At LEVEL Youth Policy Program, Roberta Longclaws found a way to blend her lived experience into her advocacy to support parents like herself
Photo caption: Roberta moved the audience on Presentation Day 2024 with her policy ask on supporting Indigenous and BIPOC families to stay together.
Roberta Longclaws has always loved helping her community. Growing up in difficult circumstances, she didn’t want others to experience the hardships she had. But she would sometimes wonder how much of a difference she could really make as just one person, no matter how motivated and passionate she was.
But becoming a participant at the LEVEL Youth Policy Program (YPP) helped her shed those doubts. At the program, she found a supportive cohort of peers, mentors, and instructors who were walking on a path similar to hers. “Change requires community, dedication and courage to be able to even try. And at programs like YPP, when you try, that doesn’t go unseen,” Roberta said.
Joining policy programs like YPP have illuminated the way forward when it comes to turning her passions into a bigger impact. Since completing the LEVEL Youth Policy Program, she’s gone on to pursue more policy programs, including the Misko Aki Knowledge Exchange (MAKE) through the Yellowhead Institute and the Indigenous Youth Policy School.
Bring your lived experience to LEVEL Youth Policy Program
As an Indigenous mother to four children, Roberta encourages young racialized parents to apply for the LEVEL Youth Policy Program too. “Having children doesn’t stop the world from spinning, even though it feels like everything should revolve around your children. It’s important to create space,” she said.
“Your voice is so important as a parent. You know about these important steps that no one would think of because of your parent brain. You’re always thinking out of the box, you’re always problem-solving.”
The LEVEL Youth Policy Program team supports participants with caregiving for dependents. The team works case-by-case with each participant to find ways to support their attendance throughout the program, within our available resources – just be sure to let the team know when applying.
What’s next for Roberta
Building on the confidence and inspiration she’s gained from the LEVEL Youth Policy Program, and subsequent policy programs, Roberta’s is now researching what it would take to start a non-profit to build on the policy ask she created as part of the LEVEL YPP curriculum.
Roberta’s policy project: Families United: Keeping Indigenous/BIPOC Families Together
Nearly 70% of youth in care in B.C. are Indigenous, despite making up only 12% of the student population. Counselling, classes and funding would go a long way in supporting children to stay together with their parents. Severing a family bond has lasting and painful effects, even if the family is later reunited. “Parents should also be able to get help before their child is taken, but they don’t get that kind of help,” she said.
Roberta has had to fight to regain custody of three children, who were sent into care. During this battle, she found that even basic information and resources about how to do so weren’t readily available online. Her non-profit would both make such resources available and create a safe environment for struggling parents to ask for what they need and connect with the right resources.
Today, Roberta has also joined the We Matter campaign as an Ambassador for Hope. She’ll be traveling across the country to share her story with Indigenous youth who are struggling with mental health challenges and thoughts of suicide.
Apply for the 2027 LEVEL Youth Policy Program today
Applications for the LEVEL Youth Policy Program 2027 cohort are open now. We welcome applications from youth between 19-29 years old living BC, and who are Indigenous, a racialized immigrant, or a racialized refugee.