Fort Simpson (July 06/01) - One of the Deh Cho Friendship Centre's programs aims to put youth in touch with traditional values and activities that are being lost.

The Back to Roots plan will connect elders with teens who are related, even if just distantly. Small groups of three to four teens will go to the elders' traditional homesteads for two weeks and participate in summer activities like fishing, berry gathering and shelter-building.

"The number one purpose is to build stronger families by putting youths in touch with their cultural heritage," says Aaron McNab, the centre's co-ordinator.

Some youths "haven't been out on the land except maybe camping at a day park."

At the same time many elders, he says, go to their homesteads alone or in small groups with other elders, leaving disinterested younger people behind.

Within the next couple weeks a group of elders will attend an instructor's camp. By month's end they should be taking youth into the bush. McNab says similar programs have run before, but the smaller groups will be more hands-on this time.

"The more one to one will be a better chance to learn, to find out about their family histories," he said.

The program is getting funding from Heritage Canada.