‘It was amazing’: Prophet River First Nation on youth empowerment conference 2025

PROPHET RIVER, B.C. — A northeast B.C. First Nation’s youth got a glimpse of the big city during a high school conference last week.

Youth from Prophet River First Nation (PRFN) were among Indigenous young people from across Canada to participate in the Soaring: Indigenous Youth Empowerment Gathering in Vancouver.

PRFN youth coordinator Lisa Wolf was a chaperone for members, and said being at the gathering on April 8th and 9th at Canada Place was “amazing.”

Other Treaty 8 Nations to send youth included Blueberry River First Nations, Saulteau First Nations and Fort Nelson First Nation.

Wolf has also taken PRFN youth to the Spark Conference in Edmonton earlier this year and added the invitation came from the PRFN education department.

“It was good for the youth,” said Wolf. “[The invitation was for] whoever is available with their schedule.”

Sponsorship to take part in the event came from Tourmaline Oil, who Wolf said “set us up nicely.”

The gathering in Vancouver featured workshops dedicated to entrepreneurship, sport, college education and financial planning.

Indigenous model Ashley Callingbull, originally from Enoch Cree Nation in Edmonton, was a panelist for the two-day event.  

She spoke to attendees about her story, beginning in Alberta to being named First Nations Indigenous model to grace the coveted Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue in 2022, a historic first.

“It’s just amazing where she came from,” said Wolf of Callingbull. “[She spoke about] how you don’t just stigmatize yourself and try. It’s important to show the sky is the limit. She did it, and [the youth] can do it too.”

Day two was highlighted by a 1,200-person round dance in BC Place, something Wolf describes as something “she’d never been in before.”

There was also a performance by Kitamaat Village-based hip-hop group the Snotty Nose Rez Kids. The duo recently won the 2025 Juno award for best rap album. 

In between engagements, Wolf says she taught youth how to navigate around the big city, including touring the city’s famed cherry blossom trees, how to coordinate flights and how to get around on Vancouver’s SkyTrain.

“I was [also] showing them how to be independent,” said Wolf. “I was trying to show them this is where you could live if you want to go to university some day.”

Soaring: Indigenous Youth Empowerment Gathering took place on April 8th and 9th in Vancouver, organized by Indigenous education charity Indspire.

More information about the charity and the conference is available on its website.