The Land Talks Back engages under-served youth between 12 to 30 years of age to address a community need through service projects that will provide youth-led, volunteer service activities that encompass Indigenous ways of knowing and being and that focus on community climate action in Indigenous communities including Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation, Maskwacis, and Edmonton in Alberta, Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation in Saskatchewan, Coral Harbour in Nunavut, Songhees Nation, Tsleil-Waututh Nation, and Ymir in British Columbia, and Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories. The Land Talks Back will provide youth volunteers experiences that will allow participants to gain new skills and competencies,
promote civic engagement, and address environmental issues facing Indigenous communities through culturally effective conservation projects that engage diverse communities in an ongoing dialogue about environmental preservation
Commitment:
Flexible
Start Date:
April 1st, 2023
End Date:
March 31st, 2024
Want to Get Involved!? Apply here!
Cwelelep: Journeys from the Heart is a youth-led project that supports community exploration of reconciliation by engaging youth, schools and organizations through workshops, training and the arts.
We are excited to share updates on all four Cwelelep projects!!
The IDEE Project (Innovate, Diversify, Educate, Empower) is made up of 7 diverse youth from Edmonston, Alberta wrapped up their project and held a large premiere event at the end of March that showcased their project documentary. The beautiful film the youth created is made up of footage of project events and retreats as well as interviews of the youth taken throughout the duration of the project. It captures the significant growth in their understanding on Indigenous cultures, histories, contemporary issues, and Reconciliation along with their personal growth they experiences as youth at the beginning of their careers. The film premiere brought more than 200 community members together at a popular cinema in Edmonton and the proud youth participants all went on stage at the end of the film viewing for a bow.
The Kiwetin Youth Project participants continued to collaborate and complete the songwriting, music production, and music video creation during the last few months of the project. After a final project retreat in March where the youth put finishing touches on the song production, the song and music video were completed and showcased to the community. The song is being sent to several Indigenous radio stations in Alberta that will continue to showcase the song across the province. Although this year’s project is completed, the youth participants from the Kiwetin project are continuing to meet on their own to make more music and plan for another summer retreat in July!
The Nelson Mural of Reconciliation Youth Project, made up of 30 youth participants, worked hard over the past few months collaborating on the mural inside the local Nelson high school (LV Rogers Secondary School). The mural was completed using a grillwork strategy that combined several smaller pieces of art created by the youth pieced together into a mosaic that made up the larger mural. The youth worked closely with Elders and Knowledge Keepers to build their understanding on Indigenous cultures, histories, contemporary issues, and Reconciliation that then inspired their mural art. The youth showcased their mural at an unveiling event that brought community members and family together, as well as Elders who blessed the mural.
From the Heart: To the Roots brough 56 youth participants together collaborating on film, visual art, dance, theatre, music and more. The project wrapped up and focused on completing and showcasing their final documentary film. The film reflects the full 12 months of programming the youth participated in based on the four seasons. It includes the diverse art forms and performances that were explored and filmed during the year along with footage of the retreat days, land-based community engagements, and other events that filled the duration of the project. The powerful documentary was showcased to the wider community where it was celebrated!
From the Heart participating in a summer land-based activity with Knowledge Keepers in the Kootenay region.
Youth from the Kiwetin Youth Project posing after the showcase of their music and art at the Métis Nation of Alberta Region 6’s annual general meeting in September in Northern Alberta.
Cwelelep: Journeys from the Heart is funded by Canada Service Corps.
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