To engage our youth to inspire, motivate, and empower them to participate and be actively involved in the future decisions that will shape their lives, family, community and nation.

The youth council represents youth and will promote healthy lifestyles by incorporating our traditions, culture, spirituality, and language, with honesty and integrity. With the interests of all youth in mind.

The Terms of Reference lays out the direction the Youth Council will follow in going about our business. In addition, it includes an application form for any youth who are interested in joining us. Read the OKIB Youth Council Terms of Reference.

Introducing Kolet: An Advocate for Youth and Chair of the Youth Leadership Council

Meet Kolet – a strong and passionate leader who serves as the Chair of the Youth Leadership Council. As an OKIB member, Kolet currently resides in Vernon and attends Vernon Secondary School. Their lineage includes a great great grandmother named Millie Steele, who bestowed the name smuqaken to Kolet, and their mother is Kelsie Marchand.

This is Kolet’s second term as Chair of the Youth Leadership Council. In this role, they aim to create safer spaces that uplift the sqilx’w cawt, our Indigenous ways of being. For Kolet, creating a safe learning environment goes beyond physical security. It encompasses emotional and cultural safety as well. When we feel safe and accepted in our educational or community spaces, we can fully engage in our purpose and explore our cultural identities without fear of discrimination or prejudice.

Enhancing Leadership Skills Through Learning and Community Involvement

As we move forward into the new year, our team is committed to developing our leadership skills by focusing on several key areas. These include learning our language, participating in community safety initiatives, engaging in storytelling, and participating in our homeland ceremonies.

By embracing our sqilx’w cawt in a safe environment, we can become catalysts for change and embody the hopes and prayers of our ancestors. We are empowered to embrace our identity as sqilx’w and take pride in everything we do.

Smuqaken (Kolet) Marchand
OKIB Youth Leadership Council Chair

Introducing Vanessa: Aspiring Activist and Proud Okanagan Indian Band Member

Vanessa, resides at Head of the Lake, and proudly represents the Okanagan Indian Band. The daughter of Cheryl Clough and Trenton Jobin.

She recently completed an exclusive carpentry program designed for Indigenous women at Okanagan College. Vanessa’s next goal is to return to campus to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Science.

Vanessa is dedicated to improving education and employment access for young people in her community. She also advocates for marginalized groups and tackles the social and health disparities that impact youth. Her ultimate ambition is to raise awareness of social justice and make a positive difference in her community.

Vanessa is confident that, as an Indigenous woman, taking the initiative and leading by example within her community is a powerful way to create positive impacts.

Appointment of Vanessa as Co-Chair to Youth Leadership Council

Following the nomination by her sister, Taijah Clough, Vanessa has been elected as the Vice-Chair to the Youth Leadership Council. Vanessa’s contributions and commitment to the council have been exemplary since joining, and we strongly believe that she has the necessary skills and dedication to excel in this new role. We are thrilled to see her take on this new position, and we are confident that she will continue to demonstrate the same level of excellence and commitment that she has consistently shown.

vanessa Clough, Co-Chair
OKIB Youth Leadership Council

Meet Emmarie: A Prominent Member of the OKIB Youth Leadership Council

Allow us to introduce you to Emmarie, an outstanding member of the OKIB Youth Leadership Council. Her parents, Don and Kim Louis, reside at Madeline Lake, and Emmarie is currently a student at W.L Seaton High School. She also holds a certificate in Indigenous early childhood education program (IECE) from Nicola Valley Institute of Technology, and is a passionate hockey player who competes in the North Okanagan Novas U18 league. She is also a recent student cadet graduate from the Vernon Youth Police Academy.

Emmarie is a strong advocate for MMIWG in our community, and participates in the annual Red Dress Day walk. She also took the opportunity to speak on the SD22 Trustee Forum, where she contributed her perspectives and experiences, and provided input on the ongoing issues and concerns that Indigenous students face daily in their high school.

Coming from a family with a political background, Emmarie’s goals are to learn more skills from the Youth Leadership Council on how to implement changes within our community while understanding the political dynamics of our band council.

Emmarie Louis
OKIB Youth Leadership Council

Introducing Cruz Arnouse-Louis: An Inspiring Member of the Okanagan Indian Band Youth Council

We are thrilled to introduce Cruz Arnouse-Louis, a talented young member of the Okanagan Indian Band and a recent addition to our Youth Council. Cruz is a student at W.L Seaton Secondary High School and resides at 6 Mile within the OKIB community, where he lives with his mother Samantha Louis and father Frank Arnouse along with his siblings Jaedyn, Ashton, and Winston.

Cruz is a fantastic role model in our community, connecting with syilx culture through hand drumming and singing. He has a warm and welcoming demeanor, making him a valuable asset to the youth council. Cruz is passionate about amplifying the voices and perspectives of Indigenous youth by connecting with other young members of the OKIB community. He is an excellent communicator and displays leadership through cultural teachings, taking the lead when necessary and knowing when to step back and allow others the opportunity to lead.

Cruz has demonstrated his leadership skills by actively participating in regular workshops and meetings focused on youth council and engaging with other youth to gather their feedback on the council’s ongoing projects and initiatives.

Cruz has a noble goal of addressing the systemic barriers and discrimination that indigenous youth face. He plans to connect mentors and community members to offer support in a culturally safe manner. We are proud to have Cruz as a member of our Youth Council and excited to see what he will achieve in the future.

Cruz Arnouse-Louis
OKIB Youth Leadership Council

Akasha Eustache: A Recent Addition to the Youth Leadership Council

Meet Akasha Eustache (Kash), a young member of the Okanagan Indian Band and a recently appointed member of the Youth Leadership Council. She is a resident of OKIB reserve near Salmon River and the daughter of Carmela Louis and Patrick Eustache. Kash is a recent graduate of W.L Seaton Secondary and has attended an all- Indigenous Sisters Carpentry Program through the Okanagan College.

Kash is passionate about advocating for the rights of indigenous youth through social justice, organizing youth events and workshops, and collaborating with other Youth Council members within the nation. She has set a goal to address social and health disparities within indigenous communities by amplifying the voices and perspectives of indigenous youth on a nation to nation level. Kash plans to achieve this by participating in public speaking events and community engagements.

On a personal note, Kash loves chickens and owns almost 50 of them as pets. She’s a wealth of knowledge about these feathered friends!

Akasha Neesha Eustache
OKIB Youth Leadership Council

Meet Kayla Ochoa: A Passionate Member of the OKIB Youth Leadership Council

Kayla Ochoa is excited to return as a member of the OKIB youth leadership council. Born and raised in Vernon, BC, Kayla currently resides on the OKIB reservation. Her parents are Anne and Brian Ochoa, her grandmother Penny Lawrence, and step- grandfather, Alvin Shaffer.

Kayla recently finished an esthetics and nail technology course at Okanagan College, which has been a lifelong passion of hers. Her ultimate dream is to establish her own esthetics salon and spa.

Volunteering is an integral part of Kayla’s life, with involvement in various community events such as offering free beauty services to women at the transition house and nursing homes, and spending time at the SPCA. She also assists with event setup at Okanagan College and career fair booths in both Vernon and Kelowna campuses.

As a member of the youth leadership council, Kayla’s main objective is to provide guidance, education, and support to the youth in her community. She is particularly passionate about mental health awareness and education, with experience in suicide prevention and mental health workshops. Kayla is eager to learn more tools to help those in need, as she believes there is always room to expand her knowledge.

Kayla Ochoa
OKIB Youth Leadership Council

Introducing Odessa Clough: OKIB Youth Leadership Council Mentor

My name is Odessa Clough, and I am a sqilx^w, suqnaq’inx from the Okanagan Indian Band. Granddaughter of Yvonne Lawrence and Walter Clough, I was born in Kelowna, BC, and currently reside at head of the Lake, inkumupulux.

Growing up, I had the privilege of living on both the Westbank First Nation and the Okanagan Indian Band reserves at 6 Mile. Being raised in my community allowed me to explore the richness of my syilx culture while also experiencing the challenges of colonialism.

As a young adult, I graduated from Crescent Heights Senior High in Alberta and moved to Vancouver, where I studied interior design at the Visual College of Art and Design of Vancouver. I spent over eight years as a freelance designer before moving back to the OKIB community.

In my late twenties, I returned to college, taking an all- Indigenous Sisters Carpentry course. I recently completed the course and received my level 1 apprenticeship, and these hands- on skills allow me to further my career in design. I am excited to bring my knowledge and many transferrable skills back to my community to help build it up and support our youth.

My Community Involvement:

I am actively engaged in various community groups and initiatives. I serve as a board member for a non-profit society known as For the Ferals Wild Horse Society. Additionally, I am a member of the OKIB Pride committee and recently took on the role of Youth Leadership Council Mentor.

As a board member for For the Ferals Wild Horse Society, I am passionate about animal welfare and the protection of wild horses in our community. Through our society’s initiatives, we work towards educating the public on the importance of preserving wild horses, horse culture, and our tmix^w.

Being a member of the OKIB Pride committee has allowed me to connect with my community and work towards creating a safe and inclusive environment for all individuals regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. As a community, we celebrate diversity and strive towards equality for all.

As the Youth Leadership Council Mentor, and I am excited to work with youth in our community to empower and encourage them to take on leadership roles and make a positive impact in our community. I believe that youth play a crucial role in shaping the future of our society, and I am committed to supporting and guiding them towards success. As Youth Leadership Council Motivator, I plan to create opportunities for young people to develop their skills, build their confidence, and connect with others who share their goals.

One of the things I am most excited about is the chance to collaborate with other community organizations to create events and initiatives that engage and inspire young people. Whether it’s a service project to help those in need, a leadership conference to develop skills, or a cultural festival to celebrate diversity, I believe that there is so much potential for positive change when our youth are involved.

Odessa Clough
OKIB Youth Leadership Council Mentor

Mike Ochoa
Youth Justice Worker
Phone: 236-599-0025
Cell: 250-309-0353
Email: [email protected]