Is it possible to improve your literacy and essential skills (LES) while learning how to refurbish a life boat? What about while making seal skin mittens? Or fixing bikes? Three years ago we had no idea if you could, but now we do!
In 2011 the NWT Literacy Council, along with the Yukon Literacy Coalition, Ilitaqsiniq- Nunavut Literacy Council and Literacy Newfoundland and Labrador started a Youth Learning Project. The federal government Office of Literacy and Essential Skills funded the project.
The idea seemed both simple and daunting all at the same time. Each region was to find two youth projects and help community facilitators to embed LES in the projects. Embedding means adding extra activities to a program that intentionally help participants to improve their literacy and skills.
We were lucky to have a pre-pilot project run in the summer of 2013 to help us learn about embedding LES. This project involved film making at a Salmon fish camp. Youth leaders at the camp spent time learning about team work, technical film skills, and leadership. They shot footage at the week-long camp, which a professional editor edited into a video posted on YouTube.
During the past year there were nine more pilot projects. Several youth learned how to fix bikes in Dawson City, Yukon, with one youth starting his own bike shop. Youth in Fort Simpson learned to make picnic tables, while youth in Hay River helped transform two lifeboats into sailboats.
In Baker Lake, Nunavut youth learned about new ways to express themselves at a storytelling camp. In Rankin Inlet 130 youth practiced their hockey skills during a fall break from school, along with spending an hour a day working on their literacy skills. The older youth at the hockey camp were leaders, learning about team work, how to facilitate the younger kids and how to be strong leaders in the community off the ice.
In Labrador, youth in L’anse a Loup and Port Hope Simpson spent the winter creating beautiful seal skin mittens. Youth in L’anse a Loup continued with a healthy eating project this fall. Youth in Postville are learning about outdoor survival and building qamutiks. In Nain, youth saw a need for elders to have a place to sit and rest when walking through the community so they are building benches for them.
Last week all the Regional Coordinators from the four Literacy Coalitions along with the Community Facilitators from the projects met in Winnipeg. It was so great to hear about the projects, and the many different ways that they engaged youth and embedded LES.
Looking back over the project’s three years, all I can say is a huge thank you to everyone involved! What we thought was going to be eight small projects turned into something incredible, and really impacted northern youth.
Watch next year for our new resources emerging from the project!
-- Katie Randall
