By Morgan Taylor, Reporter
OKMULGEE, Oklahoma – The Mvskoke Nation Youth Services has created a series of webinars for the purpose of reaching out to expecting and already parenting parents of all ages. The webinars give out and connect parents to information and services that offer needed assistance in a series titled “Cutkosen Yekvpetv” or “Little Steps.”
The name for the series “Little Steps” was thought of by Gina Powell, the college work experience intern at the Mvskoke Native Youth Services and was then translated to the Creek words “Cutkosen Yekvpetv.”
Three webinars are schedules thus far, and according to Mvskoke Native Youth Services Director Nancy Mason, there is hope for more to come in a separate series.
“We had been planning on doing a youth and young adult conference,” Mason said. “We received small a grant to do that, however, due to the pandemic we have kind of pivoted and so what we’re doing is offering a series of webinars. We have three that are scheduled already and they will be focused on different topics as well as connect parents with services they might not know about.”
The webinars are schedule for 3 PM on July 30, Aug 13, and Aug 27
“Our first webinar topic was over Smoking and Your Baby,” Mason said. “That was provided by one of the public health nurses Brandy Treagesser, BSN, RN. The second webinar will be over the WIC program and the third will be over the TANF program. It’s good for families to be aware and know about those things.”
Other guest speakers include Connie Fox, WIC Nutrition Coordinator and Lauren Randall, Tribal TANF Youth Programs Coordinator.
“In addition to offering the webinars, we are going to be offering some one-on-one planning. So, if the youth or young adult needs some direction looking at long term goals now that they are pregnant or parenting, we can definitely help them to do that,” Mason said. “We are offering a text line also, so once a week we will send out a text with some information on resources, parenting info, what kind of activities they can connect and be involved in. That will be our way of making this happen even though we couldn’t have an in-person conference for them.”
The webinars are open to anyone who wants to view them but services are limited to Muscogee (Creek) enrolled citizens.
“For the Native Youth and Young adults ages 16-24 that are in our program we are going to be providing what we call ‘Parental Support’ what we would consider incentives, that will allow parents to earn things for their baby,” Mason said.
Incentives may include diapers, fire alarms, fire extinguishers or other items that may provide a need for the baby.
There is no deadline to register. Participants can register up until the date of the webinar. Videos can be viewed on the Mvskoke Native Youth Services Facebook page and YouTube channel if any episodes were missed.
Register for each session at: https://bit.ly/cvtkosenyekvpetv or for more information regarding webinars or Mvskoke Native Youth Services contact the main office at 918-549-2557 or email at youthservices@mcn-nsn.gov
