Join our Sharing Circle on March 18!
The FNHDA Secretariat invites Health Directors to participate in a virtual Sharing Circle focused on youth wellness, prevention, and community-led responses to the toxic drug crisis.
This session is not about a funded program or a proposed service model. It is an invitation to step outside crisis-driven language and create space to talk about what could be using Grandma’s House as a model for a strengths-based youth prevention approach.
What is Grandma’s House?
Grandmothers hold the role of nurturer, knowledge keeper, and steady guide. Grandma’s House is a safe, welcoming space for youth, where the wisdom of Elders, the leadership of young people, and the strength of families come together to promote wellness and prevent harms before they become a crisis. Grandma’s House is a vision for a youth prevention and cultural wellness centre that draws on Elders’ knowledge, cultural practices, and intergenerational relationships.
We know that First Nations people are disproportionately affected by the toxic drug crisis, and it can feel overwhelming to focus only on poisonings and losses. While these numbers are important, this Sharing Circle discussion of Grandma’s House is about shifting the story toward hope. It is about imaging a centre that focuses on the strengths of First Nations youth and Elders and creating spaces for prevention so that young people can build themselves up, connect deeply with their culture and community.
About the Sharing Circle
This Sharing Circle is being facilitated by Daniel Manson, an FNHDA Advisor with experience working in youth substance use, harm reduction, housing, and mental health related research. Daniel worked with the FNHDA Board to develop Grandma’s House.
The intent is not to arrive with answers, but to learn from Health Directors’ knowledge and experiences.
Together, we will explore questions such as:
- How can we talk about substance use and the toxic drug crisis in ways that are life-affirming and future-focused?
- What do or can Elder-centred and culturally grounded prevention approaches look like in your community?
- How are young people already showing leadership, resilience, and care, and how can those strengths be supported?
- What do Health Directors need to create space for youth-led wellness and prevention, now and in the future?
- What would you want to be part of a program like Grandma’s House if it were in your community?
Grandma’s House Conversation
Time: March 18, 2026 at 10:30 a.m.
FNHDA Members will receive a calendar invite to the Zoom meeting. Please email us at fnhda@fnha.ca if you haven’t received an invite.
Health Directors are warmly encouraged to attend and contribute their experiences and knowledge. The insights you share will help guide future conversations, engagement, and FNHDA’s broader work on youth wellness and the toxic drug crisis.
Future meetings
Interested in more conversations on responding to the toxic drug crisis? We will meet for more Sharing Circles on, Thursday, April 16 and Tuesday, June 9, 2026.