Website Launched To Combat Native Youth Suicide

Website Launched To Combat Native Youth Suicide

Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 15:24

The federal government has launched a new website aimed at reducing Aboriginal youth suicide.

It is the brainchild of several agencies, including the National Aboriginal Health Organization, and it can be found at www.honouringlife.ca.

CEO Paulette Tremblay says the site contains phone numbers of counsellors for troubled youth to talk to when they need help and other information.

She acknowledges not every Aboriginal family may have access to the Internet — but, at the very least, it is a start.

While there has been a decline in Canada’s national suicide rate in recent years, Aboriginal communities are not experiencing a similar decrease.

The overall suicide rate within Aboriginal communities is about twice the rate for the general population.

According to the Aboriginal Healing Foundation, on-reserve First Nations youth between the ages of 10 and 29 are five to six times more likely to die of suicide than their peers in the rest of Canada.