Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

RANKIN INLET (Mar 03/99) - The call is out in Rankin Inlet for youth in the community who really want to help make a difference to come forward and form a Youth Action Team.

James Howard, program co-ordinator for the Rankin Inlet Drop-In Centre, is one of the driving forces behind the attempt to organize the youth and said the Youth Action Team would provide a voice for the community's youth. He said adults have been speaking for area youth too long and the time has come for them to have their own voice in the community.

"The youth are quite able to identify their own issues, not having an adult tell them, or preaching to them, what they think their issues are," said Howard.

"I'm hearing they know their issues, they just don't know how to go about getting a handle on solving these problems."

Howard said seven members would be a good start for the team, adding the organizers are purposely trying to get away from the committee label because teams get things done, while committees get together and accomplish very little.

He said there are far too many committees out there not doing anything and teams work together on a common goal to achieve results.

"I hear the youth saying they would like to form this team, but they need the community's support," said Howard.

"They have to be able to speak up without any repercussions. They don't want to be intimidated or ostracised for voicing their opinions. There are a lot of concerned youth out there, but it's that fear of repercussions that keeps them from speaking out.

"Self-esteem is at an all-time low here and having such a team would help build that, their sense of self-worth, those types of things. That's what our youth need most, the support of the entire community."

Gwendolyn Thirlwall, Community Wellness Centre supervisor, said from her vantage point, the primary purpose of creating a youth action team is for the youth of the community to have a formal approach to voice their ideas and concerns.

She said the number one objective is to have the youth and adults work together in identifying the needs of today's young people.

"It's important to properly structure our young people to identify their own needs and then grow from there," said Thirwall. "Sometimes people have great ideas, but don't know where to go with them, what types of funding may be available, those types of things. This way, we'll be able to give them advice and point them in the right direction.

"The more the community's youth run the drop-in centre the better, because they'll be doing what they want to do and assuming more of a leadership role. The Youth Action Team will be a great tool, as long as they take a focus on action and not just talk about it, it will really help."