Prepared  by  Dr.  Ashlee  Cunsolo  Willox  

IlikKuset-­‐Ilingannet!      

Culture-­‐Connect!    A  cultural  mentorship  program  in  Rigolet,  Makkovik,  and  Postville,  Nunatsiavut,  Labrador,  Canada  

Final  Project  Report  

Background  

How  it  All  Started    

This  project  was  developed  to  support  and  foster  mental  health  and  wellness  in  Rigolet,  Makkovik,  and  Postville,  Nunatsiavut,  Labrador,  in  order  to  develop  resilience  to  changes  in  the  communities,  including  climate  change.      

From  research  conducted  in  Rigolet  from  2009-­‐2012  (Changing  Climate,  Changing  Health,  Changing  Stories  project),  and  in  Rigolet,  Makkovik,  Postville,  Hopedale,  and  Nain  from  2012-­‐2013  (Inuit  Mental  Health  and  Adaptation  to  Climate  Change  project),  residents  reported  that    observed  changes  in  precipitation,  ice  coverage  and  stability,  storm  patterns,  temperature  fluctuations,    and  changes  in  wildlife  and  vegetation  related  to  climate  change  were  negatively  effecting  mental  and  emotional  health  and  well-­‐being,  due  to  decreased  access  to  the  land  and  land-­‐based  activities.      

Participants    also  indicated  that  these  changes  in  climate  and  environment  also  interacted  with  other  mental  health  stressors,  including    loss  of  livelihoods,  sense  of  self  and  culture,  addictions,  family  stress,  previous  trauma,  and  already-­‐present  mental  health  challenges.    

“For  me,  the  best  part  was  the  youth  taking  an  interest  in  our  local  traditions  or  cultural  connections,  and  seeing  them  get  excited  about  accomplishing  a  craft  or  skill.”  

Background  

“For  me,  I  didn’t  have  anyone  showing  me  skills  when  I  was  younger.  ...The  program  is  really  good  because  it  shows  more  skills  to  more  people,  instead  of  waiting  for  the  skills  to  die  out  because  they  are  not  getting  taught  by  Elders  or  family  members.”  

Rationale  Finding  strategies  to  support  mental  health  in  ways  that  reflect  and  celebrate  Inuit  culture  is  a  priority.    

One  of  the  key  findings  from  these  previous  research  projects  was  the  strong  request  by  participants  in  all  

communities  to  have  more  opportunities  to  learn  cultural  skills  and  participate  in  cultural  activities.    

 

Many  people  suggested  that  if  land-­‐based  activities  were  going  to  be  disrupted  by  climate-­‐related  changes,  having  other  opportunities  to  feel  connected  to  culture  

and  to  ensure  that  skills  get  passed  on  through  generations,  could  be  a  valuable  way  to  support  mental  

health  and  promote  positive  activities  in  town,  while  simultaneously  filling  empty  time.    

 

Youth  also  requested  to  have  the  opportunity  to  spend  time  with,  and  learn  from,  positive  adult  role  models.  Many  youth  indicated  that  while  they  value  spending  

time  with  Elders  and  seniors,  there  isn’t  always  the  opportunity  to  spend  time  with  adults  in  the  middle  

generation—something  which  the  youth  identified  as  valuable  to  their  community  connectedness.  

Project  Description  The  IlikKuset-­‐Ilingannet!  /  Culture-­‐Connect!  program  was  a  pilot  initiative  that  ran  in  Rigolet,  Makkovik,  and  Postville  ,  Nunatsiavut,  Labrador,  from  October  2013  to  March  2014.      

It  provided  the  opportunity  for  youth  (15-­‐25)  to  work  with  adult  role  models  (35+)  to  learn  cultural  skills,  such  as  hunting,  trapping,  sewing,  art,  carving,  snowshoe  making,  music,  and  wild  food  preparation.    

The  Pilot  

How  it  Worked    

There  were  5  youth  and  5  mentors  in  each  community.  Each  mentor  was  hired  to  provide  mentorship  in  one  skill  to  all  five  youth.  Each  youth  had  the  opportunity  to  learn  from  each  mentor,  resulting  in  learning  five  different  culturally-­‐based  skills.  Some  sessions  were  conducted  one-­‐on-­‐one,    and  some  were    done  in  small  groups.    Mentors  and  youth  spent  approximately  5-­‐7  hours  per  week  together,  working  on  the  skill  and  developing  relationships.    All  materials  were  provided,  free  of  charge,  to  complete  the  activities.    

“When  you  are  down  in  the  nitty-­‐gritty  with  them  [the  mentors]...it  gives  them  the  opportunity  to  tell  you  their  story  about  how  they  learned  [their  skill]  and  how  hard  they  worked  at  it  and  how  many  years  they  put  into  it.  You  can’t  help  but  really  admire  a  person  when  you  know  the  sweat  and  blood  and  pain  that  has  gone  into  their  craft.”    

Program  Organization  The  IlikKuset-­‐Ilingannet!  /  Culture-­‐Connect!  Program  was  coordinated  by  a  Local  Coordinator  in  each  community.  

The  Local  Coordinators  worked  with  the  youth  and  mentors  to  introduce  the  program,  organized  the  

scheduling,  oversaw  ordering  of  supplies,  and  organized  regular  youth  gatherings  and  Open  Houses.      

The  Pilot  

Other  Activities    

During  the  activities,  the  youth  and  Local  Coordinators  also  took  photographs  and  videos  to  document  their  

experiences.  These  photos  and  videos  were  combined  together  to  create  a  project  video  during  a  youth  

gathering  in  Rigolet  to  celebrate  the  end  of  the  project.  Each  community  also  held  an  Open  House  and  program  

celebration  to  share  what  the  youth  had  made  and  learned  and  to  demonstrate  some  of  the  skills.    

“I  think  it’s  kind  of  an  innate  thing  [to  do  cultural  activities]...I  think  it’s  kind  of  an  inborn  thing,  something  that’s  just  in  you  to  do...I  saw  in  everybody  a  real  connection  to  a  certain  thing,  and  it  was  just  magic  to  watch  it  unfold  and  to  watch  the  youth  and  mentor  connect  over  this  one  thing.  ...They  realized  what  was  absent  and  what  almost  they  were  destined  to  do.”    

Youth-­‐Mentor  Hours  Each  youth  spent  approximately  30  hours  with  each  

mentor,  for  a  total  of  approximately  150  hours  of  programming  for  each  youth.  In  total,  the  program  provided  approximately  2,250  youth-­‐mentor  hours.    

Program  Impacts  The  IlikKuset-­‐Ilingannet!  /  Culture-­‐Connect!  program  was,  by  all  measures,  an  incredible  success  and  a  very  positive  and  well-­‐supported  program.  100%  of  participants  stated  it  was  one  of  the  best  activities  in  which  they  ever  participated,  and  100%  of  the  youth  and  mentors  said  that,  without  a  doubt,  it  should  continue.      

Youth    and  mentors  cited  many  positive  benefits:  •     increased  pride  and  confidence;  •     strengthened  relationships  with  youth  and  mentors;  •     increased  knowledge  transmission  and  sharing;  •     decreased  stress  and  anxiety;  and  •     increased  happiness  and  self-­‐esteem.    

In  addition,  everyone  connected  with  the  program  indicated  that  it  was  a  great  way  for  people  to  fill  time  in  a  positive  and  enriching  manner,  while  gaining  valuable  skills  and  ensuring  that  knowledge  is  passed  down  to  future  generations.      

All    of  the  responses  indicated  that  this  program  has  positive  benefits  for  mental  health,  and  fosters  and  supports    many  protective  factors.    

Tes4monies  

“It’s  a  sense  of  self,  it’s  important,  it’s  a  part  of  your  cultural  identity.  It  makes  you  proud  to  be  an  Inuit  person  and  it  makes  you  proud  to  be  from  Labrador.  It  makes  you  proud,  and  shows  pride  and  hard  work  and  it  shows  that  you’re  dedicated  to  sustaining  your  life  in  the  North.”  

Participant  Suggestions  Since  this  was  a  pilot  program,  we  had  the  opportunity  to  

evaluate  the  program,  and  ask  participants  how  to  strengthen  the  program  for  future  iterations:  

1.  Increase  the  length  of  time  to  September  to  May  for  seasonal  variations  and  to  give  more  time  for  each  skill  

2.  Increase  the  number  of  youth  in  each  community  from  5  to  at  least  8-­‐10  to  provide  more  youth  with  the  

opportunity  to  participate  

3.  Consider  adding  an  additional  mentor  if  the  program  is  lengthened  to  encourage  more  skills  learning  

4.  Have  more  small-­‐group  sessions  (rather  than  one-­‐on-­‐one)  

5.  Incorporate  opportunities  to  gain  specific  accreditation,  such  as  a  Trapping  Course  or  a  Bear  Safety  course  

6.  Add  hunting  to  the    skills  in  each  community  (especially  if  the  program  is  lengthened)  

7.  Have  more  participant  gatherings  throughout  the  program  (just  youth,  just  mentors,  youth  and  mentors)  

8.  Have  a  dedicated  space  for  some  of  the  activities  in  each  community,  rather  than  mentors’  homes  

Improvements  

“Awesome!  I  really,  really  enjoyed  it!  I  don’t  know  what  I’m  going  to  do  once  it’s  done.  The  experience  has  been  great,  and  I  hope  it  can  happen  in  the  future  so  others  can  enjoy  it  too!”  

Local  Coordinators  Inez  Shiwak,  Rigolet  Gemma  Andersen,  Makkovik  Rebecca  Brennen,  Postville    

Youth  Rigolet    Makkovik  Pam  Campbell  Megan  Andersen  Kerry  Pottle    Cassie  Jararuse  Anita  Rich    Ocean  Lane  Melinda  Rich    Maddie  McNeill  Dillon  Shiwak  Jacqueline  Winters    Postville  Alanna  Edmunds  Grant  Gear  Jenelle  Gear  Greg  Jacque  Jordan  Sheppard  

Par4cipants  

“When  you  start  a  program  like  this,  and  when  you  teach  somebody  something,  you’re  always  building  them  up,  you’re  always  improving  their  self-­‐esteem  and  their  mental  health.  When  someone  learns  something,  it  only  betters  them.  ...They  became  people  who  had  a  place  to  go  and  were  respected  and  were  admired  and  people  were  proud  of  them  and  they  were  put  to  hard  work.  ...They  came  to  build  them  up,  instead  of  going  somewhere  where  they  could  be  torn  down.”  

Par4cipants  

                                         Mentors    Rigolet

   Paul  Jararuse,  Wood  Carving      Derrick  Pottle,  Carving      Jane  Shiwak,  Sewing

 Jason  Shiwak,  Sealskin  Art  David  Wolfrey,  Trapping  

 Makkovik  

Tony  Andersen,  Wild  food  cooking  Katie  Haye,  Inuttitut  

Henry  Jacque,  Snowshoe  making  Ryan  Pottle,  Trapping  

Blanche  Winters,  Sewing    

Postville  Bryce  Gear,  Outdoor  living  

Polly  Jacque,  Sewing  Ruth  Jacque,  Music  

Samantha  Jacque,  Snowshoe  making  Jennifer  Jacque-­‐Pool,  Cooking  

“For  mentors,  I  think  it  was  something  that  they  could  teach...I  think  it  gave  them  a  lot  of  pride.  It  was  someone  stopping  and  taking  notice  that  ‘hey  you  can  do  this’,  and  we  respect  you  for  what  you  can  do,  we’re  grateful  you  can  teach  us,  we  think  a  lot  of  your  skill,  and  we’re  glad  you’re  taking  the  time  out  of  your  day  to  teach  us.”  

Budget  This  program  is  cost  effective  to  run,  and  for  minimal  investment  (~$41,000  per  community),  can  yield  large  and  long-­‐lasting  benefits  for  the  youth  participants,  the  mentors,  and  for  the  community  in  terms  of  cultural  skills  and  continuity,  mental  health,  wellbeing,  and  sense  of  pride  and  connectedness.  Since  this  project  fosters  and  supports  these  known  protective  factors  for  youth  mental  health,  this  program  may  also  increase  longer  term  resilience  and  well-­‐being.      

The  main  budget  items  are  salaries  for  the  Local  Coordinators;  supplies  and  materials;    honorariums  for  the    adult  mentors  and  the  youth;  and  administrative  fees  (room  rental,  phone/fax,  postage,  and  photocopying).    

Costs  

IlikKuset-­‐Ilingannet!/Culture-­‐Connect!  Program  Budget  

Descrip4on   Amount   Number   Totals  

Salaries  &  Honorariums              

Local  Coordinators  (25  hours  per  week  at  $15/hour  for  36  weeks   $15,000   3    $45,000    

Mentor  Honorariums  (6  per  community:  $2000  honorarium  +  $500  bonus  on  compleIon)   $2,500   18    $45,000    

*  Youth  Honorariums  (8  youth  per  community,  $250  each)   $250   8    $2,000    

Materials  and  Supplies              

Supplies  per  mentor  (6  per  community)   $1,500   18    $27,000    

Opera4ng  and  Administra4on              

PrinIng  &  Photocopying   $150   3    $450    

Postage  &  shipping   $800   3    $2,400    

Office  supplies   $500   3    $1,500    

Phone  Usage   $500   3    $1,500    

Room  rental  for  Open  Houses   $150   6    $900    

In-­‐Kind  Support  (from  pilot  project)              

Cameras   $350   3    $1,050    

Laptop  computers   $1,200   3    $3,600    

Office  space  in  each  community   $5,000   3    $15,000    

Project  Subtotal            $125,750    

Total  In-­‐Kind  Support            $19,650    

Total  Project  Costs            $145,400    

TOTAL  FUNDS  REQUIRED            $125,750    

*  This  item  could  be  removed.  The  pilot  program  included  an  honorarium  of  $500  per  youth.    

Par?cipants  agreed  it  could  be  lessened  or  removed.  

“I  think  a  lot  of  the  youth  came  to  my  house  as  part  of  the  program  rather  than  drinking.”  

Acknowledgements      

A  huge  thank  you  to  all  the  youth  and  mentors  involved  in  this  program.  Without  you,  nothing  would  have  been  

possible!    We  are  grateful  for  the  support  from  and  participation  of  the  communities  and  Inuit  Community  Governments  of  Rigolet,  Makkovik.    Special  thanks  to  

Charlotte  Wolfrey,  Herb  Jacque,  Diane  Gear,  Chris  Brennen,  Melva  Williams,  and  Michele  Wood  for  all  your  project  

support,  advice,  and  guidance.  Thanks    also  to  Jordan  Konek/Konek  Productions  for  editing  the  final  video  and  Joanna  

Petrasek  MacDonald  for  video  assistance.  All  pictures  courtesy  of  the  IlikKuset-­‐Ilingannet!  /  Culture-­‐Connect!  Team.    

Funding    

This  research  was  supported  through  funding  from  Health  Canada’s  Climate  Change  and  Health  Adaptation  in  Northern  

First  Nations  and  Inuit  Communities  program.    Complementary  funding  was  received  from  the  Nasivvik  Centre  for  Inuit  Health  and  Changing  Environments,  the  

Children  and  Youth  in  Challenging  Contexts  Network,  and  Cape  Breton  University.      

With  Thanks  

To  view  a  video  about  the  program,  please  visit:  h_ps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAulcH3uXnc    

Project  Team    

Community  Leads  &  Partners  Charlotte  Wolfrey,  Rigolet  Inuit  Community  Government  Herb  Jacque,  Makkovik  Inuit  Community  Government  Diane  Gear,  Postville  Inuit  Community  Government    

Principal  Investigator  Dr.  Ashlee  Cunsolo  Willox,  Cape  Breton  University    Local  Research  Coordinators  Inez  Shiwak,  Rigolet  Gemma  Andersen,  Makkovik  Rebecca  Brennen,  Postville    Research  Advisor  Michele  Wood,  Nunatsiavut  Department  of  Health  &  Social  Development  

 

For  more  information,  please  contact:  Dr.  Ashlee  Cunsolo  Willox  

Canada  Research  Chair  in  Determinants  of  Healthy  Communities  Assistant  Professor  in  Community  Health  

Cape  Breton  University  E:  ashlee_cunsolowillox@cbu.ca    |    P:  902-­‐563-­‐1949  

IlikKuset-­‐Ilingannet!      

Culture-­‐Connect!    A  cultural  mentorship  program  in  Rigolet,  Makkovik,  and  Postville,  Nunatsiavut,  Labrador,  Canada  

“I  think  this  is  a  program  that  should  definitely  continue,  because  it’s  one  where  it’s  

showing  the  value  of  cultural  activities.  And  

it’s  not  always  just  learning,  it’s  participating  

and  feeling  involved  in  something  cultural.  It’s  

important.  It’s  a  mental  health  outlet.  It’s  

somewhere  to  go  when  maybe  someone  

doesn’t  have  somewhere  to  go.  It’s  a  place  

where  you  feel  valued  and  you  are  respected  

and  we’re  glad  you’re  there  and  you’re  glad  to  

be  there  and  it  should  be  something  that  

continues.”