Category: Youth

Cree kids participate in international walk to school initiative

Hand in hand with their parents and other community members, this October the children of Eeyou Istchee participated in activities celebrating “Walk to School Month,” an initiative held in over 40 countries worldwide to get children out and active. In Mistissini, Wally Rabbitskin, a Planning, Programming and Research Officer for Physical ... read more ››

Cree Youth finish 850-km walk against uranium development

By Jeremy East and Joel Barde Photos by Jeremy East After walking hundreds of kilometres through punishing late-autumn weather, a group of Cree youth arrived in Montreal December 15 to deliver the message they had carried since leaving Mistissini three weeks before: No uranium mining in Eeyou Istchee. The mood ... read more ››

Wabun Youth Gathering: A template for success

Suicide is a major problem in First Nations right across the country. As a First Nation person, I have been touched by suicide in the loss of friends from my community in Attawapiskat. Too many wonderful young Native people who are full of potential are taking their lives for no ... read more ››

The annual Wabun Youth Gathering changes lives

Suicide prevention was one of the major themes covered in workshops during the eighth annual Wabun Youth Gathering heldfrom July 14 to 25 at the Eco Lodge in Elk Lake Ontario. Pictured are the Wabun Youth Senior participants who took part in the event. Jean Lemieux and Mike Archer of Wabun ... read more ››

Wemindji youth help build a school in Nicaragua

The Nicaragua Crew at the top of the Masaya Volcano in Managua, Nicaragua. Chelsea Moses Blackned, Brandi Taylor, Austin Georgekish, Shauna Simpson, Mike Mark, Neebin Atsynia, Jeremy Matches, Selena Blackned, Cheryl Danyluk, Cody Mark, Tristan Dearhouse, Alyssia Georgekish, Brittany Visitor, Carmen Plank With the simple goal of helping where they can ... read more ››

Youth AGA celebrates its 25th anniversary by planning the future

From cost-cutting measures to setting priorities for the Cree Nation Youth Council, this year’s AGA was a celebration of what youth can do, according to Youth Grand Chief Joshua Iserhoff. The 25th Annual General Assembly of the Cree Nation Youth Council took place July 14 in Whapmagoostui. Iserhoff said that because ... read more ››

Cree youth depart for Regina’s North American Indigenous Games

Almost 50 Cree athletes, coaches and staff travelled to Regina July 19 to for the 2014 North American Indigenous Games (NAIG). 2014 NAIG mascots Buffalo and Young Buffalo alongside Stan Bobb, Chair of Community Development Corporation show off the medals NAIG winners will receive in Regina The Cree last participated in the ... read more ››

Cree youth have the experience of a lifetime in Costa Rica

Seven Waskaganish youth and their four chaperones embarked on a very special trip down to Costa Rica June 21-28 to learn about life abroad and to help out where they could. The trip, organized by three high-school teachers – Sarah Sarvis, Kylie Simard and Virginia Wabano – brought out graduating ... read more ››

Construction begins on new Mistissini youth centre

Earth has finally been turned across the street from the Mistissini band office for a new youth centre. Representatives from the Mistissini band council, including Chief Richard Shecapio and Director of Municipal Services Emmett Macleod and members of the Mistissini Youth Council joined about 100 band members June 20 for a ... read more ››

Wemindji youth ready to rock Nicaragua

The dream is finally becoming a reality for the students and teachers of Wemindji Rocks Nicaragua. After months of planning, hard work and tireless fundraising, the team of 15 ambitious youth from Wemindji have reached their goal. The students and five chaperones will leave Wemindji July 6, starting their 26-hour journey ... read more ››

Nemaska high school students question lithium mining in their traditional territory

Brandon Jolly, Savannah Jolly, Lexis Beattie and Brittany Moar It isn’t often that youth from Nemaska’s Luke Mettaweskum High School participate in a community meeting about local mining projects, and it’s even more rare that they receive a standing ovation for the effort. But that’s what happened October 9 at the ... read more ››

New police cadet program to engage with teenagers

The Eeyou Eenou Police Force (EEPF) is accepting candidates for a new cadet program that could get underway this fall. The pilot project will initially focus on the communities of Whapamagoostui, Eastmain and Oujé-Bougoumou. The program is the brainchild of EEPF managers, who want to diminish the teenage idleness that can ... read more ››

AGA gala honours five Cree students

Five young Cree students were recognized for their hard work recently when they were named the inaugural recipients of Academic Excellence awards for the secondary sector. The Cree Nation Achievement Awards Foundation (CNAAF) honoured the five bright academic stars at an honorary banquet August 7 in Wemindji for their work during ... read more ››

Annual Wabun Youth Gathering provides participants life skills to survive

The seventh annual Wabun Youth Gathering held at the Eco Centre Lodge in Elk Lake, Ontario, featured workshops dealing with the critical issues such as suicide prevention, family violence and bullying. Role-playing and skits based on traditional and cultural teachings were utilized to educate participants. Eighty Wabun youth attended ... read more ››

Investing in our future

If First Nations across this country are going to change for the better, it will be as a result of the efforts of our young people. They will become our leaders, our teachers, our bureaucrats, our medical people and our community builders. The attention, opportunities and education and training that ... read more ››

First Nations youth discuss ideas for change

Youth taking part in a forum to discuss issues such as education, culture and suicide plan on making recommendations to government and First Nations leaders about how to make things better for their communities. The three-day forum in Thunder Bay involves young people from more than 90 northern Ontario First Nations ... read more ››

Leading the youth

  The youth have spoken and Joshua Iserhoff is their man! The former Youth Ambassador to the Cree Nation came out victorious from his first foray into political office and his cup runneth over with joy in his new position as Youth Grand Chief. Just days after winning the election the Nation ... read more ››

Mistissini youth bring anti-uranium message to Montreal

A handful of Crees from Mistissini joined in Earth Day celebrations in Montreal to raise awareness about an issue they feel has not been getting enough airtime – to end uranium mining in Eeyou Istchee and around the world. Carrying a banner with this message on it were Mistissini Youth Chief ... read more ››

Inter-Tribal Youth Centre stays open

The Regroupement des centres autochtones du Québec (RCAAQ) insists that it will continue to support the Inter-Tribal Youth Centre of Montreal, even though they have revoked the membership of the Native Friendship Centre of Montreal (NFCM). The Inter-Tribal Youth Centre is the only centre of its kind in Montreal that aids ... read more ››

Video contest for Quebec’s English-speaking youth

Are you an English-speaking Quebec high-school student between the ages of 13 and 18? If so, the Quebec Community Groups Network and CBC invites you to create a 2-3 minute video sharing what you feel represents your community, your roots, cultural heritage and identity for the My Quebec Roots Video ... read more ››

Bridging the generations

  The trickster has long played an important role in the oral traditions of Aboriginal peoples around the world. For some, the trickster may be a dangerous or destructive being, for others, an adventurous and humorous friend. In either case, the trickster is typically a creative force and an important part ... read more ››

Crazy about the children

  There could have been no better opportunity than National Child’s Day on November 21 to allow community members of Waskaganish to organize a day of fun-filled activities for all their children. The participation and performances of our youth throughout the day did not go unnoticed and they deserve all the ... read more ››

Youth cinema fades to black

Despite an eight-year production record that has yielded more than 450 completed film projects, the federal government has pulled the lifeline from Wapikoni Mobile, Quebec’s successful and celebrated First Nations youth cinema program. Just as Wapikoni Mobile’s three trailer units were set to hit the road in mid-July, Human Resources and ... read more ››

Kids Help Phone reaches out to Native youth

The folks at the Kids Help Phone have come to the realization that their posters, featuring images of lonely non-Native kids in city parks, couldn’t possibly appeal to Native kids in communities, like Attawapiskat, Ontario where there isn’t even a playground. This is why the private and confidential kids help-line embarked ... read more ››

Earth Studies for Cree youth and beyond

While Cree children in the communities have the opportunity on a daily basis to learn from their own environment and their Elders who are there to pass on knowledge, they don’t often get to share their culture with youth from other provinces, states or countries. This is why the International School ... read more ››

Youth environmental scholarships

If you are graduating from high school and have a real passion for the environment and have taken steps to show the world just how much you care, Earth Day Canada might just have something special for you. Earth Day Canada (EDC) is currently seeking graduating high school students as applicants ... read more ››