Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

RANKIN INLET (Jun 30/99) - A more streamlined approach in the delivery of services would better enable Nunavut Inuit organizations to meet the needs of the territory's youth, was the popular consensus among delegates at the first territory-wide Youth Forum held this past week in Rankin Inlet.

Bernadette Tungilik, vice-president of finance for Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., said youth delegates from the various Nunavut communities did a very good job in examining and analysing how the current structure represents youth at the local, regional and territorial levels.

"They made some tough decisions they want to fly with in the next few months and there's a very small window of opportunity to get support at the local Inuit association level," said Tungilik. "I think there's a lack of co-ordinated effort involving and communicating with all the various organizations.

"In our rash effort to address education, suicide, employment and other social issues affecting our youth, we've almost created this massive monster of organizations to try and address the concerns of Nunavut youth.

"Now we realize in order to address these issues in a cost effective way, we have to look at a more streamlined approach because there's so many political bodies involved."

Tungilik said everyone worked hard during the forum, which was very intense and, at times, very emotional. She said youth delegates felt their voices, decisions and aspirations were finally heard.

"We're all going to work very hard in the next few months to get their revisions heard and I don't see how the Nunavut government, at the regional level, would not support this.

"Youth want to see programs, services and information flow more freely, rather than this great big bureaucracy of red tape they now go through and I'm going to back them 100 per cent."

Levi Quinangnaq, president of the Baker Lake youth committee, said the forum was a new learning experience for most of the delegates. He said the most important aspect of the forum to him were discussions on post-secondary education, such as going to southern colleges and universities.

"Some people go for schooling, but they end up coming back because they're too far away from their homes and family members," said Quinangnaq. "It was brought up that it would be good to have a university in the Nunavut territory and that was the best thing spoken about during the forum.

"Everybody spoke about how their governing bodies were being run and what could be done to improve them. We all worked well together. We came as one group or committee to discuss our issues in each of the regions and that worked well."

Monica Angootealuk, vice-president of the Coral Harbour youth committee, said she learned much about various organizations and government bodies at the forum and how their status quo worked.

She said she found it especially important to learn about regional Inuit associations and how they function.

"It was good to hear the opinions of other youth about gaps in the system and how they are obstacles for youth," said Angootealuk.

"No community was left out of our recommendation process. All the delegates voted on the issues and everyone was involved and participated very well. The community and regional reports were very informative because it showed us what concerns every area had."