Community Partnership Programs
Through partnerships with Tribal communities, schools, and local organizations, Earth Within delivers scholarship-supported, culturally responsive education that fosters body literacy, leadership, and well-being for youth who face barriers to accessing reproductive health education.
At Earth Within, we believe that access to body literacy and reproductive health education should not depend on a person's income, background, or geographic location.
Many girls reach adolescence without the knowledge, support, or culturally relevant resources needed to navigate the changes occurring in their bodies. Social stigma, gaps in education, and barriers to healthcare can leave young people feeling isolated and underprepared during critical stages of development.
To help address these inequities, we direct our funding and programming toward communities that often face the greatest barriers to health education, including Indigenous, refugee, immigrant, and low-income youth. Through our partnerships, we provide free, nature-based learning experiences that promote self-awareness, resilience, leadership, and lifelong well-being.
Confederate Salish and Kootenai School Programs
Honoring Cultural Knowledge, Community, and Well-Being
Our CSKT Youth Program provides free, culturally responsive cycle and wellness education for adolescent girls in Lake County, Montana, within the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal community.
Offered each semester through after-school and summer programming, the program integrates evidence-based hormonal health education with Indigenous plant knowledge, ancestral wellness practices, and place-based learning. Small cohort sizes create opportunities for individualized support, peer connection, and meaningful participation.
What Participants Experience
Through a nature-based curriculum, participants engage in:
Hormonal and reproductive health education
Indigenous plant knowledge and traditional wellness practices
Plant harvesting and land-based learning
Creative arts and self-expression
Reflection, storytelling, and cultural connection
Movement and self-care practices
Leadership development and confidence building
The program begins with a family orientation session and continues through weekly gatherings led by Earth Within educators, Tribal knowledge keepers, and local experts.
Celebrating Community and Tradition
Cultural rites of passage, traditional teachings, and community values are woven throughout the program experience. Each semester concludes with a community celebration and smoked-meat gathering that honors nutrient-rich traditional foods, shared learning, and Indigenous knowledge.
Soft Landing After School Programs
Empowering Refugee and Immigrant Girls Through Education and Connection
Since 2022, Earth Within has partnered with Soft Landing Missoula's Girls Leadership Program to support refugee and immigrant girls through culturally responsive wellness education and leadership development.
Soft Landing is a community-based nonprofit that works alongside refugee and immigrant families as they build new lives in Missoula. As guest educators, Earth Within facilitates two-hour learning sessions one to two times each month as part of the organization's ongoing youth leadership programming.
What Participants Experience
Our workshops create opportunities for participants to:
Learn about body literacy and reproductive health
Build self-confidence and leadership skills
Explore positive body image and self-awareness
Develop resilience and emotional well-being
Connect across cultures and shared experiences
Strengthen relationships with peers and mentors
The program serves middle and high school students during the academic year and the summer months.
Why This Work Matters
Adolescence can present unique challenges for young people navigating identity, belonging, and health education, particularly for those from refugee and immigrant backgrounds. Through this partnership, participants gain access to resources, knowledge, and supportive community spaces that help them navigate these experiences with confidence.
As Natalia Boise, Soft Landing Youth Program Coordinator, shares:
“It's clear that the health and well-being of our participants are very important. Adolescent girls, particularly from refugee and immigrant backgrounds, face numerous health risks and challenges, often exacerbated by societal taboos and cultural restrictions.
By promoting positive body image, cyclical awareness, and holistic approaches to maintaining hormonal balance and wellness, EW empowers girls to navigate the complexities of adolescence with confidence and resilience, contributing directly to our participants' overall well-being. By providing girls with the tools and resources they need to support their physical, social, and emotional wellness, we are not only fostering positive outcomes but also empowering them to become leaders in their communities.”
