Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

IQALUIT (Aug 31/98) - Because of her participation in the Nunavut Youth Abroad Program, Evik Ayalik has found her self-confidence.

And with her new sense of independence comes a freedom the Kugluktuk youth has never felt.

"I'm more confident in myself now to go out and do things because I know I can do them. I just have to try," says Ayalik, 16, who recently completed the first leg of the program and returned home from her placement in the Queen Charlotte Islands in British Columbia.

Developed in conjunction with Canadian Crossroads International, the Nunavut Youth Abroad Program has been designed to meet the needs of Nunavut's young people and provide them with the opportunity to travel and experience overseas' cultures.

In an effort to lessen the shock felt by many Nunavut residents during their first venture outside of their own communities, the overseas trip comes only after the participants spend six weeks in southern Canada.

For Ayalik, this meant she learned about the Haida people in B.C. and discovered that she likes to travel and would like to pursue a career as a park officer.

"I really liked it. It's lots of fun and I learned how to be away from my mom," says Ayalik, who explains that she is still deciding if she will apply for the second half of the program that involves a six-week stint in Swaziland, South Africa next summer.

Of the original 10 people taking part in the pilot program, only five will be chosen to go overseas. Each participant must apply and will be looked at by the program's selection committee. It is because of budget restraints that not all 10 participants are able to travel to South Africa next July.

Abbygail Noah says that nothing is holding her back from applying for the adventure.

"I'm really looking forward to it," says Noah, 18, a lifelong resident of Baker Lake.

Selected out of 50 or so applicants, Noah says the program has given her the opportunity to learn new people skills and new job skills.

"I got lots of experience from it. It changed me. I feel more confident about myself and if I can be away from home for that long, I can go anywhere else," says Noah, who spent her time in Nova Scotia.

Pond Inlet's Priscilla Allurut says that she learned how to navigate a city's public transit system, developed better organizational skills and also found new independence.

"I learned how to be tougher, to be on (my) own down south without family members," says Allurut, 18.

As a participant in the youth committee in Pond Inlet, she says she will definitely recommend the program to other youth in her hamlet.

Shannon Hessian, one of the program's many organizers, says this is good news, because she'll be looking for 16 new participants to sign up when the second program begins next spring.

Hessian adds that so far, the program has exceeded all of her dreams.

"It's 100 per cent successful. It's quite exciting to watch all 10 candidates go through the program ... we have lots of ideas for next year."

Hessian's co-worker Keith Irving agrees with her and says travelling helps the participants succeed in life.

"Travel is a key motivating factor that helps them stay in school, develop career direction and education goals," says Irving, who notes that the approximate $130,000 in costs have been worth every penny.

"We see the value in building leadership and giving the opportunity to travel in cross-cultural situations."