NAN Decade for Youth Council: future plans

Jason Smallboy Decade member

As the Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Decade for Youth Council, we strive to accomplish our goals and improve our First Nation society through lobbying on behalf of NAN youth. We believe that youth must be treated and viewed as an invaluable part of NAN society and to accomplish our goals, we work tirelessly on various projects and new ventures.

In February we conducted a strategic planning session on what we envision for the youth Council over the next few years. We identified several short and long-term goals including: going into the communities; updating the NAN youth website; helping establish youth councils within NAN; networking with our First Nations; a youth empowerment film project; organizing a trip on the land; organizing a NAN-wide recreational event; and the continuation of the NAN Decade for Youth Council.

In late March, NAN Deputy Grand Chief Rosanne Archibald and the Youth Council developed a music video for the youth empowerment strategy. The video featured an original song written by council member Duane Moonias and the song was performed by the Youth Council. The shooting for the video took place in late March and is currently being edited to perfection. Once editing is complete, the video will be made available to all our communities and our youth.

In March, the NAN Decade for Youth Council attended the NAN Annual Winter Chiefs Meeting in Timmins, Ont. Many issues were brought to the table regarding our territory and the Youth Council had the privilege to present our past projects, upcoming events, and current issues. The main issue we focused on was regarding the Decade and how it was coming to a close. This past Decade was previously identified by NAN as the Decade for Youth.

The Youth Council brought this matter to the attention of the chiefs in assembly and requested an extension for the NAN Youth Council. The chiefs unanimously voted in favour of a permanent extension of the NAN Youth Council! So now, as long as the sun shines and the river flows, we will always have a NAN Youth Council!

With the decade coming to a close and the permanent extension of the Youth Council, we are going to need a new name! We will be attending the Keewaywin Conference in August in Chapleau to present to the chiefs the new name for the NAN Decade for Youth Council.

Also during the winter assembly, we presented an idea to get into the communities more and make ourselves be seen, be heard, assist in the development of local Youth Councils, and meet with our fellow youth. With these visits, we hope to find out more what is going on with our youth and the dayto- day issues youth face. From this, we want to work together towards a better and brighter future. A major question we want to ask is what do NAN youth really need? And how can we collectively accomplish these goals?

As it stands today, we have eight members sitting on the Youth Council: Bellamie Bighead, Duane Moonias, Esther McKay, Jason Smallboy, Jocelyn Formsma, Jordan Quequish, Serene Spence, and newly accepted member Carla Kakegamic.

In closing, the NAN Youth Council is made up of a very distinguished group of NAN youth from different backgrounds and communities, and each has their own story and opinion. With my short time that I have spent on the Youth Council, I must say, I feel very humbled and I am extremely proud to call these members my colleagues.

Thank You.