Community Engagement Teams (CETs) are committed individuals working together to improve the lives of Native American people in the Bismarck-Mandan area. The CETs plan and advocate for improved services, civic engagement, and more opportunities for American Indians living in Bismarck-Mandan, as well as promoting leadership development and cross-cultural understanding.
Enjoying a meal at our 2015 Thanksgiving CET meeting.
You do not need any expertise, education, experience or background to serve on a CET— just a commitment to Native people and causes.
Each Community Engagement Team is focused on a particular topic of interest. CETs meet at least once a month to discuss their topic and the needs of the local Native American/American Indian community, and to develop a plan to address those needs.
Get involved and help strengthen our whole Bismarck-Mandan community by ensuring the voices, strengths, and concerns of the American Indian population are heard!
- Organizing job fairs and health fairs
- Cultural, sports, and art programs for young people
- Creating a Native community garden or food hub
- Sponsoring fun community events like free Movie Nights
- Developing a plan to help American Indian families find places to live
Join a Community Engagement Team
The three current CETs were created from visioning sessions of American Indian people in Bismarck-Mandan.
The Cultural & Spiritual Events CET hosts events that feature the diverse cultures and ethnicities in the area, with a particular emphasis on Native cultures.
The American Indian Youth Issues CET addresses topics like the over-representation of American Indian youth in the juvenile justice system, foster care, and other out-of-home placements; and access to, and availability of, culturally-based activities for American Indian youth.
The Native Health Issues CET is concerned with developing health information, health fairs, health services, and a health center for American Indian people in the Bismarck-Mandan community.
Community Engagement Teams at the Sacred Pipe Resource Center are supported by a Community Innovation Grant from the the Bush Foundation in partnership with North Dakota Consensus Council. Topic areas are open but will be data-driven. Each CET is required to develop a written plan and to partner with a local community-based agency or organization, such as a civic group, business, non-profit, or spiritual organization. CETs are provided with financial and administrative support to develop their plans.