May 24, 2022
The Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw Chiefs (Assembly), through their Maw-Kleyu’kik Knijannaq Initiative (MKK), has launched an interactive mobile app for Mi’kmaw families and youth to easily access child and family welfare information including supports, services and resources.
The app named Netawey (pronounced Net-ah-way) means “I speak” and will help to give a voice to youth and families by informing them of their rights and provides them with tools and resources to better understand child welfare language and legislation.
“The development of this app came as a direct response to engagement with Mi’kmaw youth across Nova Scotia who expressed a strong need for a tool to help them learn about their rights and the child protection process,” said Chief Deborah Robinson, Lead of Children, Youth, Families, and Gender Diversity Portfolio for the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw Chiefs.
The MKK team worked with several Mi’kmaw organizations to develop Netawey.ca to engage youth and provide legal and rights-based information to youth and families in an accessible format. Netawey.ca also includes information about prevention initiatives, support services, and cultural and traditional supports available within the community.
“We are working together to create a better future for our Mi’kmaw children and families,” continued Chief Robinson. “I am proud to witness the ground-breaking work that is taking place around Mi’kmaw child welfare. It’s always been our goal to build Mi’kmaw focused model for child welfare that gives our children a place of stability, wellness, and safety, and one that is based upon the unique values and needs that our children have. This app is just step in the journey to make this happen.”
The app is designed to allow for growth and inclusion of new information, including eventual inclusion of youth rights under the Mi’kmaw Child Welfare Law, once developed.
As part of the launch of the app, we will host a contest on Facebook and a marketing campaign that will run for eight weeks to help spread awareness of this important resource. To learn more about the app, visit netawey.ca.