Leaders in Training

Leaders in Training

Nurturing the Next Gen

A four-day rendezvous brought youth from across the North to Inuvik this fall for a levelling-up session in their personal development and bonding.

BYTE – Empowering Youth, along with the help of many sponsors, organized the event, which saw youth take part in a wide variety of activities and hear speeches from elders and other influencers.

In the following pages are photos from the group’s retreat to Gwich’in Campground and words from Alyssa Carpenter, a Beaufort Delta native who helped organize the conference, and Ulukhaktok attendee Nadine Kuneluk.

Who Am I?

By Nadine Kuneluk – Uluhaktok

Counting down the days for travelling out of town is something a lot of teens and young adults do, especially if they’re excited. Almost every time I met with the other participants coming from Ulukhaktok – Trent Kuptana and Chantel Kataoyak, with Helena Ekootak as our chaperone – we would say, “X amount of days left until the conference!” That’s when we would realize how close the trip really was.

We made plans to go to places, but there was so much to do at the conference that we didn’t notice how little free time we had, which was, in fact, a good thing.

We would start each day with breakfast and our choice of sausages, bacon, hash browns, eggs, some fruit and very good company. Each morning I enjoyed breakfast more and more because the people I met would talk about what had happened the day before.

The first day of training was mainly getting participants comfortable around the workplace. That day consisted of icebreakers (games we would play to wake up or step out of our comfort zone) to “break the ice.” I’ll admit, I was nervous, but only because I hadn’t made any new friends in a while. During one of the icebreakers, I met my first new friend, Rhoda. We made each other laugh. I always feel good about myself if I can make someone else laugh and they add onto the joke to make it even funnier. I knew we would become good friends during the conference.

Speakers from the National Inuit Youth Council opened the first official day of the conference, giving inspirational speeches about how they grew up and joined the NIYC. During the presentation, I learned that our teen years are probably the most difficult times in our life, because not only are we doing school work, but we’re also trying to socialize and keep up with our family, all while trying to figure ourselves out.

That got me wondering, “Who am I?” Throughout the rest of that day, I asked myself that question until I finally answered, “I honestly don’t know,” but I’ll get back to that thought later on.

Each day I learned at least one new thing. It was hard to keep things in mind with everything going on around the facilities, but I managed to keep one in mind, and it happened to be mentioned in almost every presentation: no matter how difficult life might be, there is always someone willing to help you out.

What I meant by “I don’t know who I am yet” still bothers me, but I only just turned 18, so I shouldn’t be so worried. To be honest, I felt old, because every other participant was either 17 or under.

One thing I think I will always remember from the LiT conference was something Dana Tizya-Tramm said, which was about holding a single candle in a long, dark cave, and the beautiful thing he said was that you have the choice to blow it out. It was a metaphor – the candle was one’s life, and one may blow it out if they want to. What Dana said inspired me. I would like to draw this some day, and maybe with practice I can, just not now.

I really enjoyed my trip and I know for anyone who applies for the future conferences they will be just as good as (maybe even better than) the one I attended.

Koana, thank you!

Building Communities

By Alyssa Carpenter – Whitehorse

Last March, we had six youth from Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk join us for our Leaders-in-Training Conference in Haines Junction, YT. After the conference, these youth expressed wanting to have the event in their own region. From there, the idea for this youth conference was born!

And that is what BYTE is all about: hearing ideas of youth in the North and helping young people to make them a reality. Our organization was excited and honoured to be coordinating the first-ever LiT conference in the region. Our BYTE team covered topics of healthy minds, safer partying and leadership through workshops in collaboration with TakingITGlobal​ representatives.

We had workshops on art expression with Nigit’stil Norbert, a jam session at the Western Arctic School of Music with Louie Goose, a photography session with Weronika Murray, a beading workshop with Erica Joan​, a presentation with Youth Of The Peel​guest Dana Tizya-Tramm​, a presentation from #SpeakGwichinToMe with Crystal Fraser and Jacey Firth-Hagen, and a land-based discussion focused on

culture, identity, language and resilience with special guests Lillian Elias, Shirley Kisoun, Sarah Jerome, Jordan Peterson​, Peter Greenland and Mary Binky Andersen, the acting president of the National Inuit Youth Council.

It is a true honour to see this conference come to life in my home community. This is the type of work I am incredibly passionate about – giving youth the space, opportunity and support to believe they are capable of anything and to share their voice.

We had youth from Inuvik, Tuktoyaktuk, Fort McPherson, Tsiigehtchic, Aklavik, Paulatuk, Ulukhaktok, Colville Lake, Dawson City, Haines Junction and Whitehorse. So many laughs, stories and relationships were formed – it was beautiful to watch from the background. A lot of work, love, time and energy went into this event.

It started with an idea and small conversations with other youth back in March and within seven months, it become a huge regional event. All youth deserve opportunities to engage, collaborate, network and build relationships and connections with one another. It is important to know our neighbouring communities, build allyship with one another and work together to address the social realities we see in our communities, such as substance use, suicide and violence.

Quyanainni to the elders, guests, friends, family and allies who made this possible. I feel fulfilled, grateful and empowered. I hope others do, too.

We could not have done this without our connections to youth in the region, as well as our elders, guest speakers and community champions, and without the generous support of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, the Gwich’in Tribal Council, Municipal and Community Affairs NWT Youth Corps Funding, TakingITGlobal, Project Jewel, Aklak Air, Inuvialuit Communications Society, Mackenzie Hotel, Town of Inuvik, East Three Secondary School, Tides Canada, North Wright Air, Stanton Group Ltd. and Northwind Industries Ltd.

We hope to visit the region again soon!