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IQALUIT
Ike Nutarariaq knew there had to be a better way. Kicked out of the Makkuttukkuvik Youth Centre for six months for bad behaviour, Nutarariaq figured the system of blanket punishment was benefiting no one.

Charlie Awa, former youth programmer Melanie Dostie, Jamesee Alainga, and Ike Nutarariaq founded the Makkuttukkuvik Youth Centre justice committee, which won this year's City of Iqaluit youth volunteer award. - Casey Lessard/NNSL photo

"I was one of those teenagers who was rebelling against the only rule they had," the 18-year-old said. "I flipped out at one of the workers and was kicked out for quite a while. I wasn't impressed with myself, and I was mad that they didn't have a system of what they would do in different situations. It was three strikes, you're out, and that's it."

When he was allowed to return, he dreamed up a solution.

"I started thinking, 'It would be better to have a system of penalties for different reasons,'" he said. "Say you're wearing your shoes inside, cussing or bullying. Different situations call for different penalties."

It made sense to Melanie Dostie, who was the centre's youth programmer at the time.

"The situation was becoming out of control," Dostie said. "A lot of swearing and people being kicked out all the time."

Nutarariaq, Jamesee Alainga and Charlie Awa established a justice committee at the centre – which is open daily after school and on weekends for youth aged 13 to 18 – and allocated each offence to one of three categories of seriousness with increasing degrees of punishment. Penalties for breaking the rules were determined by the justice committee, and all had two options: get kicked out of the youth centre for a period of time, or get credit against that time for chores at the youth centre.

"Some categories don't carry consequences, like running around," Dostie said. "You're not allowed to do it, but you're not going to get kicked out for it. But in Section B, you have bullying, drinking, fighting, or buying smokes in the youth centre; if someone smokes up and comes to the youth centre, they can get kicked out for three weeks and do 10 days of chores at the youth centre, or get kicked out for four weeks. They always have a choice."

There are also ways to beat the system if one is willing to do the dirty work. Sweeping the floor gets one day of chore credit, but you can get four days of credit for cleaning a washroom. Clean both the boys' and the girls' washrooms, and you've done eight days of chores.

"The first few kids who had to deal with these consequences; they chose to clean the washrooms," said Dostie.

Although giving the youth say in justice matters at the centre was a leap of faith (staff always make the final decision), it was enough to change the atmosphere and the ability to enjoy the centre.

"The level of volume has been the biggest impact for me," Nutarariaq said. "It was just really loud and you couldn't hear the phone ringing or people talking. When a youth leader asked a youth anything, they would not be heard. It was frustrating."

"The kids' attitude and how they respect the place has changed," said Alainga, now 19 and too old to visit the centre. "I really want to stay here now."

The committee's system is working, and the innovation earned the young men the City of Iqaluit's youth volunteer award at a ceremony in early October. For Dostie, it's no surprise having watched these boys bloom into the leaders of tomorrow.

"It showed other kids that if you disrespect the other youth, the staff or the youth centre, there are consequences," she said. "Having those older youth tell the younger kids has way more impact on them than a staff member telling them. They're becoming role models for them."

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