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Serge Lampron, top left, with the team of 15 to 17-year-old girls he coaches in soccer in Cape Dorset. Back row, from left, Lampron, Mialia Jaw, Pudloo Qiatsuq Manning, Elee Akesuk and Oloosie Saila. Front row, Lynn Toonoo, Kanayuk Ashevak, Silaqqi Quvianaqtuliaq and Eva Samayualie. - photo courtesy of Serge Lampron

KINNGAIT/CAPE DORSET - At first glance, Serge Lampron of Cape Dorset does not look like the kind of guy you'd want to pick a fight with. Lampron is a big man, tall and broad, but all menace evaporates at the appearance of his open grin and the twinkle in his eye.

Lampron has been involved with organizing youth activities and groups since he was 16. Now 23, he is growing into a mentorship role with those younger than him.

"I understand what they are going through," he said. "When I was a youth it was hard too, and I'm going to use my experience to try to help youth."

When he was younger, Lampron got into a lot of fights because of his fierce temper. He said it badly affected his parents and after becoming a father he realized he had to learn to calm down. He sought counselling from Cape Dorset's social workers and credits their help with his present stability.

Lampron said one of the greatest problems faced by Nunavut youth is boredom.

"Each of these small communities, there's not much stuff to do," he said. "We try to make more stuff happen for the youth so they stop doing drugs or alcohol and stop having these suicidal thoughts."

Activities to occupy youth can be simple, such as keeping the community's school gym open late so young people can organize team sports such as badminton, volleyball or basketball. Cape Dorset's youth committee is talking with the community's district education authority to arrange that.

Lampron is president of the committee, helping organize the group's activities and raise funds to pay for them. The youth committee buys equipment for team sports and healthy snacks and drinks for young people to enjoy instead of junk food and soda pop.

Last March, Lampron was elected president of the Baffin Regional Youth Council, the regional arm of the Nation Inuit Youth Council. The council works with youth to help them put together youth committees to organize such activities.