Sidney Helps At-Risk Youth Connect With Their Heritage

A teacher in Manitoba makes dog sledding an after-school program for First Nations youth

At university, Sidney Klassen took to the snow with his two dogs and a makeshift sled. He then spent his college winters with friends’ dogs to best recreate the traditional dog sledding experience. Enchanted by the sport from the very beginning, Sidney set his sights on developing an after-school dog sledding program for the students of Bloodvein, Manitoba.

Sidney is a physical education teacher on a First Nations reserve in Bloodvein, a small community east of Lake Winnipeg. Bloodvein drew him with its strong sense of community, rich history, and celebration of nature. The inhabitants of Bloodvein, the Anishinabe people, have been using dog sleds for generations as a way of transportation before the advent of snowmobiles.

But this reality happened generations before Sidney called Bloodvein home. Today, the stains of colonialism are evident. “Like many isolated First Nations communities, Bloodvein faces a myriad of social issues that stem from the effects of colonialism,” says Sidney. “There are a lot of good people here who are working tirelessly toward positive change, but their time and resources are stretched. The children here have few options when it comes to recreation. Some of them who are quite young turn to drugs as a means of escape.”

Sidney’s after-school program would aim to help at-risk kids by teaching responsibility, connecting kids to their culture, promoting outdoor education, and fostering empathy. The program would also train stray dogs and promote adoption.

To kick off the program, Sidney needed a sled. He launched a GoFundMe in October 2018, and with the help of friends and family, he raised nearly $10,000 to purchase a new dog sled. “I am incredibly grateful for my friends and the money raised. They really believed in this project,” says Sidney.

Since the purchase of the new sled, Sidney’s program has become a unique outdoor recreational program for First Nations students. From hands-on learning and dog handling to the cultural teachings of dog sledding, Sidney hopes to provide students with a character building recreational activity.

Sidney hopes to cultivate a sense of empathy through the interaction between students and the dogs. “You see the positive interactions that the kids have with the dogs,” says Sidney. “My oldest dog, Vicky, helps me teach lessons in the classroom, and the students have become very attached to her. They want to be close to her.” These renewed bonds also tie into the culture of the Anishinabe people, who have a historical relationship with dogs and have long held the view that the land is a teacher.

Looking ahead, Sidney hopes to further his after-school program by officially making it a part of the curriculum and helping animal shelters make more stray dogs adoptable. The connection between students and dogs is helping a community regain its cultural identity, creating a positive outlet for the reserve’s youth and addressing canine overpopulation and health.

Make a donation to help Sidney’s after school program and empower First Nations youth.