Dignity and belonging highlighted
Arviat students have voices heard during week of activity
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
ARVIAT
Arviat students joined thousands of their peers across Canada and more than 400,000 in more than 60 countries around the world in celebrating Global Dignity Day this past week, on Oct. 21.
TakingITGlobal executive director Jennifer Corriero, second from right in back row, leads a group of Arviat students in celebrating Global Dignity Day this past week. - photo courtesy of Andrea Breen |
The students were also paid a second visit by TakingITGlobal and Global Youth Action Network executive director Jennifer Corriero, who spent about a week in the community.
Due to the difficulties and cost associated with travelling to Arviat, students are usually treated to a week of activities by visiting youth advocates.
Corriero was joined in Arviat by Giovanna Mingarelli, the national chairperson for Global Dignity in Canada, and University of Guelph associate professor Andrea Breen.
Corriero and Breen met with members of both the Nunavut Teacher Education Program and the Arviat TV project.
Corriero said while she's still just baby steps into her Northern learning curve, she was able to draw upon the experience of her first visit to make this one more productive.
She said one segment had her spending time with a group of social studies students, which she thoroughly enjoyed.
"I spent some time giving them advice on the projects they're going to be developing," said Corriero. "One of the projects will build upon literacy and how we can promote a culture of reading in Arviat. We also spent time with the Arviat Film Society, having some high school students filmed while reading some books which, I understand, will be posted on IsumaTV.
"One class is taking on different projects to promote the whole idea of storytelling and having students take on a leadership role."
Corriero said the national videoconference which highlighted Global Dignity Day was nothing short of incredible.
She said a number of segments during the event touched the Arviat students deeply.
"We were connected through the Cisco TelePresence unit through Connected North, and we also had people connecting in through laptops in classrooms in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Nova Scotia and Alaska.
"We had some very inspiring dignity role model guest speakers during the event, including Miss Universe Ashley Callingbull, who talked about having a hard time in her childhood with some very challenging circumstances.
"She spoke about how she found happiness through believing in herself and also on her passion for her charity work.
"We also had a Rwandan genocide survivor named Emery Rutagonya, who gave the students very memorable and touching highlights from his story."
Corriero said one aspect of her visit to the Kivalliq this year is a real highlight for her, in terms of her experiences in working with youth.
She said TakingITGlobal is part of an art project supported by the Samuel Family Foundation called What Does Belonging Feel Like?
"I brought up a giant canvass and art supplies and, during our breakout, we had a session with a group of Grade 12 students.
"They decided on some symbols and created a collaborative art piece which is just beautiful.
"The painting was all about how we can create spaces for belonging through sharing stories and creating art.
"We held a feast called Food is Belonging, which saw a few elders bring caribou and all the youths work cooking and preparing the meals."
Correiro said in addition to creating the painting, the students engaged in a conversation on the whole idea of how to create space for belonging and how belonging is a theme that connects to dignity.
She said the Arviat students showed great talent in creating the theme-based piece.
"Working on the project with the Arviat students was certainly a special highlight of National Dignity Day for me.
"I have very high hopes for Arviat, and I would like to see the strength and structures for youth voice and leadership in the community grow substantially.
"I spoke with the Hamlet of Arviat about the possibility of forming some sort of youth advisory council.
"A lot of my work is giving youth a voice for Canada and around the world, and the hamlet did seem interested in giving youth more of a voice and leadership opportunities in the community, which I would love to see and nurture as we go forward and continue to support examples of youth leadership."
