This summer we partnered with Indigenous-owned Yellowknife-based business, Ever Good Medicine, to help pilot a unique program for youth in Tulita. The outcome of this collaboration was the launch of an immersive four-week training that blends traditional knowledge with practical business skills, all aimed at empowering youth as stewards of their culture and the next generation of Indigenous entrepreneurs. The program ran in Tulita from July 22 to August 16 and engaged a cohort of nine youth.
At the core of this social enterprise is Ever Good Medicine’s initiative called the “Medicine Walk Apprenticeship Program”. Ever Good Medicine’s training offered youth experiential land-based instruction on how to harvest medicinal plants local to their community. The transfer of this knowledge between generations is ultimately what inspired and continues to drive the important work that Ever Good Medicine does.
"I always heard from the Elders that somebody should start teaching about the traditional medicines. That's why I started Ever Good Medicine. Our vision is that one day, every community in NWT will have knowledge holders of traditional medicines”, states Carl Jr Kodakin-Yakeleya, Founder and CEO of Ever Good Medicine.
The initiative doesn’t stop there, however. The program also aims to equip youth with all the necessary organizational skills that will allow the apprenticeship to continue as a social enterprise after the conclusion of the training. The team at Ever Good Medicine built a robust curriculum that introduces youth to key principles of business administration and agile project management, all through an Indigenous lens that highlights ways that modern business practices can be inspired by the Land and traditional Dene economies. Throughout this training, youth developed their leadership skills as well as stronger relationships with their peers, culture, and community.
“Launching Tulita's Medicine Walk Apprenticeship Program was an important step to making Ever Good Medicine’s vision a reality and I am so happy it could start in my own community”, says Carl Jr.
We would especially like to acknowledge the contributions of Elder Sarah Lennie and Community Health Representative Rena Chapple as they worked alongside Carl Jr to share their deep knowledge of local plants and how they have been traditionally used in Tulita to treat various health issues.
As the program progressed, we had the pleasure of joining everyone on-site for the latter half to document its success and contribute to its programming. In between the harvesting, sewing, and business planning, we managed to squeeze in a brief workshop on product photography for social media and facilitate a few interactive evaluation activities.
The apprenticeship ended with a graduation ceremony during which the youth led their own medicine walk for members of their community. We were surprised by just how sentimental we felt about the experience, a testament to the participants’ growth and the great connections that were made during the program. In addition to developing a variety of skills that were embedded in the training, the youth also demonstrated their commitment and openness to continuous learning. We couldn’t agree more with Carl Jr who states, “I am so proud of the youth and all that they accomplished in such a short time. I can't wait to see them continue to grow and care for our community.”
Ever Good Medicine’s clear passion for this program and its potential, along with their detailed and thoughtful planning, made partnering with them an easy choice. We jumped at the chance to support the launch of this program under the umbrella of a larger project called Three For Change. Our team provided the financial, administrative, and logistical support needed to bring this program to life in a community outside of Yellowknife. We returned to Yellowknife with Ever Good Medicine feeling inspired and looking forward to continuing our partnership. Our plan is to keep the momentum going by working together over the winter to reflect on what went well, what challenges we faced, and how we can apply what we learned from the first round of the program to make it even better for delivery again next summer in a different location!
- Nicole Sharp, Project Specialist: Three for Change
