ARVIAT
TakingITGlobal executive director Jennifer Corriero's first trip to Arviat may be in the books, but so too is the immediate literary future of a number of youths, thanks to her ongoing efforts.

Kimberley Joy Suluk, from left, Kathleen Ahmak, Jennifer Corriero, Andy Evaloakjuk, Makayla Taleriktok, Gord Billard and Yan Guibault are all smiles during a TakingITGlobal workshop at John Arnalukjuak High School in Arviat this past month. - photo courtesy of TakingITGlobal

Corriero was in Arviat to help deliver art workshops, and to celebrate Global Dignity Day with local youths this past month.

She said there was a real warmth in the eyes of the people she met.

"I saw an openness to participating in the workshops with the art supplies I brought along," said Corriero. "I found the best way to involve everyone was with less talking and more creating.

"And I saw a lot of excitement and the desire to do more during the workshops."

Corriero began assembling a creativity kit upon her return to Toronto, which arrived in Arviat this past week.

She said the idea for the approach came from brainstorming with new TakingITGlobal Nunavut youth empowerment co-ordinator Daniel Kooveanatuk and some of the people who attended the workshops.

"Daniel and some of the moms really want to take on an active role in helping to promote a reading culture in Arviat. Some of the books are from different parts of the world and are about peace, how a person sees their world, and various topics on art and creativity, while others are activity books. Others I sent are from Inhabit Media, and are written with more of a Northern perspective.

"I'll also record some read alongs to be aired on Arviat TV, featuring books like, Only One You - which I actually read to my son - which is a really beautiful and inspiring book."

Only One You has an image of a little rock with a fish painted on it.

Corriero will suggest different activities during the broadcast, with the hope Arviat youth will go get their own rock, think about how each rock is unique, decorate it in their own personal style and place it somewhere special.

Hopefully, the home-based activities will help create a reading culture among the children and inspire them to continue with more activities.

Corriero said the activity books are intended to be named for specific children, while the Inhabit Media books are going to mothers of five children or more.

She said the more books in the home, the more likely the family is to be encouraged to visit the library for more read alongs and, hopefully, the youths will soon become confident enough in their abilities to enjoy reading to each other.

"I'm very humbled by the level of response to TakingITGlobal we've seen in the community of Arviat.

"For me, it was really embodied while walking the streets during my last day in the community. Little kids were calling my name, waving, and asking me when I would be doing the 'art thing' again. It was almost a chorus of, "when's the next one" as I walked around the community."

Corriero said having so many people - from young children to teenagers - wanting more was very encouraging.

She said they really seemed to appreciate her taking the time to listen to them and being amazed by their stories.

"I was absolutely fascinated by what the Arviat youths drew, the colours they chose and the shapes they used.

"Some kids drew caribou - with the inuksuk always being a very powerful symbol - or rainbows and other animals.

"I was excited to talk to them about their work and it seemed like they really needed that feedback.

"I felt really at home in Arviat and that's why I want to do more for the community."

Corriero has a group of young people in Toronto gathering books important to them, that they want to send to Arviat.

She also hopes to get the Toronto youth to record read alongs explaining why the books are important to them.

"At a more advanced level, we're also looking at providing more one-on-one training to certain Arviat youths who were involved in our Adobe Youth Voices program, and who want to work on films dealing with the impacts of alcoholism and suicide in a unique way.

"I hope to provide coaching so they can create fictional characters and, through those characters, help people overcome their feelings of loss and pain.

"I want to help them use their imaginations to show the journeys of these heroes, which would really be community films telling of families overcoming their challenges.

"We want to help young people see themselves as agents of change, not as victims of circumstance."

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