Mental health awareness is at the heart of the Tournament of Hope

Youth from across Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) communities will be in Fort William First Nation this spring for a community event unlike any other. 

The Tournament of Hope is April 8th-14th and is being organized by Titus Semple, who says it's more than just a hockey tournament. 

Back for a second year, the hockey, broomball and volleyball tournament, will serve as a youth summit, with a strong focus on mental health awareness. 

Semple was approached two years ago by First Nation leaders in the area to see if there was anything he can do to help address the ongoing suicide and mental health crises for First Nations youth. 

"There was a spike in suicides happening within our communities up north and something needed to be done." Semple said.

"The number one thing that kept coming up was to provide the youth some hope." he said. " So why not host a youth hockey tournament with a focus on hope. I am from the North, I love my people, especially the youth."

"We are not afraid to have tough conversations," said Semple. "We want [the youth] to realize that it's OK to open up and talk about your emotions and the things that you're going through."

Semple wants the tournament to open up those conversations and use sport as a way to bring people together. One way of doing that, he said is to make free and non-competitive so everyone comes out just to have fun. 

Jon Mckay, from Semple Enterprises has worked on the project since the beginning and agrees that winning isn't the point. 

"You don't really know who won last year's tournament ... I think it's just they had so much fun that it wasn't there wasn't really an emphasis on winning the tournament," he said. 

Youth from several communities in the region are expected to arrive, and Semple says other First Nation communities from across Canada are interested in coming. 

A  lack of funding for evening activities for youth prompted the tournament to partner with Matawa Communities this year, and Matawa will be host a movie night, a bowling night and a mini powwow.

Organizers surveyed to the participants from last year and developed some new programming geared to them.

In the survey, the youth requested volleyball to be added, they asked for more cultural programming and other ways to be included even if they did not participate in sport, so the final list includes a number of different events including: 

• Opening ceremonies
• Guest speakers 
• Career fair 
• Mental health awareness workshops
• ID clinic (Birth certificates,SIN Cards, status card applications, support to obtain health card)
• G1 driver test
• Fashion show bootcamp with DJ Nyla 
• Youth gala with a glow-in-the-dark theme 
• Evening Activities - bowling, movie night, and mini powwow. 

A youth fashion show will take place on the Friday of the tournament with DJ Nyla, who's from Saskatchewan and will be leading music workshops with youth who are passionate about music.   

Mattawa Health Co-Operative is also the organization helping with the mental health awareness workshops on bullying, healthy relationships and other topics. 

The organizers do hope that this tournament could be federally funded. But until then individual supporters, organizations and First Nation communities are stepping up to fill in the gaps.

For more information, head to the Tournament of Hope Facebook page.