Students take planning initiative
Committee organizes movie nights, bonfires, pizza night and has planned a dance
Miranda Scotland
Northern News Services
Published Monday, February 10, 2014
QAUSUITTUQ/RESOLUTE
A group of youth in Resolute are livening up the hamlet on the weekends.
With the help of four mentors, about 16 teens have formed a youth committee to plan events.
Hamlet employee Nathaniel Chouinard started the initiative in the summer and recruited youth with help from a couple of teachers.
"I've been here less than two years and from the youth I always hear they're bored on the weekends," said Chouinard. "(The committee) gives them something to do because the gym and arena are closed during the weekends."
The youth committee has held five events so far, including movie nights, bonfires and a pizza night.
They also hosted a games evening during the Christmas holidays and on Feb. 14 they're planning to hold a dance in the hamlet gym.
The students do all the planning for the events, pick up the supplies and usually sell snacks to make money to run other activities.
They are also tasked with advertising. They get the information out by hanging posters, posting on Facebook and by word of mouth.
Teacher and mentor Erica Condon said she believes it's important for the youth to handle the responsibility without too much help from the adults.
"As is the case up here, there is often turnover with teachers. So it's not always going to be the same teachers there, but the kids are always going to be there. If the initiative came from them, if they're the ones organizing, then they would carry on," she explained.
Sky Kalluk, a Grade 7 student at Qarmartalik School, said the committee has taught her about budgeting, event planning and other practical skills. It's also a good way to keep busy, she added.
"I wanted to get involved by helping the community," said Kalluk. "It's fun working with my friends."
The students have shown a lot of passion for what they're doing and are really working hard to make the activities happen, said Condon.
"You really get to see a different side of them. When they're interested in something, they're putting their all into it and you see kids getting involved," she said.
"It could be the quietest kid there and you would think they wouldn't want to be involved, but they're volunteering to do stuff and be a part of it."
The group currently meets once a week to brainstorm and plan events. They usually gather at the school, but sometimes they're given permission to use the council chamber, which Condon likes because it gives the youth the experience of meeting in a boardroom atmosphere.
Condon said she hopes being part of the committee will make the youth see how much power they hold.
"Oftentimes, they think it doesn't matter what they do because they don't have a say, or that there is nothing for them," she said. "But (through the committee) they see they can make a difference and have a positive change in the community and that they can do things for themselves. It gives them a sense of independence and a sense of community and that they're important to the hamlet."
