Edition #11 – November 2023
In 2022, with Nunavimmiut youth we organized two workshops to explore youth engagement, aspiration, and leadership. We discussed and learned so much about the power of the youth voice and how spaces of engagement are transformative for youth!
What did we want to know?
- What inspires youth to be involved and engaged in their community?
- How youth contribute to building stronger communities?
- How can research support youth concerns and priorities?
What did we learn?
Engagement contributes to wellbeing
Engagement is a pathway that starts within youth families and communities and brought them to become role models. Becoming an engaged person contributes to youth wellbeing and sense of belonging. Through mapping activities, youth identified dozens of youth-led and youthbuilt initiatives that support youth thriving.
Engagement is powerful
“Inuit youth are not only the future of their communities, but also their present. Youth are right now (YARN)!” Being engaged is a way of speaking up, saying what needs to be said and heard in order to support youth hopes and dreams. Amazing discussions highlighted youth’s aspirations to further engage in politics, community development, land-programming, health and education to bring forward youth priorities. “Youth committees in the communities have the power to voice out youth concerns. That’s what youth committee is about, leadership!”.
Engagement is a transformative space
Spaces where youth engage are transformative for youth themselves and for their communities. Throughout the discussions youth strongly advocated that engagement is an act of resistance to the silencing of their voices as youth and as Inuit. Creating new spaces where youth can engage and promoting youth voices can bring positive social changes in Nunavik.
Nakurmiik for the amazing discussions and maps!
MAGALIE QUINTAL-MARINEAU & ROSE-MARIE TRUDEL Institut national de la recherche scientifique
