Oyate Teca Project

“Oyate Teca” Project is the Lakota name for “Young Peoples” Project.  We are a nonprofit youth organization located in Kyle, South Dakota, on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

Over the past few years, the program has shifted its efforts from providing basic services to a community-based approach to engage and empower the youth to build stronger communities.

The Oyate Teca Project is a vital program that serves more than 700 Oglala Lakota youth through a variety of practical and carefully designed activities.   It is a highly regarded program with a strong track record of providing opportunity to engage our youth of all ages in a number of meaningful and wholesome activities.  Without the support of our funders, many youth would not otherwise be able to access our high-impact youth programs and activities.

The organization is primarily funded by one organization through individual sponsorships. The annual budget for Oyate Teca Project is $63,000, which allows for the maintenance of the facility, programming and employment for two staff. It is not enough to meet the needs of the community.

Over the years, Oyate Teca Project has offered much needed programmatic activities and community outreach through programs such as suicide prevention, substance abuse prevention and cultural activities (regalia and star quilt making for parents).  We also offer daily activities such as movie night, game night, cooking classes, arts & craft classes, and special quarterly holiday celebrations for Easter, 4^th of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

In 2010, Oyate Teca Project collaborated with the Lakota Beginner Farmer/Ranch Program to take the lead in a new and exciting garden program.  We now offer a comprehensive gardening program designed to support all aspects of gardening from preparation and maintenance to harvesting and preserving healthy foods.

In addition to organizational funders, we also utilize community members and parent volunteers to assist with our programming.  A collaboration network with local businesses and other civic organizations allows for additional programming and effective cost-sharing.

Education and Development

In an effort to promote education, the Oyate Teca Project collaborates with local organizations to plan and implement the following prevention and education activities for the youth:

• Suicide education and walks, bullying prevention, red ribbon week;
• Financial literacy
  • Business planning
  • Understanding your credit
  • Opening, keeping and balancing a checking account
• Career preparedness, goal setting and resume writing;
• Customer service training; and
• Leadership skills utilizing the American Indian Life Skill curriculum.

Preventative Health

Identifying needs specific to youth and family health, including:

• The importance of physical activity and fitness for preventing obesity and diabetes by encouraging outdoor activities like hiking, fishing, karate, nature walks, and swimming;
• Healthy eating habits, collaborating with the 4-H extension program to provide My Plate education, healthy cooking lessons, and the creative cooking lessons; and
• Gardening: teaching everything from ground preparation and persevering healthy foods to the importance of growing your own food and being able to learn and teach others gardening, creating seasonal entrepreneurship and farmers markets.

Culture and Recreation

• Reconnecting the youth to traditional cultural roles, values and arts & craft; and
• Provide safe and constructive environments through after-school and summer-enrichment programs like daily open center activities, monthly “just because”* activities, seasonal activities and community holiday events

*“just because” are spontaneous activities; dances, game tournaments, ice cream social, hot dog social, etc.

Website: www.oyatetecaproject.org
Phone: 605-455-2544
Facebook:www.facebook.com/pages/Oyate-Teca-Project

Organization Contact:

Rose Fraser, Executive Director
rfraser166@gwtc.net