Grade 7 or 8 the following school year attend camp with adult and high school volunteers from their home communities. Camp staff are carefully screened to select positive role models. Camp routine is very structured and includes immersion and community building, physical fitness conditioning, spiritual awareness, development of environmental awareness and ethics, values clarification, adventure activities to develop self esteem and leadership qualities, improving communication skills, health education, decision making, skill activities, "processing" experiences, and a community service project. During the following school year, students meet regularly for activities and training sessions and are involved in community service and improvement projects. This manual describes procedures for planning and managing a camp program, outlines ways that the NIYL model emulates traditional Indian values and child rearing practices, and provides references and resources. (ERIC)